The cingulate cortex facilitates auditory perception under challenging listening conditions.

ABSTRACT: We often exert greater cognitive resources (i.e., listening effort) to understand speech under challenging acoustic conditions. This mechanism can be overwhelmed in those with hearing loss, resulting in cognitive fatigue in adults and potentially impeding language acquisition in children. However, the neural mechanisms that support listening effort are uncertain. Evidence from human studies suggests that the cingulate cortex is engaged under difficult listening conditions and may exert top-down modulation of the auditory cortex (AC). Here, we asked whether the gerbil cingulate cortex (Cg) sends anatomical projections to the AC that facilitate perceptual performance. To model challenging listening conditions, we used a sound discrimination task in which stimulus parameters were presented in

SUBMITTER: Anbuhl KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12002281 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature