SPEAKER
Lu Lucuța
MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development
Western Sydney University, Australia

TITLE
Distinct Neural Signatures for Content and Timing Predictions in Music and Speech

ABSTRACT
Prediction is a fundamental aspect of cognition that allows us to anticipate the content (“what” will occur) and timing (“when” will it occur) of upcoming events. However, it is unclear how the brain generates and integrates these predictions, and whether these processes operate similarly across domains. In this talk I will present findings from my first PhD experiment, where we combined computational, behavioural and neuroimaging measures to investigate the interaction between content and timing predictions across music and speech by manipulating each type of prediction independently. Content in melodies/sentences was altered such that the ending note or word was either predictable or unpredictable based on the preceding context. Timing was manipulated globally so that the presentation rate of middle notes/words was altered in the unpredictable condition and remained unchanged in the predictable condition. Musicians and non-musicians were recruited to investigate effects of training-related neuroplasticity on music prediction, as well as potential transfer effects to speech prediction. Behavioural and EEG analyses highlighted distinct ways in which predictions of content interact with both timing and participant group within music and speech. 

ZOOM LINK
Available on request: hella.kastbjerg@clin.au.dk