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Abstract #3174

The Right-Ear Advantage for Dichotic Listening of Speech-Related Stimuli Is Predicted by Both Attentional and Structural Factors: Results from Machine-Learning Analysis of Neuroimaging Data

Vincent J. Schmithorst1, Rola Farah2, Robert W. Keith2

1Radiology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; 2Audiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States

During dichotic presentation of speech-related stimuli, most individuals show a right-ear advantage (REA), recalling with greater accuracy stimuli presented to their right ear. We used multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) on fMRI and DTI data to predict REA or left-ear advantage (LEA) for dichotic listening in children. REA was predicted by lesser axial diffusivity (AD) in the sublenticular part of the left internal capsule, and greater functional activation in the left frontal eye fields (BA 8) for the contrast of diotic vs. dichotic word presentations. Results suggest that REA is not fully explained either by a structural or an attentional model.

Keywords

accuracy activation advantage ages agrees analyses anisotropy artifacts asymmetrical attention attentional auditory averaging axial best bias biases brain capsule chance children classified classifier classify clustered cohort competing computation connections connectivity consisted consistent control coordinate correction correlated cortex cost cross design diffusivity discarding ears efferent either estimating event every explain explained fields fractional frames free frontal functional greater handbook handed hemisphere hypothesized included indicating individual individuals inflammation inspection institute intensity interactions internal intrinsic involve involved involving language learning likely listening locations maps materials mechanism model models motion neurology occlusion opposed orientation pairs paradigm part participants pathway performance posited posterior predict predicted presentation previously probabilistic processed processing published radiologic radiology ranked ranking recall related relevant repeat retained revealed score searchlight selected selecting significantly slice space speech stimuli structural structure subject subjects suggest suppressed system task thalamus threshold towards tract trained training transformation trend types unpaired usable validation variance weaker whether word words years