Acoustic Change Complex in Native Speakers of Tonal and Non-Tonal Languages

Abstract

The present study focused on the effect of experience-dependent plasticity on the ACC and to explore the hemispheric specialization of lexical pitch processing. The purpose was to determine whether the spectral change being lexical or non-lexical, influences the characteristics of ACC and to analyze the cortical asymmetry (if any) in the generation of ACC. To examine this, ACCs were recorded in native speakers of tonal and non-tonal languages, from 3 different electrode sites. The latency and amplitude of ACC were compared between the two groups and across the three electrode sites. Results revealed that the differences between the groups were not significant. The ACCs were symmetric across the two hemispheres. Hence, it can be inferred that ACC is not influenced by lexicality of the stimulus.