Attention modulates topology and dynamics of auditory sensory gating

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Sanja Josef Golubić; MBZ: 317715
• Author: Miljenka-Jelena Jurašić; MBZ: 260304
• Author: Ana Sušac; MBZ: 236434
• Author: Ralph Huonker
• Author: Theresa Götz
• Author: Jens Haueisen
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Physics)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Physics
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Basic Medical Sciences

Abstract (english)

This work challenges the widely accepted model of sensory gating as a preattention inhibitory process by investigating whether attention directed at the second tone (S2) within a paired‐click paradigm could affect gating at the cortical level. We utilized magnetoencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging and spatio‐temporal source localization to compare the cortical dynamics underlying gating responses across two conditions (passive and attention) in 19 healthy subjects. Source localization results reaffirmed the existence of a fast processing pathway between the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and bilateral superior temporal gyri (STG) that underlies the auditory gating process. STG source dynamics comprised two gating sub‐components, Mb1 and Mb2, both of which showed significant gating suppression (>51%). The attention directed to the S2 tone changed the gating network topology by switching the prefrontal generator from a dorsolateral location, which was active in the passive condition (18/19), to a medial location, active in the attention condition (19/19). Enhanced responses to the attended stimulus caused a significant reduction in gating suppression in both STG gating components (>50%). Our results demonstrate that attention not only modulates sensory gating dynamics, but also exerts topological rerouting of information processing within the PFC. The present data, suggesting that the cortical levels of early sensory processing are subject to top‐down influences, change the current view of gating as a purely automatic bottom‐up process.

• Keywords (english): attention; auditory gating generators; auditory sensory gating; dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; gating network; gating stream; magnetoencephalography; medial prefrontal cortex; neuroimaging; paired-click paradigm; sensory pathways
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Human Brain Mapping
• Numbering: vol. 40, no. 10, pp. 2981-2994
• p-ISSN: 1065-9471
• e-ISSN: 1097-0193
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.24573
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:707113
• Publication: 2019
• Document URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hbm.24573
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Public note: Received: 13 July 2018. Revised: 11 February 2019. Accepted: 6 March 2019. First published: 18 March 2019.
• Created on: 2020-08-18 18:21:57