The role of monosynaptic pathway and hippocampal memory transience in rapid statistical learning of auditory word representations
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2021-09-30
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en
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Abstract
Variability in the speech envelope between and even within speakers poses a challenge for word learning because, in traditional views such as complementary learning systems theory, abstraction of episodic memories may occur only after consolidation. As such, rapid learning of novel words that generalises across speakers cannot easily be explained in these models. In the present study, we investigated the functional distinctions between the mono- and trisynaptic pathways (rapid statistical learning and episodic memory formation, respectively) within hippocam-pus as well as memory transience in rapid statistical learning of auditory words. Participants (N = 31) learned auditory words under low to high variability of speakers and were tested with MEG and behavioural measurements being taken. We manipulated novelty/familiarity of words/speakers at test such that episodic memory formation, statistical learning of words, statistical learning of speakers and multidimensional statistical learning (across both, words and speakers) could be assessed. Results demonstrated the expected benefit of veridical episodic over statis-tical learning as well as statistical learning over control conditions. High-variability training was associated with a benefit in statistical learning over low-variability training, the latter presenting with stronger recruitment of the hippocampus in the delta-band, but no such difference emerged for veridical episodic learning. Findings are inter-preted as tentative evidence of the functional distinction between mono- and trisynaptic pathways within the hippo-campus, supporting rapid statistical learning and episodic memory formation, respectively. Further, results are in-terpreted to indicate that mono- and trisynaptic pathways may be recruited concurrently but that the degree to which rapid statistical learning occurs is dependent on the degree of variability in inputs. A role of memory transience between dimensions of the learning space is tentatively suggested but remains elusive.
Keywords: word learning, rapid statistical learning, memory transience, hippocampus, meg
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Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen