Localization of cerebral activity during simple singing

CEREBRAL blood flow (CBF) was measured with PET during rudimentary singing of a single pitch and vowel, contrasted to passive listening to complex ton es. CBF increases in cortical areas related to motor control were seen in t he supplementary motor area, anterior cingulate cortex, precentral gyri, an terior insula (and the adjacent inner face of the precentral operculum) and cerebellum, replicating most previously seen during speech. Increases in a uditory cortex were seen within right Heschl's gyrus, and in the posterior superior temporal plane (and the immediately overlying parietal cortex). Si nce cortex near right Heschl's has been linked to complex pitch perception, its asymmetric activation here may be related to analyzing the fundamental frequency of one's own voice for feedback-guided modulation. (C) 1999 Lipp incott Williams & Wilkins.