Neural encoding of speech-in-noise in neonates
A frequency-following response study
Publication date
2025-09-25
Document type
Research article
Author
Mondéjar-Segovia, Alejandro
Gorina-Careta, Natàlia
Koravand, Amineh
Costa-Faidella, Jordi
Ribas-Prats, Teresa
Gómez-Roig, María Dolores
Escera, Carles
Organisational unit
Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain
Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Spain
Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Program, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
BCNatal – Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Spain
Series or journal
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (JASA)
ISSN
Periodical volume
158
Periodical issue
3
First page
2577
Last page
2589
Peer-reviewed
✅
Part of the university bibliography
Nein
Language
English
Abstract
Background noise disrupts the neural encoding of speech, making it particularly challenging to extract a speaker’s voice from competing voices—an ability crucial for successful speech processing and communication. This disruption occurs across all ages, with infants and older adults being particularly vulnerable. In infancy, when robust speech encoding is fundamental for native language acquisition, the presence of background noise could have significant consequences for the development of speech and language processing. This study investigates the impact of background noise on the neural encoding of speech sounds in neonates. We recorded the frequency-following response to a /da/ syllable in both quiet and noise conditions from 25 healthy-term neonates and 21 normal-hearing adults. Results revealed higher neural responses in the adult group compared to newborns. Both groups exhibited reduced spectral amplitudes in the noise condition, with adults showing a greater decrease in the fundamental frequency spectral amplitude during the consonant transition compared to the steady vowel section. In contrast, neonates displayed similar disruption across both sections, possibly reflecting their immature auditory systems and limited exposure to higher-frequency formants in utero. This study represents a first step toward understanding the development of speech-in-noise processing from birth.
Description
All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Published version
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