The ins and outs of capturing brain activities associated with auditory perception and cognition

Magnetoencephalography, electroencephalography, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MEG, EEG, and fMRI) have been used extensively to study human auditory perception and cognition. Due to the different temporal and spatial resolutions associated with each of these neuroimaging modality, each technique offers a different unique window into how our cortex participates in auditory tasks. In this talk, a number of classical paradigms will be presented and their relative strengths and shortcomings would be discussed. Other methodological advances and challenges particularly relevant to experiments in auditory perception and cognition will also be reviewed. [Work supported by NIH R01 DC013260 (AKCL) and R01DC011548 (GCS).]