Auditory-motor adaptation to frequency-altered auditory feedback occurs when participants ignore feedback

Dwayne Keough,Colin Hawco,Jeffery A Jones

doi:10.1186/1471-2202-14-25

Dwayne Keough, Colin Hawco + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2202-14-25

Copy DOI

Journal: BMC neuroscience	Publication Date: Mar 9, 2013
Citations: 91	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Wilfrid Laurier University

Abstract

BackgroundAuditory feedback is important for accurate control of voice fundamental frequency (F0). The purpose of this study was to address whether task instructions could influence the compensatory responding and sensorimotor adaptation that has been previously found when participants are presented with a series of frequency-altered feedback (FAF) trials. Trained singers and musically untrained participants (nonsingers) were informed that their auditory feedback would be manipulated in pitch while they sang the target vowel [/ɑ /]. Participants were instructed to either ‘compensate’ for, or ‘ignore’ the changes in auditory feedback. Whole utterance auditory feedback manipulations were either gradually presented (‘ramp’) in -2 cent increments down to -100 cents (1 semitone) or were suddenly (’constant‘) shifted down by 1 semitone.ResultsResults indicated that singers and nonsingers could not suppress their compensatory responses to FAF, nor could they reduce the sensorimotor adaptation observed during both the ramp and constant FAF trials.ConclusionsCompared to previous research, these data suggest that musical training is effective in suppressing compensatory responses only when FAF occurs after vocal onset (500-2500 ms). Moreover, our data suggest that compensation and adaptation are automatic and are influenced little by conscious control.

Highlights

Auditory feedback is important for accurate control of voice fundamental frequency (F0)
We examined participants’ vocal responses when instructed to compensate or maintain a steady voice F0 during frequency-altered feedback (FAF) trials to determine if compensatory responses could be influenced by volitional control
In regard to the main effect of block, post-hoc testing indicated that the average F0 values obtained during the baseline trials for both ramp and constant manipulations were found to be significantly smaller than the average F0 values obtained during all FAF blocks of trials for both ramp and constant manipulation conditions

Summary

Introduction

Auditory feedback is important for accurate control of voice fundamental frequency (F0). The purpose of this study was to address whether task instructions could influence the compensatory responding and sensorimotor adaptation that has been previously found when participants are presented with a series of frequency-altered feedback (FAF) trials. The fundamental frequency (F0), or vocal pitch, is one of the most salient features of the sound produced. Several studies have shown that auditory feedback is involved in the control of voice F0. Modifying auditory feedback generally results in compensatory responses in participants’ ongoing vocal productions [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. Recent evidence [16,17,18] questions the degree of influence of various forms of sensory feedback, auditory feedback, on ongoing motor

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion