Frontal processing and auditory perception

Disordered processing of the pattern in sound over time has been observed i n a number of clinical disorders, including developmental dyslexia. This st udy addresses the brain mechanisms required for the perception of such a pa ttern. We report the systematic evaluation of temporal perception in a pati ent with a single intact right auditory cortex and a large right frontal ro be lesion. A striking dissociated deficit was demonstrated in the perceptio n of temporal pattern at the level of tens or hundreds of milliseconds. Thi s proves that, contrary to common belief mechanisms in the pathway up to an d including the primary auditory cortex are not sufficient for the normal p erception of temporal pattern. This work suggests a need for frontal proces sing for the normal perception of auditory pattern. NeuroReport 11:919-922 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.