Decoding the temporal dynamics of spoken word and nonword processing from EEG

Bob McMurray; McCall E. Sarrett; Samantha Chiu; Alexis K. Black; Alice Wang; Rebecca Canale; Richard N. Aslin

doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119457

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Decoding the temporal dynamics of spoken word and nonword processing from EEG

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Decoding the temporal dynamics of spoken word and nonword processing from EEG

Bob McMurray, McCall E. Sarrett, Samantha Chiu, Alexis K. Black, Alice Wang, Rebecca Canale and Richard N. Aslin

NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.), Vol.260, p.119457

10/01/2022

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119457

PMCID: PMC10875705

PMID: 35842096

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Abstract

The efficiency of spoken word recognition is essential for real-time communication. There is consensus that this efficiency relies on an implicit process of activating multiple word candidates that compete for recognition as the acoustic signal unfolds in real-time. However, few methods capture the neural basis of this dynamic competition on a msec-by-msec basis. This is crucial for understanding the neuroscience of language, and for understanding hearing, language and cognitive disorders in people for whom current behavioral methods are not suitable. We applied machine-learning techniques to standard EEG signals to decode which word was heard on each trial and analyzed the patterns of confusion over time. Results mirrored psycholinguistic findings: Early on, the decoder was equally likely to report the target (e.g., baggage) or a similar sounding competitor (badger), but by around 500 msec, competitors were suppressed. Follow up analyses show that this is robust across EEG systems (gel and saline), with fewer channels, and with fewer trials. Results are robust within individuals and show high reliability. This suggests a powerful and simple paradigm that can assess the neural dynamics of speech decoding, with potential applications for understanding lexical development in a variety of clinical disorders.

Machine Learning

EEG

Speech Decoding

Spoken Word Recognition

Details

Title: Subtitle: Decoding the temporal dynamics of spoken word and nonword processing from EEG
Creators: Bob McMurray
McCall E. Sarrett - Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Unviersity of Iowa
Samantha Chiu - University of Iowa
Alexis K. Black - University of British Columbia
Alice Wang - University of Oregon
Rebecca Canale - Dept. of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Haskins Laboratories
Richard N. Aslin - Yale University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.), Vol.260, p.119457
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119457
PMID: 35842096
PMCID: PMC10875705
NLM abbreviation: Neuroimage
eISSN: 1095-9572
Publisher: Elsevier
Language: English
Date published: 10/01/2022
Academic Unit: Communication Sciences and Disorders; Linguistics; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Otolaryngology
Record Identifier: 9984275006902771

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