FMRI OF HUMAN AUDITORY SPATIAL PROCESSING

本研究的总体目标是提供一个更好的了解人类皮层系统的组织参与感知声音的位置，运动和听觉空间的布局。 为了实现这一目标，功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）将被用来区分，地图和功能表征人类大脑区域参与听觉空间感知和注意力。 重点将放在（1）首先映射与听觉和/或空间处理相关的几个公认的皮层分区。 然后，这些功能标志将用于（2）帮助识别和映射专门用于分析声音的空间属性和/或控制针对听觉空间中的刺激的注意力的皮层通路。最后，（3）我们将结合高分辨率功能磁共振成像技术，利用三维声音产生的最新进展来识别听觉空间的皮层地图。受试者将执行听觉或视听行为任务，同时使用1.5T GE采集功能图像。 Signa临床扫描仪和3.0T Bruker扫描仪（可实现更高分辨率成像），使用回波平面或群集采集脉冲序列进行T2加权功能成像。 fMRI实验的设计目的是允许在扫描过程的静音期间传递高保真度声音，从而最大限度地减少或消除与扫描仪噪音相关的干扰。总之，在这个项目中的实验旨在确定负责感知声音的空间属性的皮层系统。 这些实验将提供颞叶和顶叶皮层相应功能专门化的详细地图，并将扩展我们对人类听觉功能的理解。 除了其相关性的理解听觉空间知觉的神经基础，这项研究的结果也可能是重要的使用在理解和诊断缺陷的听觉空间知觉与脑损伤。

The overall goal of this study is to provide a better understanding of the organization of human cortical systems involved in the perception of sound location, movement, and the layout of auditory space. To achieve this goal, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be used to differentiate, map and functionally characterize human brain regions involved in auditory spatial perception and attention. Emphasis will be placed on (1) first mapping several well-established subdivisions of the cortex that are related to hearing and/or spatial processing. These functional landmarks will then be used to (2) assist in identifying and mapping cortical pathways specialized for analyzing the spatial attributes of sound and/or controlling attention directed to stimuli in auditory space. Finally, (3) we will use recent advances in 3D sound production in conjuction with high resolution fMRI to identify cortical maps of auditory space. Subjects will perform auditory or audio-visual behavioral tasks while functional images are acquired with a 1.5T G.E. Signa clinical scanner and a 3.0T Bruker scanner (which will allow for higher resolution imaging), using echo-planar or clustered-acquisition pulse sequences for T2 weighted functional images. The fMRI experiments are designed to allow high fidelity sound to be delivered during silent periods of the scanning process, thereby minimizing or eliminating interference associated with scanner noise. Together, the experiments in this project seek to identify cortical systems responsible for perception of the spatial attributes of sound. The experiments will provide detailed maps of corresponding functional specialization in temporal and parietal cortex and will extend our understanding of auditory function in humans. In addition to its relevance for understanding the neural basis of auditory space perception, the results of this study may also be of significant use in understanding and diagnosing deficits in auditory space perception associated with brain damage.