scholarly journals Atypical MEG inter-subject correlation during listening to continuous natural speech in dyslexia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Thiede ◽  
E. Glerean ◽  
T. Kujala ◽  
L. Parkkonen
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Phonological Processing ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Mantel Test ◽  
Natural Speech ◽  
List Type ◽  
Frequency Bands ◽  
Temporal Sampling ◽  
Technical Reading

AbstractListening to speech elicits brain activity time-locked to the speech sounds. This so-called neural entrainment to speech was found to be atypical in dyslexia, a reading impairment associated with neural speech processing deficits. We hypothesized that the brain responses of dyslexic vs. normal readers to real-life speech would be different, and thus the strength of inter-subject correlation (ISC) would differ from that of typical readers and be reflected in reading-related measures.We recorded magnetoencephalograms (MEG) of 23 dyslexic and 21 typically-reading adults during listening to ∼10 min of natural Finnish speech consisting of excerpts from radio news, a podcast, a self-recorded audiobook chapter and small talk. The amplitude envelopes of band-pass-filtered MEG source signals were correlated between subjects in a cortically-constrained source space in six frequency bands. The resulting ISCs of dyslexic and typical readers were compared with a permutation-based t-test. Neuropsychological measures of phonological processing, technical reading, and working memory were correlated with the ISCs utilizing the Mantel test.During listening to speech, ISCs were reduced in dyslexic compared to typical readers in delta (0.5–4 Hz), alpha (8–12 Hz), low gamma (25–45 Hz) and high gamma (55–90 Hz) frequency bands. In the beta (12–25 Hz) band, dyslexics had mainly enhanced ISC to speech compared to controls. Furthermore, we found that ISCs across both groups were associated with phonological processing, technical reading, and working memory.The atypical ISC to natural speech in dyslexics supports the temporal sampling deficit theory of dyslexia. It also suggests over-synchronization to phoneme-rate information in speech, which could indicate more effort-demanding sampling of phonemes from speech in dyslexia. These irregularities in parsing speech are likely some of the complex neural factors contributing to dyslexia. The associations between neural coupling and reading-related skills further support this notion.Research HighlightsMEG inter-subject correlation (ISC) of dyslexics was atypical while listening to speech.Depending on the frequency band, dyslexics had stronger or weaker ISC than controls.Reading-related measures correlated with the strength of ISC.

scholarly journals Neuromagnetic speech discrimination responses are associated with reading-related skills in dyslexic and typical readers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Thiede ◽  
L. Parkkonen ◽  
P. Virtala ◽  
M. Laasonen ◽  
J.P. Mäkelä ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Speech Sound ◽  
Verbal Working Memory ◽  
Compensatory Mechanism ◽  
List Type ◽  
Speech Discrimination ◽  
Sound Changes ◽  
Technical Reading

AbstractDyslexia is thought to result from poor phonological processing. We investigated neuromagnetic speech discrimination in dyslexic and typical readers with mismatch fields (MMF) and determined the associations between MMFs and reading-related skills. We expected weak and atypically lateralized MMFs in dyslexic readers, and associations between reading-related skills and MMF strength. MMFs were recorded to a repeating pseudoword /ta-ta/ with occasional changes in vowel identity, duration, or syllable frequency from 43 adults, 21 with confirmed dyslexia. Speech-sound changes elicited MMFs in bilateral auditory cortices, with no group differences in source strengths. MMFs to vowel identity and duration changes were left-lateralized. Better verbal working memory was associated with stronger left-hemispheric MMFs across groups, suggesting the relevance of verbal working memory for speech processing. Better technical reading was associated with stronger right-hemispheric MMFs in dyslexic readers, suggesting a right-hemispheric compensatory mechanism for language processing. In conclusion, contrary to prior work, our results did not support deficient speech discrimination in dyslexia. However, in line with previous studies, we observed left-lateralized MMFs to vowel identity and duration changes, and associations of MMFs with reading-related skills, highlighting the connection between neural speech processing and reading and promoting the use of MMFs in investigating reading-related brain processes.HighlightsSpeech-sound changes elicit comparable mismatch fields in dyslexics and controls.Mismatch fields (MMFs) to vowel identity and duration changes are left-lateralized.Stronger left MMFs are associated with better verbal working memory across groups.Stronger right MMFs are associated with better technical reading in dyslexics.Low-level neural speech discrimination is associated with reading-related skills.

scholarly journals Doorways do not always cause forgetting: a multimodal investigation

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica McFadyen ◽  
Christopher Nolan ◽  
Ellen Pinocy ◽  
David Buteri ◽  
Oliver Baumann
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
False Alarm ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Working Memory Load ◽  
Movement Data ◽  
Physical Environments ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
False Alarm Rates ◽  
Location Updating

