Subcortical rather than cortical sources of the frequency-following response (FFR) relate to speech-in-noise perception in normal-hearing listeners.

ABSTRACT: Scalp-recorded frequency-following responses (FFRs) reflect a mixture of phase-locked activity across the auditory pathway. FFRs have been widely used as a neural barometer of complex listening skills, especially speech-in noise (SIN) perception. Applying individually optimized source reconstruction to speech-FFRs recorded via EEG (FFR_EEG), we assessed the relative contributions of subcortical [auditory nerve (AN), brainstem/midbrain (BS)] and cortical [bilateral primary auditory cortex, PAC] source generators with the aim of identifying which source(s) drive the brain-behavior relation between FFRs and SIN listening skills. We found FFR strength declined precipitously from AN to PAC, consistent with diminishing phase-locking along the ascending auditory neuroaxis. FFRs to the s

SUBMITTER: Bidelman GM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7897268 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature