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Low intensity white noise improves performance in auditory working memory task: An fMRI study

Research suggests that white noise may facilitate auditory working memory performance via stochastic resonance. Stochastic resonance is quantified by plotting cognitive performance as a function of noise intensity. The plot would appear as an inverted U-curve, that is, a moderate noise is benefici...

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Main Authors: Elza Azri, Othman, Ahmad Nazlim, Yusoff, Mazlyfarina, Mohamad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2019
Subjects:
BF Psychology
Online Access:http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/6766/1/FH02-FSK-21-56272.pdf
http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/6766/
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spelling my-unisza-ir.67662022-05-10T08:02:08Z http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/6766/ Low intensity white noise improves performance in auditory working memory task: An fMRI study Elza Azri, Othman Ahmad Nazlim, Yusoff Mazlyfarina, Mohamad BF Psychology Research suggests that white noise may facilitate auditory working memory performance via stochastic resonance. Stochastic resonance is quantified by plotting cognitive performance as a function of noise intensity. The plot would appear as an inverted U-curve, that is, a moderate noise is beneficial for performance whereas too low and too much noise attenuates performance. However, knowledge about the optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) needed for stochastic resonance to occur in the brain, particularly in the neural network of auditory working memory, is limited and demand further investigation. In the present study, we extended previous works on the impact of white noise on auditory working memory performance by including multiple background noise levels to map out the inverted U-curve for the stochastic resonance. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), twenty healthy young adults performed a word-based backward recall span task under four signal-to-noise ratio conditions: 15, 10, 5, and 0-dB SNR. Group results show significant behavioral improvement and increased activation in frontal cortices, primary auditory cortices, and anterior cingulate cortex in all noise conditions, except at 0-dB SNR, which decreases activation and performance. When plotted as a function of signal-to-noise ratio, behavioral and fMRI data exhibited a noise-benefit inverted U-shaped curve. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was found between the activity of the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and performance in 5- dB SNR. The predicted phenomenon of SR on auditory working memory performance is confirmed. Findings from this study suggest that the optimal signal-to-noise ratio to enhance auditory working memory performance is within 10 to 5-dB SNR and that the right SFG may be a strategic structure involved in enhancement of auditory working memory performance. 2019-09 Article PeerReviewed text en http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/6766/1/FH02-FSK-21-56272.pdf Elza Azri, Othman and Ahmad Nazlim, Yusoff and Mazlyfarina, Mohamad (2019) Low intensity white noise improves performance in auditory working memory task: An fMRI study. Heliyon, 5 (e02444). pp. 1-9. ISSN 2405-8440
institution Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin
building UNISZA Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin
content_source UNISZA Institutional Repository
url_provider https://eprints.unisza.edu.my/
language English
topic BF Psychology
spellingShingle BF Psychology
Elza Azri, Othman
Ahmad Nazlim, Yusoff
Mazlyfarina, Mohamad
Low intensity white noise improves performance in auditory working memory task: An fMRI study
description Research suggests that white noise may facilitate auditory working memory performance via stochastic resonance. Stochastic resonance is quantified by plotting cognitive performance as a function of noise intensity. The plot would appear as an inverted U-curve, that is, a moderate noise is beneficial for performance whereas too low and too much noise attenuates performance. However, knowledge about the optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) needed for stochastic resonance to occur in the brain, particularly in the neural network of auditory working memory, is limited and demand further investigation. In the present study, we extended previous works on the impact of white noise on auditory working memory performance by including multiple background noise levels to map out the inverted U-curve for the stochastic resonance. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), twenty healthy young adults performed a word-based backward recall span task under four signal-to-noise ratio conditions: 15, 10, 5, and 0-dB SNR. Group results show significant behavioral improvement and increased activation in frontal cortices, primary auditory cortices, and anterior cingulate cortex in all noise conditions, except at 0-dB SNR, which decreases activation and performance. When plotted as a function of signal-to-noise ratio, behavioral and fMRI data exhibited a noise-benefit inverted U-shaped curve. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was found between the activity of the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and performance in 5- dB SNR. The predicted phenomenon of SR on auditory working memory performance is confirmed. Findings from this study suggest that the optimal signal-to-noise ratio to enhance auditory working memory performance is within 10 to 5-dB SNR and that the right SFG may be a strategic structure involved in enhancement of auditory working memory performance.
format Article
author Elza Azri, Othman
Ahmad Nazlim, Yusoff
Mazlyfarina, Mohamad
author_facet Elza Azri, Othman
Ahmad Nazlim, Yusoff
Mazlyfarina, Mohamad
author_sort Elza Azri, Othman
title Low intensity white noise improves performance in auditory working memory task: An fMRI study
title_short Low intensity white noise improves performance in auditory working memory task: An fMRI study
title_full Low intensity white noise improves performance in auditory working memory task: An fMRI study
title_fullStr Low intensity white noise improves performance in auditory working memory task: An fMRI study
title_full_unstemmed Low intensity white noise improves performance in auditory working memory task: An fMRI study
title_sort low intensity white noise improves performance in auditory working memory task: an fmri study
publishDate 2019
url http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/6766/1/FH02-FSK-21-56272.pdf
http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/6766/
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score 13.211869

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