fMRI evidence for a cortical hierarchy of pitch pattern processing.

Pitch patterns, such as melodies, consist of two levels of structure: a global level, comprising the pattern of ups and downs, or contour; and a local level, comprising the precise intervals that make up this contour. An influential neuropsychological model suggests that these two levels of processi...

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Main Authors: Lauren Stewart, Tobias Overath, Jason D Warren, Jessica M Foxton, Timothy D Griffiths
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2008-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2198945?pdf=render
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author Lauren Stewart
Tobias Overath
Jason D Warren
Jessica M Foxton
Timothy D Griffiths
author_facet Lauren Stewart
Tobias Overath
Jason D Warren
Jessica M Foxton
Timothy D Griffiths
author_sort Lauren Stewart
collection DOAJ
description Pitch patterns, such as melodies, consist of two levels of structure: a global level, comprising the pattern of ups and downs, or contour; and a local level, comprising the precise intervals that make up this contour. An influential neuropsychological model suggests that these two levels of processing are hierarchically linked, with processing of the global structure occurring within the right hemisphere in advance of local processing within the left. However, the predictions of this model and its anatomical basis have not been tested in neurologically normal individuals. The present study used fMRI and required participants to listen to consecutive pitch sequences while performing a same/different one-back task. Sequences, when different, either preserved (local) or violated (global) the contour of the sequence preceding them. When the activations for the local and global conditions were contrasted directly, additional activation was seen for local processing in right planum temporale and posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS). The presence of additional activation for local over global processing supports the hierarchical view that the global structure of a pitch sequence acts as a "framework" on which the local detail is subsequently hung. However, the lateralisation of activation seen in the present study, with global processing occurring in left pSTS and local processing occurring bilaterally, differed from that predicted by the neuroanatomical model. A re-examination of the individual lesion data on which the neuroanatomical model is based revealed that the lesion data equally well support the laterality scheme suggested by our data. While the present study supports the hierarchical view of local and global processing, there is an evident need for further research, both in patients and neurologically normal individuals, before an understanding of the functional lateralisation of local and global processing can be considered established.
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spelling doaj.art-66f6626f85fe4ad1a944789d683dbb182022-12-21T18:48:11ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032008-01-0131e147010.1371/journal.pone.0001470fMRI evidence for a cortical hierarchy of pitch pattern processing.Lauren StewartTobias OverathJason D WarrenJessica M FoxtonTimothy D GriffithsPitch patterns, such as melodies, consist of two levels of structure: a global level, comprising the pattern of ups and downs, or contour; and a local level, comprising the precise intervals that make up this contour. An influential neuropsychological model suggests that these two levels of processing are hierarchically linked, with processing of the global structure occurring within the right hemisphere in advance of local processing within the left. However, the predictions of this model and its anatomical basis have not been tested in neurologically normal individuals. The present study used fMRI and required participants to listen to consecutive pitch sequences while performing a same/different one-back task. Sequences, when different, either preserved (local) or violated (global) the contour of the sequence preceding them. When the activations for the local and global conditions were contrasted directly, additional activation was seen for local processing in right planum temporale and posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS). The presence of additional activation for local over global processing supports the hierarchical view that the global structure of a pitch sequence acts as a "framework" on which the local detail is subsequently hung. However, the lateralisation of activation seen in the present study, with global processing occurring in left pSTS and local processing occurring bilaterally, differed from that predicted by the neuroanatomical model. A re-examination of the individual lesion data on which the neuroanatomical model is based revealed that the lesion data equally well support the laterality scheme suggested by our data. While the present study supports the hierarchical view of local and global processing, there is an evident need for further research, both in patients and neurologically normal individuals, before an understanding of the functional lateralisation of local and global processing can be considered established.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2198945?pdf=render
spellingShingle Lauren Stewart
Tobias Overath
Jason D Warren
Jessica M Foxton
Timothy D Griffiths
fMRI evidence for a cortical hierarchy of pitch pattern processing.
PLoS ONE
title fMRI evidence for a cortical hierarchy of pitch pattern processing.
title_full fMRI evidence for a cortical hierarchy of pitch pattern processing.
title_fullStr fMRI evidence for a cortical hierarchy of pitch pattern processing.
title_full_unstemmed fMRI evidence for a cortical hierarchy of pitch pattern processing.
title_short fMRI evidence for a cortical hierarchy of pitch pattern processing.
title_sort fmri evidence for a cortical hierarchy of pitch pattern processing
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2198945?pdf=render
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