Attention-related modulation of auditory brainstem responses during contralateral noise exposure

Abstract

As determinants facilitating attention-related modulation of the auditory brainstem response (ABR), two experimental factors were examined: (i) auditory discrimination; and (ii) contralateral masking intensity. Tone pips at 80 dB sound pressure level were presented to the left ear via either single-tone exposures or oddball exposures, whereas white noise was delivered continuously to the right ear at variable intensities (none--80 dB sound pressure level). Participants each conducted two tasks during stimulation, either reading a book (ignoring task) or detecting target tones (attentive task). Task-related modulation within the ABR range was found only during oddball exposures at contralateral masking intensities greater than or equal to 60 dB. Attention-related modulation of ABR can thus be detected reliably during auditory discrimination under contralateral masking of sufficient intensity.

Processing Complex Sounds Passing through the Rostral Brainstem: The New Early Filter Model

“…Inconsistent with the findings of Woldorff et al, Ikeda et al ( 2008 ) showed that selective attention affected tone-pip ABRs (Figure 4 ). A task requirement of perceptual discrimination between pips of a target frequency and a non-target frequency, alongside rather loud (100 dB SPL) contralateral masking noise, sufficed to cause attentional augments of ABRs.…”

Two-Stage Processing of Sounds Explains Behavioral Performance Variations due to Changes in Stimulus Contrast and Selective Attention: An MEG Study

“…Naturally, we cannot exclude a possible earlier-latency effect, since attentional modulation can be seen at brainstem [36], [37], and even lower level (see [12]). We could not, however, reliably quantify the 50-ms response due to poor signal-to-noise with the narrowest notches (see Fig.…”

On corticopetal–corticofugal loops of the new early filter

“…That is, Ikeda et al [1] have revealed selective attentional influences upon ABRs: In contralateral loud (100 dB SPL) noise, rare "deviant" target tone pips to the left ear exhibited a positivity in the range of waves II-VI. In addition, there were selective attentional decrements in ABRs to attended frequent "standard" non-target tone-pips relative to acoustically identical sounds that participants just ignore [1]. In quieter contralateral noise (80 dB SPL)…”

“…On corticopetal-corticofugal loops of the new early filter: From cell assemblies to the rostral brainstem Selective attention affects both thalamocortically generated auditory middlelatency responses and cortically generated auditory long-latency responses, yet, up until the work of Ikeda et al [1][2][3], no such attentional effects upon auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) had been observed [4][5]. That is, Ikeda et al [1] have revealed selective attentional influences upon ABRs: In contralateral loud (100 dB SPL) noise, rare "deviant" target tone pips to the left ear exhibited a positivity in the range of waves II-VI. In addition, there were selective attentional decrements in ABRs to attended frequent "standard" non-target tone-pips relative to acoustically identical sounds that participants just ignore [1].…”

“…The Hebbian concept of a brain without inhibition rather better describes a brain that exhibits epileptiform activity [22]. If such neural inhibition plays a role in attentional modulations of ABRs [1][2][3], such data are more reconcilable with the alternative models [6,8] than with Hebbian theory [7]. geniculate, inferior colliculus, and cochlear nucleus, but also in the auditory cortices bilaterally [24].…”