Cortical mechanisms of integrating auditory feedback with vocal pitch control

Abstract

Precise vocal pitch regulation is crucial for both speech and song. The pitch of a speaker’s voice can indicate the intent of a sentence, set the emotional context of a conversation, or distinguish meanings in tonal languages. In singing, accurate vocal pitch is the single most important element needed to properly produce notes and melodies. Vocal pitch regulation requires the integration of auditory feedback processing with the vocal motor system, also known as audio-vocal integration; however, the neural substrates governing this integration have been elusive. Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of singing with pitch-shifted feedback are presented here to outline the neural mechanisms of audio-vocal integration for voluntary vocal pitch regulation, and to discuss the effects of long-term vocal training on vocal performance and neural activity during vocal pitch regulation.