Common principles in the lateralization of auditory cortex structure and function for vocal communication in primates and rodents

Abstract

This review summarizes recent findings on the lateralization of communicative sound processing in the auditory cortex (AC) of humans, non‐human primates and rodents. Functional imaging in humans has demonstrated a left hemispheric preference for some acoustic features of speech, but it is unclear to which degree this is caused by bottom‐up acoustic feature selectivity or top‐down modulation from language areas. Although non‐human primates show a less pronounced functional lateralization in AC, the properties of AC fields and behavioural asymmetries are qualitatively similar. Rodent studies demonstrate microstructural circuits that might underlie bottom‐up acoustic feature selectivity in both hemispheres. Functionally, the left AC in the mouse appears to be specifically tuned to communication calls, whereas the right AC may have a more ‘generalist’ role. Rodents also show anatomical AC lateralization, such as differences in size and connectivity. Several of these functional and anatomical characteristics are also lateralized in human AC. Thus, complex vocal communication processing shares common features among rodents and primates. We argue that a synthesis of results from humans, non‐human primates and rodents is necessary to identify the neural circuitry of vocal communication processing. However, data from different species and methods are often difficult to compare. Recent advances may enable better integration of methods across species. Efforts to standardize data formats and analysis tools would benefit comparative research and enable synergies between psychological and biological research in the area of vocal communication processing.

Integration of olfactory and auditory cues eliciting parental behavior

“…Research in mice has begun to identify neuromodulators and genes that facilitate this experience‐dependent plasticity that accompanies the learning of maternal behavior, including the hormones oxytocin and estradiol, as well as the gene MECP2 10,70–72 . Furthermore, a subset of this study has demonstrated that left A1 in particular shows lateralization of pup vocalization perception in experienced mothers, which suggests a possible parallel to the left lateralization of human vocal perception and social communication 10,58,66,73,74 . This lateralization may be due, in part, to the observed distribution of oxytocin receptors favoring left A1 10,75 .…”

“…10,[70][71][72] Furthermore, a subset of this study has demonstrated that left A1 in particular shows lateralization of pup vocalization perception in experienced mothers, which suggests a possible parallel to the left lateralization of human vocal perception and social communication. 10,58,66,73,74 This lateralization may be due, in part, to the observed distribution of oxytocin receptors favoring left A1. 10,75 Altogether, the auditory system presents itself as an attractive entry point into the adaptive parental brain.…”

The uniqueness of the human brain: a review

“…This asymmetry is not present in chimpanzees (see review 30 ). A larger spacing between minicolumns equals a larger amount of neuropil, which, in turn, represents a higher number of dendrites, axon terminals, and synapses, allowing for more refined processing by the minicolumns [31][32][33] .…”

Hemispheric difference of adaptation lifetime in human auditory cortex measured with MEG

“…The auditory system exhibits a plethora of hemispheric lateralisations in both structure and function (for a review, see Ruthig & Schönwiesner, 2022; Ocklenburg & Güntürkün, 2024). In humans, language processing serves as a prime example, as it was originally thought to reside predominantly in the left hemisphere (Broca, 1861; Wernicke, 1874).…”