Abstract Background The ‘doorway effect’, or ‘location updating effect’, claims that we tend to forget items of recent significance immediately after crossing a boundary. Previous research suggests that such a forgetting effect occurs both at physical boundaries (e.g., moving from one room to another via a door) and metaphysical boundaries (e.g., imagining traversing a doorway, or even when moving from one desktop window to another on a computer). Here, we aimed to conceptually replicate this effect using virtual and physical environments. Methods Across four experiments, we measured participants’ hit and false alarm rates to memory probes for items recently encountered either in the same or previous room. Experiments 1 and 2 used highly immersive virtual reality without and with working memory load (Experiments 1 and 2, respectively). Experiment 3 used passive video watching and Experiment 4 used active real-life movement. Data analysis was conducted using frequentist as well as Bayesian inference statistics. Results Across this series of experiments, we observed no significant effect of doorways on forgetting. In Experiment 2, however, signal detection was impaired when participants responded to probes after moving through doorways, such that false alarm rates were increased for mismatched recognition probes. Thus, under working memory load, memory was more susceptible to interference after moving through doorways. Conclusions This study presents evidence that is inconsistent with the location updating effect as it has previously been reported. Our findings call into question the generalisability and robustness of this effect to slight paradigm alterations and, indeed, what factors contributed to the effect observed in previous studies.

scholarly journals Working memory compensates for hearing related phonological processing deficit

2013 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabet Classon ◽  
Mary Rudner ◽  
Jerker Rönnberg
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Phonological Processing ◽  
Processing Deficit

scholarly journals Including measures of high gamma power can improve the decoding of natural speech from EEG

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shyanthony R. Synigal ◽  
Emily S. Teoh ◽  
Edmund C. Lalor
Keyword(s):  
Brain Imaging ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Natural Speech ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
High Gamma ◽  
Gamma Power ◽  
Speech Tracking

ABSTRACTThe human auditory system is adept at extracting information from speech in both single-speaker and multi-speaker situations. This involves neural processing at the rapid temporal scales seen in natural speech. Non-invasive brain imaging (electro-/magnetoencephalography [EEG/MEG]) signatures of such processing have shown that the phase of neural activity below 16 Hz tracks the dynamics of speech, whereas invasive brain imaging (electrocorticography [ECoG]) has shown that such rapid processing is even more strongly reflected in the power of neural activity at high frequencies (around 70-150 Hz; known as high gamma). The aim of this study was to determine if high gamma power in scalp recorded EEG carries useful stimulus-related information, despite its reputation for having a poor signal to noise ratio. Furthermore, we aimed to assess whether any such information might be complementary to that reflected in well-established low frequency EEG indices of speech processing. We used linear regression to investigate speech envelope and attention decoding in EEG at low frequencies, in high gamma power, and in both signals combined. While low frequency speech tracking was evident for almost all subjects as expected, high gamma power also showed robust speech tracking in a minority of subjects. This same pattern was true for attention decoding using a separate group of subjects who undertook a cocktail party attention experiment. For the subjects who showed speech tracking in high gamma power, the spatiotemporal characteristics of that high gamma tracking differed from that of low-frequency EEG. Furthermore, combining the two neural measures led to improved measures of speech tracking for several subjects. Overall, this indicates that high gamma power EEG can carry useful information regarding speech processing and attentional selection in some subjects and combining it with low frequency EEG can improve the mapping between natural speech and the resulting neural responses.

scholarly journals Animated virtual characters to explore audio-visual speech in controlled and naturalistic environments

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphaël Thézé ◽  
Mehdi Ali Gadiri ◽  
Louis Albert ◽  
Antoine Provost ◽  
Anne-Lise Giraud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Processing ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Mcgurk Effect ◽  
Visual Speech ◽  
Natural Speech ◽  
Virtual Characters ◽  
Speech Stimuli ◽  
Stimulus Timing ◽  
Phonetic Features ◽  
Set Up

Abstract Natural speech is processed in the brain as a mixture of auditory and visual features. An example of the importance of visual speech is the McGurk effect and related perceptual illusions that result from mismatching auditory and visual syllables. Although the McGurk effect has widely been applied to the exploration of audio-visual speech processing, it relies on isolated syllables, which severely limits the conclusions that can be drawn from the paradigm. In addition, the extreme variability and the quality of the stimuli usually employed prevents comparability across studies. To overcome these limitations, we present an innovative methodology using 3D virtual characters with realistic lip movements synchronized on computer-synthesized speech. We used commercially accessible and affordable tools to facilitate reproducibility and comparability, and the set-up was validated on 24 participants performing a perception task. Within complete and meaningful French sentences, we paired a labiodental fricative viseme (i.e. /v/) with a bilabial occlusive phoneme (i.e. /b/). This audiovisual mismatch is known to induce the illusion of hearing /v/ in a proportion of trials. We tested the rate of the illusion while varying the magnitude of background noise and audiovisual lag. Overall, the effect was observed in 40% of trials. The proportion rose to about 50% with added background noise and up to 66% when controlling for phonetic features. Our results conclusively demonstrate that computer-generated speech stimuli are judicious, and that they can supplement natural speech with higher control over stimulus timing and content.

