Syntax processing by auditory cortical neurons in the FM-FM area of the mustached bat Pteronotus parnellii
Syntax processing by auditory cortical neurons in the FM-FM area of the mustached bat Pteronotus parnellii
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DOI：
10.1073/pnas.94.25.14019
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发表时间：
1997-12-09
影响因子：
11.1
通讯作者：
Kanwal, JS
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Esser, KH;Condon, CJ;Kanwal, JS
语法表示一种规则系统，它允许人们预测通信信号的顺序。尽管句法结构在人类语言处理和动物声学交流中都具有重要意义，但哺乳动物大脑中句法结构的表征尚未在单单元水平上进行电生理学研究。在寻找与句法相关的神经元的过程中，我们使用了自然的和暂时破坏的复杂的物种特有的交流呼叫（所谓的合成）的回放，同时记录了八字胡蝙蝠听觉皮层一个生理上明确定义的区域（FM-FM区域）的神经元的细胞外信号。尽管已知该区域参与了回声定位目标距离信息的处理，但我们发现FM-FM区域的单元对复合材料的响应非常高。在自然复合结构的时域中，神经元反应受到操纵的强烈影响，这一发现支持了哺乳动物的语法处理至少发生在非初级听觉皮层水平的假设。
Syntax denotes a rule system that allows one to predict the sequencing of communication signals. Despite its significance for both human speech processing and animal acoustic communication, the representation of syntactic structure in the mammalian brain has not been studied electrophysiologically at the single-unit level. In the search for a neuronal correlate for syntax, we used playback of natural and temporally destructured complex species-specific communication calls-so-called composites-while recording extracellularly from neurons in a physiologically well defined area (the FM-FM area) of the mustached bat's auditory cortex. Even though this area is known to be involved in the processing of target distance information for echolocation, we found that units in the FM-FM area were highly responsive to composites. The finding that neuronal responses were strongly affected by manipulation in the time domain of the natural composite structure lends support to the hypothesis that syntax processing in mammals occurs at least at the level of the nonprimary auditory cortex.