QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (43) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Zatorre, R. J. Articles by Penhune, V. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Zatorre, R. J. Articles by Penhune, V. B.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

The Journal of Neuroscience, August 15, 2001, 21(16):6321-6328

Spatial Localization after Excision of Human Auditory Cortex

Robert J. Zatorre and Virginia B. Penhune

Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B4

Neurophysiological and animal ablation studies concur that primary auditory cortex is necessary for computation of the spatial coordinates of a sound source. Human studies have reported conflicting findings but have often suffered from inadequate psychophysical measures and/or poor lesion localization. We tested patients with unilateral temporal lobe excisions either encroaching on or sparing Heschl's gyrus (HG), quantifying lesion extent using anatomical magnetic resonance imaging measures. Subjects performed two tasks. In the localization task, they heard single clicks in a free-field spatial array subtending 180° of azimuth and indicated the perceived location with a laser pointer. In the discrimination task, two clicks were presented, and subjects indicated if they were in the same or different position. As a group, patients with right temporal excision, either encroaching onto HG or not, were significantly impaired in both hemifields in both tasks, although this was not true for all individuals. Patients with left temporal resections generally performed normally, although some of the patients with left HG excision showed impaired performance bilaterally, especially in the discrimination task. This pattern stands in marked contrast to previous studies showing significant preservation of localization in hemispherectomized patients. We conclude that (1) contrary to hypotheses derived from animal studies, human auditory spatial processes are dependent primarily on cortical areas within right superior temporal cortex, which encompass both spatial hemifields; (2) functional reorganization may not take place after restricted focal damage but only after more extensive early damage; and (3) the existence of individual differences likely illustrates differential patterns of functional lateralization and/or recovery.

Key words: auditory cortex; Heschl's gyrus; auditory localization; functional reorganization; hemispheric specialization; spatial discrimination

---

Copyright © 2001 Society for Neuroscience  0270-6474/01/21166321-08$05.00/0

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Xu, L. Yu, R. Cai, J. Zhang, and X. Sun Early Continuous White Noise Exposure Alters Auditory Spatial Sensitivity and Expression of GAD65 and GABAA Receptor Subunits in Rat Auditory Cortex Cereb Cortex, April 1, 2010; 20(4): 804 - 812. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Spierer, A. Bellmann-Thiran, P. Maeder, M. M. Murray, and S. Clarke Hemispheric competence for auditory spatial representation Brain, July 1, 2009; 132(7): 1953 - 1966. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				U. Werner-Reiss and J. M. Groh A Rate Code for Sound Azimuth in Monkey Auditory Cortex: Implications for Human Neuroimaging Studies J. Neurosci., April 2, 2008; 28(14): 3747 - 3758. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Schonwiesner, K. Krumbholz, R. Rubsamen, G. R. Fink, and D. Y. von Cramon Hemispheric Asymmetry for Auditory Processing in the Human Auditory Brain Stem, Thalamus, and Cortex Cereb Cortex, February 1, 2007; 17(2): 492 - 499. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. De Santis, S. Clarke, and M. M. Murray Automatic and Intrinsic Auditory "What" and "Where" Processing in Humans Revealed by Electrical Neuroimaging Cereb Cortex, January 1, 2007; 17(1): 9 - 17. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. Mickey and J. C. Middlebrooks Sensitivity of Auditory Cortical Neurons to the Locations of Leading and Lagging Sounds J Neurophysiol, August 1, 2005; 94(2): 979 - 989. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Krumbholz, M. Schonwiesner, D. Y. von Cramon, R. Rubsamen, N. J. Shah, K. Zilles, and G. R. Fink Representation of Interaural Temporal Information from Left and Right Auditory Space in the Human Planum Temporale and Inferior Parietal Lobe Cereb Cortex, March 1, 2005; 15(3): 317 - 324. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. W. Lewis, F. L. Wightman, J. A. Brefczynski, R. E. Phinney, J. R. Binder, and E. A. DeYoe Human Brain Regions Involved in Recognizing Environmental Sounds Cereb Cortex, September 1, 2004; 14(9): 1008 - 1021. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. C. Stecker, B. J. Mickey, E. A. Macpherson, and J. C. Middlebrooks Spatial Sensitivity in Field PAF of Cat Auditory Cortex J Neurophysiol, June 1, 2003; 89(6): 2889 - 2903. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. R Palmer and A Q. Summerfield Microelectrode and neuroimaging studies of central auditory function Br. Med. Bull., October 1, 2002; 63(1): 95 - 105. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help