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Task-dependent Modulation Masking of 4 Hz Envelope Following Responses.

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Title: Task-dependent Modulation Masking of 4 Hz Envelope Following Responses.
Authors: Watson, Sam (AUTHOR), Dau, Torsten (AUTHOR), Hjortkjær, Jens (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. Jul2025, Vol. 37 Issue 7, p1189-1201. 13p.
Subjects: Amplitude modulation, Auditory selective attention, Auditory perception, Factorial experiment designs, Speech, Masking (Psychology)
Abstract: The perception and recognition of natural sounds, like speech, rely on the processing of slow amplitude modulations. Perception can be hindered by interfering modulations at similar rates, a phenomenon known as modulation masking. Cortical envelope following responses (EFRs) are highly sensitive to these slow modulations, but it is unclear how modulation masking impacts these cortical envelope responses. To dissociate stimulus-driven and attention-driven effects, we recorded EEG responses to 4 Hz modulated noise in a two-way factorial design, varying the level of modulation masking and intermodal attention. Auditory stimuli contained one of three random masking bands in the stimulus envelope, at various proximities in modulation frequency to the 4 Hz target, or an unmasked reference condition. During EEG recordings, the same stimuli were presented while participants performed either an auditory or a visual change detection task. Attention to the auditory modality resulted in a general enhancement of sustained EFR responses to the 4 Hz target. In the visual task condition only, EFR 4 Hz power systematically decreased with increasing modulation masking, consistent with psychophysical masking patterns. However, during the auditory task, the 4 Hz EFRs were unaffected by masking and remained strong even with the highest degrees of masking. Rather than indicating a general bottom–up modulation selective process, these results indicate that the masking of cortical envelope responses interacts with attention. We propose that auditory attention allows robust tracking of masked envelopes, possibly through a form of glimpsing of the target, whereas envelope responses to task-irrelevant auditory stimuli reflect stimulus salience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience is the property of MIT Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Task-dependent Modulation Masking of 4 Hz Envelope Following Responses.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Watson%2C+Sam%22">Watson, Sam</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dau%2C+Torsten%22">Dau, Torsten</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hjortkjær%2C+Jens%22">Hjortkjær, Jens</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Cognitive+Neuroscience%22">Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience</searchLink>. Jul2025, Vol. 37 Issue 7, p1189-1201. 13p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Amplitude+modulation%22">Amplitude modulation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auditory+selective+attention%22">Auditory selective attention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auditory+perception%22">Auditory perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Factorial+experiment+designs%22">Factorial experiment designs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech%22">Speech</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Masking+%28Psychology%29%22">Masking (Psychology)</searchLink>
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  Data: The perception and recognition of natural sounds, like speech, rely on the processing of slow amplitude modulations. Perception can be hindered by interfering modulations at similar rates, a phenomenon known as modulation masking. Cortical envelope following responses (EFRs) are highly sensitive to these slow modulations, but it is unclear how modulation masking impacts these cortical envelope responses. To dissociate stimulus-driven and attention-driven effects, we recorded EEG responses to 4 Hz modulated noise in a two-way factorial design, varying the level of modulation masking and intermodal attention. Auditory stimuli contained one of three random masking bands in the stimulus envelope, at various proximities in modulation frequency to the 4 Hz target, or an unmasked reference condition. During EEG recordings, the same stimuli were presented while participants performed either an auditory or a visual change detection task. Attention to the auditory modality resulted in a general enhancement of sustained EFR responses to the 4 Hz target. In the visual task condition only, EFR 4 Hz power systematically decreased with increasing modulation masking, consistent with psychophysical masking patterns. However, during the auditory task, the 4 Hz EFRs were unaffected by masking and remained strong even with the highest degrees of masking. Rather than indicating a general bottom–up modulation selective process, these results indicate that the masking of cortical envelope responses interacts with attention. We propose that auditory attention allows robust tracking of masked envelopes, possibly through a form of glimpsing of the target, whereas envelope responses to task-irrelevant auditory stimuli reflect stimulus salience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience is the property of MIT Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=185285769
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        Value: 10.1162/jocn_a_02309
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Auditory selective attention
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      – SubjectFull: Auditory perception
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      – SubjectFull: Factorial experiment designs
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      – SubjectFull: Speech
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      – SubjectFull: Masking (Psychology)
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            NameFull: Watson, Sam
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            NameFull: Dau, Torsten
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            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Text: Jul2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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