Lecture by M. Florencia Assaneo, PhD: Characterizing the
temporal dynamics of the sensorimotor integration of speech

Rhythmicity and synchrony play a crucial role at both ends of the speech process: production and perception. At one end, the speech audio signal carries a clear temporal pattern; at the other, this rhythmicity seems to be crucial for successful speech comprehension. Despite the apparent significance of speech rhythms, the interaction between speech perception and production - and the relevant brain regions - in phase space remains quite unexplored. 

Here, by means of neurophysiological recordings¹ and psychophysical² protocols, I characterize the temporal dynamics of the sensorimotor integration of speech. Accordingly, I introduce a simple biophysical model for the interaction between motor and auditory brain regions. Such a model accounts for the stability of the syllable rate across languages as a consequence of the intrinsic rhythms of cortical areas³.

1. Assaneo & Poeppel, Science Advances(2018)

2. Assaneo et al., Nature Neuroscience(2019) 

3. Ding et al., Neuroscience Biobehavioral Reviews(2017)