Low intensity white noise improves performing in auditory working memory taks: 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: Othman, Elza Azri, Yusoff, Ahmad Nazli, Mohamad, Mazlyfarina, Abdul Manan, Hanani, Giampietro, Vincent, Abdul Hamid, Aini Ismafairus, Dzulkifli, Mariam Adawiah, Osman, Syazarina Sharis, Wan Burhanuddin, Wan Ilma Dewi Puteri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier B.V. 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/78644/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/78644/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/78644/1/2019%20Elza%20Othman%20et%20al%20Heliyon.pdf
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spelling iium-786442020-02-18T08:32:38Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/78644/ Low intensity white noise improves performing in auditory working memory taks: an FMRI study Othman, Elza Azri Yusoff, Ahmad Nazli Mohamad, Mazlyfarina Abdul Manan, Hanani Giampietro, Vincent Abdul Hamid, Aini Ismafairus Dzulkifli, Mariam Adawiah Osman, Syazarina Sharis Wan Burhanuddin, Wan Ilma Dewi Puteri BF180 Experimental 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. Elsevier B.V. 2019 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/78644/1/2019%20Elza%20Othman%20et%20al%20Heliyon.pdf Othman, Elza Azri and Yusoff, Ahmad Nazli and Mohamad, Mazlyfarina and Abdul Manan, Hanani and Giampietro, Vincent and Abdul Hamid, Aini Ismafairus and Dzulkifli, Mariam Adawiah and Osman, Syazarina Sharis and Wan Burhanuddin, Wan Ilma Dewi Puteri (2019) Low intensity white noise improves performing in auditory working memory taks: an FMRI study. Heliyon, 5. ISSN 2405-8440 https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S2405844019361043?token=3B546EF9768512FD2A343D3A008896CF3E9A4266AECE30CC67CB38B8AB585E1DC05FD760961CA6691A198E2C7773C002
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Local University
institution International Islamic University Malaysia
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
language English
topic BF180 Experimental psychology
spellingShingle BF180 Experimental psychology
Othman, Elza Azri
Yusoff, Ahmad Nazli
Mohamad, Mazlyfarina
Abdul Manan, Hanani
Giampietro, Vincent
Abdul Hamid, Aini Ismafairus
Dzulkifli, Mariam Adawiah
Osman, Syazarina Sharis
Wan Burhanuddin, Wan Ilma Dewi Puteri
Low intensity white noise improves performing in auditory working memory taks: 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 Othman, Elza Azri
Yusoff, Ahmad Nazli
Mohamad, Mazlyfarina
Abdul Manan, Hanani
Giampietro, Vincent
Abdul Hamid, Aini Ismafairus
Dzulkifli, Mariam Adawiah
Osman, Syazarina Sharis
Wan Burhanuddin, Wan Ilma Dewi Puteri
author_facet Othman, Elza Azri
Yusoff, Ahmad Nazli
Mohamad, Mazlyfarina
Abdul Manan, Hanani
Giampietro, Vincent
Abdul Hamid, Aini Ismafairus
Dzulkifli, Mariam Adawiah
Osman, Syazarina Sharis
Wan Burhanuddin, Wan Ilma Dewi Puteri
author_sort Othman, Elza Azri
title Low intensity white noise improves performing in auditory working memory taks: an FMRI study
title_short Low intensity white noise improves performing in auditory working memory taks: an FMRI study
title_full Low intensity white noise improves performing in auditory working memory taks: an FMRI study
title_fullStr Low intensity white noise improves performing in auditory working memory taks: an FMRI study
title_full_unstemmed Low intensity white noise improves performing in auditory working memory taks: an FMRI study
title_sort low intensity white noise improves performing in auditory working memory taks: an fmri study
publisher Elsevier B.V.
publishDate 2019
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/78644/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/78644/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/78644/1/2019%20Elza%20Othman%20et%20al%20Heliyon.pdf
first_indexed 2023-09-18T21:50:46Z
last_indexed 2023-09-18T21:50:46Z
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