The neuroanatomical substrate of sound duration discrimination.

Full Abstract

We investigated the neuroanatomical substrate of sound duration discrimination, using the same experimental design as in a previous study on sound intensity discrimination [J. Neurosci. 18 (16) (1998) 6388]. Seven normal subjects were trained to detect deviant sounds presented with a slightly longer duration than a 300 ms long standard harmonic sound, using a Go/No Go paradigm. Individual psychometric curves were assessed using a three-step psychoacoustic procedure. Subjects were then scanned while passively listening to the standard sound, and while discriminating changes in sound duration at four different performance levels (d'=1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5). Analysis of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) data outlined activation, during the discrimination conditions, of a right hemispheric fronto-parietal network very similar to the one previously observed for intensity discrimination, as well as additional activation in the right prefrontal cortex (Brodmann Area (BA) 10), bilateral basal ganglia and cerebellar hemispheres. These findings suggest that discrimination of sound duration, as for discrimination of sound intensity, involves two cerebral networks:
a supramodal right fronto-parietal cortical network responsible for allocation of sensory attentional resources, and a network of regions such as the basal ganglia, cerebellum, and right prefrontal cortex, more specifically involved in the temporal aspects of the discrimination task.

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Author information

Author/s: Belin, Pascal (P); McAdams, Stephen (S); Thivard, Lionel (L); Smith, Bennett (B); Savel, Sophie (S); Zilbovicius, Monica (M); Samson, Séverine (S); Samson, Yves (Y);

Affiliation: Groupe de Neurologie, CEA-SHFJ, DRM, 4 place du Général Leclerc, F-91406 Orsay Cedex, France. pascal.belin(-atsign-)umontreal.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Neuropsychologia (Neuropsychologia), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-; vol 40 (issue 12) : pp 1956-64

Dates: Created 2002/09/04; Completed 2002/11/29; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12207993, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Acoustic Stimulation
Adult
Auditory Perception - physiology
Auditory Threshold - physiology
Brain - anatomy & histology
Discrimination (Psychology) - physiology
Functional Laterality - physiology

Functional Laterality - physiology
Humans
Male
Neurons - physiology
Psychomotor Performance - physiology
Time Perception - physiology
Tomography, Emission-Computed

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