Functional dissociations following bilateral lesions of auditory cortex

Author(s): Kolinsky, R., Tramo, M., Labrecque, R., Hublet, C., Demeurisse, G., Belleville, S.

Journal/Book: Brain. 1994; 117: Walton St, Journals Dept, Oxford, United Kingdom OX2 6DP. Oxford Univ Press United Kingdom. 1283-1301.

Abstract: We present true patients with bilateral lesions of the superior temporal cortex who manifested a number of functional dissociations in the auditory domain. The perception of speech and environmental sounds were preserved; yet, the perception of times, prosody and voice was impaired. As the processing of melodic but not rhythmic variations in musical sequences was selectively disturbed, the deficit cannot be attributed to a general impairment in auditory memory or sequential processing. These findings suggest that melody processing is not mediated by a general-purpose auditory architecture bur by specialized cortical subsystems residing within the lesioned areas. Current taxonomies of auditory agnosia and models of normal music cognition are evaluated in light of the functional dissociations manifested by these patients.

Note: Article I Peretz, Univ Montreal, Dept Psychol, CP 6128, Succ Ctr Ville, Montreal, Pq H3C 3J7, Canada

Keyword(s): auditory agnosia; amusia; auditory cortex; voice; prosody; PURE WORD DEAFNESS; SEQUENCE DISCRIMINATION; SPEECH-PERCEPTION; MUSICAL ALEXIA; NORMATIVE DATA; TERM-MEMORY; AGNOSIA; APHASIA; COMPREHENSION; RECOGNITION

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