Investing the cerebral representation of intonation using reverse-correlation fMRI.
Pascal Belin (INT), Etienne Thoret (INT), Regis Trapeau (INT), Valérie Chanoine (ILCB). CREx: Training of students in pre-processing and analysis of fMRI data (MEEG) using mainly fmriprep and SMP12. New pipelines in python for animations of cerebral activation on cortical surfaces.
Abstract. The project investigates whether the auditory cortex has a topographic organization for pitch contours, similar to tonotopy for frequency. It hypothesizes that secondary auditory areas represent different pitch contours (e.g., rising, falling, V-shape) in a structured manner. Using reverse-correlation fMRI, stimuli with random f0 contour variations are presented, and brain activity is analyzed to derive f0 contour “kernels” for each voxel, identifying optimal pitch contours. This study builds on previous research (Ponsot et al., 2018) that linked pitch contours to social judgments like Trustworthiness and Dominance. Pilot data from two participants show promising results, and further scans are ongoing. Two M2 students are contributing as part of their internships. Collaboration with Crex will enhance fMRI analysis methods and provide training. Reverse-correlation fMRI is a novel approach, and its success remains to be validated. The project builds on prior research with support from ILCB and BLRI. Led by Pascal Belin and Etienne Thoret, experts in auditory neuroimaging and reverse-correlation techniques, it benefits from complementary expertise. Adding advanced fMRI expertise strengthens the research. Findings will be relevant for understanding both verbal (prosody) and nonverbal (emotion) communication. Insights could inform how pitch perception mechanisms evolved in humans. The study aligns with ILCB’s research focus and has potential for high-impact publications.