Auditory memory for random time patterns

Abstract

The acquisition of auditory memory for temporal patterns was investigated. The temporal patterns were random sequences of irregularly spaced clicks. Participants performed a task previously used to study auditory memory for noise [Agus, Thorpe, and Pressnitzer (2010). Neuron 66, 610-618]. The memory for temporal patterns displayed strong similarities with the memory for noise: temporal patterns were learnt rapidly, in an unsupervised manner, and could be distinguished from statistically matched patterns after learning. There was, however, a qualitative difference from the memory for noise. For temporal patterns, no memory transfer was observed after time reversals, showing that both the time intervals and their order were represented in memory. Remarkably, learning was observed over a broad range of time scales, which encompassed rhythm-like and buzz-like temporal patterns. Temporal patterns present specific challenges to the neural mechanisms of plasticity, because the information to be learnt is distributed over time. Nevertheless, the present data show that the acquisition of novel auditory memories can be as efficient for temporal patterns as for sounds containing additional spectral and spectro-temporal cues, such as noise. This suggests that the rapid formation of memory traces may be a general by-product of repeated auditory exposure.