Expectations modulate voice processing mechanisms

What is it about?

According to predictive coding models of sensory processing, stimulus expectations have a profound effect on sensory cortical responses. To test whether processing of voices is also affected by stimulus expectations, here we investigated the effect of repetition probability on fMRI RS in voice-selective cortical areas. We found auditory fMRI RS in the nonprimary voice-selective cortical regions. Importantly, fMRI RS effects in all of these areas were strongly modulated by the probability of stimulus repetition.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Our results revealed that auditory fMRI RS in higher-level voice-selective cortical regions is modulated by repetition probabilities and thus suggest that in audition, similarly to the visual modality, processing of sensory information is shaped by stimulus expectation processes.