The state of tranquility: Subjective perception is shaped by contextual modulation of auditory connectivity

Abstract

In this study, we investigated brain mechanisms for the generation of subjective experience from objective sensory inputs. Our experimental construct was subjective tranquility. Tranquility is a mental state more likely to occur in the presence of objective sensory inputs that arise from natural features in the environment. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural response to scenes that were visually distinct (beach images vs. freeway images) and experienced as tranquil (beach) or non-tranquil (freeway). Both sets of scenes had the same auditory component because waves breaking on a beach and vehicles moving on a freeway can produce similar auditory spectral and temporal characteristics, perceived as a constant roar. Compared with scenes experienced as non-tranquil, we found that subjectively tranquil scenes were associated with significantly greater effective connectivity between the auditory cortex and medial prefrontal cortex, a region implicated in the evaluation of mental states. Similarly enhanced connectivity was also observed between the auditory cortex and posterior cingulate gyrus, temporoparietal cortex and thalamus. These findings demonstrate that visual context can modulate connectivity of the auditory cortex with regions implicated in the generation of subjective states. Importantly, this effect arises under conditions of identical auditory input. Hence, the same sound may be associated with different percepts reflecting varying connectivity between the auditory cortex and other brain regions. This suggests that subjective experience is more closely linked to the connectivity state of the auditory cortex than to its basic sensory inputs.

Tranquillity and Soundscapes in Urban Green Spaces—Predicted and Actual Assessments from a Questionnaire Survey

“…These are precisely the features that characterise natural surroundings. Earlier studies have shown a link between natural surroundings and the reduction of stress (Ulrich et al, 1991), recovery from surgical interventions (Ulrich, 1984), pain relief (Lechtzin et al, 2010) and enhanced neural connections in the medial prefrontal cortex of the brain (Hunter et al, 2010). This study has shown the percentage stating they are more relaxed after visiting the green space is closely associated with perceived tranquillity.…”

Processes of believing — a review and conceptual account

“…The medial frontal cortex is part of the extended circuits with functional connectivity to the posterior temporal sulcus, the temporoparietal junction, the anterior temporal cortex, and the basal ganglia and thalamus (Seitz et al, 2011) entertaining a prominent development from adolescence to adulthood (Burnett and Blakemore , 2009 ). Therefore, the frontal cortex provides a top-down modulation of sensory cortices (Gazzaley et al , 2005 ;Hunter et al , 2010 ), which is functionally abnormal in patients with schizophrenia (Bassett and Bullmore , 2009 ) and severely disrupted in the chronic vegetative state (Boly et al , 2011 ). Thus, many components of the brain structures relevant for belief processes have recently been identifi ed.…”

The Personal Viewpoint on the Meaning of Tranquility Affects the Appraisal of the Urban Park Soundscape

“…Moreover, the concept of tranquility has been studied in various research areas closely related to soundscape. For instance, a direct brain response with relation to perceived tranquility was measured with neural imaging [12]. Additionally, the tranquility of natural places has been investigated and evaluated with established soundscape indicators [13].…”