Bilateral age-related atrophy in the planum temporale is associated with vowel discrimination difficulty in healthy older adults.

摘要: In this study we investigated the association between age-related brain atrophy and behavioural as well electrophysiological markers of vowel perception in a sample healthy younger older adults with normal pure-tone hearing. Twenty-three 27 controls discriminated set vowels altered second formants embedded consonant-vowel syllables. Additionally, mismatch negativity (MMN) responses were recorded separate oddball paradigm same stimuli. A structural magnet resonance scan was obtained for each participant to determine cortical architecture left right planum temporale (PT). The PT chosen its function major processor auditory cues speech. Results suggested that performed worse discrimination despite normal-for-age group, found evidence those greater (i.e., lower surface area volume) also showed weaker discrimination. comparison, lateralized correlation group suggesting thickness only task. We did not find any associations macroanatomical traits MMN responses. conclude deficient processing is caused by hearing loss but influenced atrophy-related changes ageing auditory-related cortices. Furthermore, our results suggest might become more bilateral across lifespan.