title: Spatial versus object feature processing in human auditory cortex: a magnetoencephalographic study.
abstract: The human visual system is divided into two pathways specialized for the processing of either objects or spatial locations. Neuroanatomical studies in monkeys have suggested that a similar specialization may also divide auditory cortex into two such pathways. We used the identical stimulus material in two experimental sessions in which subjects had to either identify auditory objects or their location. Magnetoencephalograms were recorded and M100 dipoles were fitted into individual brain models. In the right hemisphere, the processing of auditory spatial information lead to more lateral activations within the temporal plane while object identification lead to more medial activations. These findings suggest that the human auditory system processes object features and spatial features in distinct areas.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Postfach 500 355, 04303 Leipzig, Germany. herrmann@cns.mpg.de
authors.forename: Christoph S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Senkowski
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maess
authors.forename: Angela D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Friederici
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D006801:Humans; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male