Speech is pretty musical: A new study on how our brain processes human speech

In a unique study at Albany Medical Center, neuroscientists set out to record brain activity while patients undergoing epilepsy surgery listened to Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1." 

The aim was to capture brain regions attuned to various musical attributes like tone, rhythm, harmony, and words, and recreate what the patients were hearing. 

This breakthrough demonstrates the feasibility of translating brain waves into the musical components of speech, including syllables and prosody, which encompass rhythm, stress, accent, and intonation. 

Why it's important

The research indicates that it's possible to capture the musical elements of speech that convey meaning beyond words alone.

While these intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) recordings are currently taken only from the surface of the brain, primarily for safety reasons, the study suggests that such recordings could one day be used to replicate the musicality of speech for people with communication challenges due to conditions like stroke or paralysis. 

This innovation could create more natural-sounding communication devices, replacing the robotic tones often associated with current brain-machine interfaces.

It has potential

While this approach is still in its early stages, the potential to decode musical elements of speech could significantly improve communication for individuals facing speech-related challenges. 

The research contributes to our understanding of music processing in the brain and its potential application in enhancing communication tools for those in need.
 

• Related news:
• research
• speech
• music
• brain
• 29 August 2023

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