Localisation and characterisation of auditory perception through Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
In the last few years, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) has been widely accepted as an effective tool for mapping brain activities in both the neurosensorial and the cognitive field. The present work aims to assess the possibility of using fMRI methods to perform a non-invasive evaluation of the human auditory function. To this end the cortical response to different non speech stimuli (pure tones, pulsed tones) was examined for ten subjects with no audiological impairment. Our findings point out some remarkable differences in both the spatial and the temporal features of the primary auditory cortex response to pulsed tones and to pure tones.
Formisano
E
E
Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
Pepino
A
A
Bracale
M
M
Di Salle
F
F
Saulino
C
C
Marciano
E
E
D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001810:Blood Volume; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted