How the brain recognizes timing patterns in sounds and speech
Temporal Pattern Perception Mechanisms for Acoustic Communication
Using songbirds, researchers aim to learn how brains detect timing patterns in sounds to help people with speech and listening disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11227063 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have trouble understanding speech or following fast sounds, this project uses songbirds to study how brains notice timing patterns by recording brain activity while birds hear and recognize songs. Scientists will use detailed neural recordings and analyses of cell and network activity in birds to see how the brain builds and updates internal predictions about incoming sounds. They focus on how prediction errors and recognition processes happen at the cellular and circuit levels. Over time, these findings could point to new directions for human-focused tests or treatments for auditory processing and language problems.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with auditory processing disorder, dyslexia, or specific language impairment who want to follow research advances or potentially join future related human studies are the most relevant audience.
Not a fit: This project does not offer immediate treatments and may not help people whose hearing problems are due to peripheral ear damage rather than brain processing differences.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal brain mechanisms that lead to new diagnostic tools or treatment targets for auditory processing, dyslexia, and language impairments.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies have improved understanding of auditory circuits, but applying songbird models to link predictive coding to speech-related timing is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gentner, Timothy Q — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Gentner, Timothy Q
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.