The Steinhoff signals: The role of responsible investing for asset managers

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Hendrik Jacobus Haasbroek ◽  
Geoff Bick ◽  
Stephanie Giamporcaro
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Boards Of Directors ◽  
Financial Analysis ◽  
Real Life ◽  
List Type ◽  
Responsible Investment ◽  
Teaching Case ◽  
Responsible Investing ◽  
Asset Managers

Subject area of the teaching case: The case can be used in the subject areas of finance and in particular investments, corporate governance, ESG, or responsible investments. It is suitable for students from all financial backgrounds, from a novice in the financial markets to an expert in finance. It is, however, expected that the class should have a sound fundamental grounding in financial analysis and valuations. The purpose of this case is to prepare students for future investments they would make in whatever capacity – whether in private or listed companies – and to prepare them for future roles on boards of directors. The examples of real-life events in this case study are used to prepare students for future similar situations in which they might find themselves. Student level: This teaching case is aimed at postgraduate students pursuing an MBA or a specialist Masters in a finance programme. This case can be used as a master class in corporate governance, investments, or responsible investments. This case is also suited for an executive education class in management. It is particularly relevant to a module that focusses on investments, corporate governance, ESG, or responsible investments. Brief overview of the teaching case: The case study chronicles meetings held on 8 November 2017 at a fictional South African asset manager, Active Investment Management (AIM). These meetings discuss the firm's investment in JSE-listed Steinhoff International Holdings. The case deals with the questions that active fund managers need to address when balancing financial analysis; environmental, social, and governance (ESG) analysis; portfolio management; and the need to comply with their fiduciary duty to clients. It also looks at the need for responsible investing in decision-making. Expected learning outcomes: The understanding of the assessment around the complexities of asset management when it comes to responsible investment. To determine why institutional investors should apply responsible investment principles when making investment decisions. An understanding of the evaluation of the unique roles of the three pillars of corporate governance, namely asset managers, auditors, and the board of directors. The ability to assess how to integrate financial analysis and ESG principles in making investment recommendations.

Auditory–Articulatory Neural Alignment between Listener and Speaker during Verbal Communication

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 942-951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lanfang Liu ◽  
Yuxuan Zhang ◽  
Qi Zhou ◽  
Douglas D Garrett ◽  
Chunming Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Processing ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Information Transfer ◽  
Temporal Cortex ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Hierarchical Organization ◽  
Speech Comprehension ◽  
Level Information ◽  
Motor Information ◽  
High Level

Abstract Whether auditory processing of speech relies on reference to the articulatory motor information of speaker remains elusive. Here, we addressed this issue under a two-brain framework. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was applied to record the brain activities of speakers when telling real-life stories and later of listeners when listening to the audio recordings of these stories. Based on between-brain seed-to-voxel correlation analyses, we revealed that neural dynamics in listeners’ auditory temporal cortex are temporally coupled with the dynamics in the speaker’s larynx/phonation area. Moreover, the coupling response in listener’s left auditory temporal cortex follows the hierarchical organization for speech processing, with response lags in A1+, STG/STS, and MTG increasing linearly. Further, listeners showing greater coupling responses understand the speech better. When comprehension fails, such interbrain auditory-articulation coupling vanishes substantially. These findings suggest that a listener’s auditory system and a speaker’s articulatory system are inherently aligned during naturalistic verbal interaction, and such alignment is associated with high-level information transfer from the speaker to the listener. Our study provides reliable evidence supporting that references to the articulatory motor information of speaker facilitate speech comprehension under a naturalistic scene.

Spatio-visual working memory effectiveness and depression levels after pharmacological therapy with ssri - preliminary study

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 627-627
Author(s):  
M. Talarowska ◽  
A. Florkowski ◽  
D. Berent ◽  
P. Gałecki
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Pharmacological Treatment ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Antidepressant Treatment ◽  
Pharmacological Therapy ◽  
List Type ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Performance Levels

IntroductionWorking memory dysfunctions are observed in patients with recurrent depressive disorders. These deficits exert negative effects not only on psychological test performance levels but also on the capacity of affected patients to cope with everyday life situations, as well as on decreased remission levels.AimThe goal of the study was to identify possible associations between spatio-visual working memory, evaluated on admission, with the remission degree, assessed after 8-week pharmacotherapy with SSRI in a group of patients with diagnosed depression.Methods141 subjects were examined (patients with depressive disorders, DD: n = 86, healthy subjects, CG: n = 55). Trail Making Test by Reitan (TMT) was used.ResultsCG obtained higher results vs. DD-I patients (the evaluation started on the therapy onset) in TMT A/time (p = 0.09), TMT B/time (p = 0.009). CG demonstrated better results than DD-II patients (following eight weeks of pharmacological treatment) in TMT A (p = 0.11), TMT B (p = 0.85). Compared to DD-I group, DD-II group achieved better results in TMT A (p < 0.001) and TMT B (p < 0.001). The lowest performance levels in TMT A and TMT B may have been related to the highest depression levels after pharmacological treatment.Conclusions1.Depressive disorders are associated with deteriorated efficiency of visual working memory.2.Antidepressant treatment resulted in improved of visual working memory.3.The better performance in TMT on the first day of treatment may have influenced the noted reduction in severity of depressive symptoms after treatment with SSRI.

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