Neural correlates of beat perception measured using ear-EEG

TY - CONF

T1 - Neural correlates of beat perception measured using ear-EEG

AU - Bliddal, Heidi

AU - Christensen, Christian Bech

AU - Møller, Cecilie

AU - Vuust, Peter

AU - Kidmose, Preben

PY - 2021/11/5

Y1 - 2021/11/5

N2 - Ear-EEG is a promising novel technology that records electroencephalography (EEG) from electrodes inside the ear, allowing discrete and mobile recording of EEG. Nozaradan et al. (2011) used scalp EEG to study neural responses to an isochronous sequence of sounds under three conditions: a control condition and two imagery conditions where participants were instructed to imagine accents on every second (march) or third (waltz) beat. A significant peak was found at the frequency of the imagined beat only in the matching imagery conditions. Since no physical accents were present in the stimulus, the peaks at beat-related frequencies indicate higher order processing of the sound sequence. The aim of the present combined scalp- and ear-EEG study (n = 20) was to determine whether neural correlates of beat perception can be measured using ear-EEG. To investigate this, we used an adapted version of the Nozaradan paradigm. Three different electrode reference configurations were tested, a literature-based reference, an in-ear reference, and an in-between ears reference. The results showed that when the literature-based reference or the in-between ears reference was used, a significantly greater peak was found at the march related frequency in the march imagery condition and at the waltz related frequency in the waltz imagery condition, when comparing to the other imagery condition(p<.02). In conclusion, it is possible to measure the neuronal correlates of beat perception using ear-EEG despite the markedly different electrode placement. Therefore, the present study is bringing us one step closer to using neuronal feedback to improve hearing aid algorithms.

AB - Ear-EEG is a promising novel technology that records electroencephalography (EEG) from electrodes inside the ear, allowing discrete and mobile recording of EEG. Nozaradan et al. (2011) used scalp EEG to study neural responses to an isochronous sequence of sounds under three conditions: a control condition and two imagery conditions where participants were instructed to imagine accents on every second (march) or third (waltz) beat. A significant peak was found at the frequency of the imagined beat only in the matching imagery conditions. Since no physical accents were present in the stimulus, the peaks at beat-related frequencies indicate higher order processing of the sound sequence. The aim of the present combined scalp- and ear-EEG study (n = 20) was to determine whether neural correlates of beat perception can be measured using ear-EEG. To investigate this, we used an adapted version of the Nozaradan paradigm. Three different electrode reference configurations were tested, a literature-based reference, an in-ear reference, and an in-between ears reference. The results showed that when the literature-based reference or the in-between ears reference was used, a significantly greater peak was found at the march related frequency in the march imagery condition and at the waltz related frequency in the waltz imagery condition, when comparing to the other imagery condition(p<.02). In conclusion, it is possible to measure the neuronal correlates of beat perception using ear-EEG despite the markedly different electrode placement. Therefore, the present study is bringing us one step closer to using neuronal feedback to improve hearing aid algorithms.

M3 - Poster

T2 - Advances and Perspectives in Auditory Neuroscience

Y2 - 4 November 2021 through 5 November 2021

ER -