Sensory Prediction in the Auditory Cortex during Vocal Production

本研究的总体目标是了解感觉预测在听觉中的作用。 大脑皮层。预测一个人行为的感官后果的能力在塑造中起着重要的作用 感觉编码和引导行为。在听觉系统中，这种预测在发声过程中使用， 使我们能够监控我们声音的反馈。然而，这种听觉的神经机制 自我监控是未知的。这项建议的重点是通过以下方式确定机制和神经回路 在发声过程中，哪个感觉预测改变了听觉皮质中的感觉编码，以及行为 这样的预测所起的作用。我们使用一种新的发声灵长类动物模型--绒猴来解决这一问题。 目的1重点研究发声过程中反馈编码的机制，并验证该假说 这种感觉预测塑造了听觉皮质反应，以计算声音反馈之间的误差信号 和预测。我们记录了发出声音的绒猴的听觉皮质神经元，同时调整了频率 用不同方向和大小的频移测量他们的发声反馈的内容 反馈错误。为了进一步研究潜在的计算机制，感官预测 形状反馈编码，我们测量发声过程中听觉皮质的频率调谐变化 与被动倾听相比，以及它们与预测的声学之间的关系。 目的2研究参与感觉预测和反馈编码的听觉皮层回路， 检验背侧听觉通路比早期听觉通路表现出更高的反馈敏感性的假设 大脑皮层。我们记录在发声过程中对改变的反馈的反应，并比较 背侧“哪里和如何”通路与初级听觉皮质(A1)和腹侧“什么”通路。我们进一步 比较神经活动在预测改变反馈过程中代偿性发声变化方面的强度。 这些结果对于验证当前的函数专业化模型具有重要的意义 这些更高阶的听觉通路。 目标3解决了听觉皮质中感觉预测的行为作用，检验了以下假设 听觉皮质内的活动对于依赖反馈的发声控制是必要的。我们结合了频率- 通过药物失活听觉皮质来改变声音反馈，以确定这种操作 扰乱行为补偿。我们进一步比较了大脑半球和大脑各部位的失活效果。 不同的频率调谐。这些实验将证明听觉皮质在大脑中的因果作用。 反馈、自我监控和由此产生的发声控制。

The overall objective of this research is to understand the role of sensory prediction in the auditory cortex. The ability to predict the sensory consequences of one’s actions plays an important role in shaping sensory coding and guiding behavior. In the auditory system, this prediction is used during vocal production, allowing us to monitor feedback of the sound of our voice. However, the neural mechanisms of this auditory self-monitoring are unknown. This proposal focuses on determining the mechanisms and neural circuits by which sensory prediction changes sensory coding in the auditory cortex during vocalization, and the behavioral role played by such predictions. We approach this using a novel vocal primate model, the marmoset monkey. Aim 1 focuses on the mechanisms of feedback encoding during vocalization, and tests the hypothesis that sensory prediction shapes auditory cortex responses to calculate an error signal between vocal feedback and the prediction. We record auditory cortex neurons in vocalizing marmosets while adjusting the frequency content of their vocal feedback using frequency shifts of varying direction and magnitude to measure sensitivity to feedback errors. To further investigate potential computational mechanisms by which sensory prediction shapes feedback coding, we measure frequency tuning changes in auditory cortex during vocalization compared to passive listening, and how these relate to predicted vocal acoustics. Aim 2 investigates the auditory cortical circuits involved in sensory prediction and feedback encoding, testing the hypothesis that the dorsal auditory pathway exhibits greater feedback sensitivity than early auditory cortex. We record responses to altered feedback during vocalization and compare responses between the dorsal “where and how” pathway with primary auditory cortex (A1) and the ventral “what” pathway. We further compare the strength of neural activity in predicting compensatory vocal changes during altered feedback. These results have important implications for validating current models of functional specializations within these higher-order auditory pathways. Aim 3 addresses the behavioral role of sensory prediction in auditory cortex, testing the hypothesis that activity within the auditory cortex is necessary for feedback-dependent vocal control. We combine frequency- shifted vocal feedback with pharmacologic inactivation of auditory cortex to determine if such manipulations disrupt behavioral compensation. We further compare effects of inactivation between hemispheres and sites of different frequency tuning. These experiments will demonstrate a causal role for the auditory cortex in feedback self-monitoring and resulting vocal control.