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Neural Correlates of Processing Syntax in Music and ... - PubMan

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Experiment II 112<br />

The statistical analysis was performed <strong>in</strong> two steps: In a first step, the ERPs <strong>of</strong> both<br />

subgroups were statistically evaluated by mixed-model ANOVAs for repeated measures<br />

conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the with<strong>in</strong>-subject factors chord function (tonic vs. supertonic), anteriorposterior<br />

distribution, <strong>and</strong> hemisphere (left vs. right), as well as the between-subjects<br />

factor subgroup (TLD vs. SLI). The results <strong>of</strong> these ANOVAs are summarized <strong>in</strong> Table<br />

10-1. As “chord function” was the factor that was experimentally manipulated only<br />

ma<strong>in</strong> effects <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>teractions with this factor will be mentioned <strong>in</strong> the “Results” section.<br />

Whenever the <strong>in</strong>teraction <strong>of</strong> chord function × subgroup was significant, <strong>in</strong> a second<br />

step, two further ANOVAs were computed for each group <strong>of</strong> children separately. The<br />

ANOVAs had the same with<strong>in</strong>-subject factors as above <strong>and</strong> tested which effects are<br />

significant <strong>in</strong> each group. With<strong>in</strong> all ANOVAs, user-def<strong>in</strong>ed contrasts were computed.<br />

They were used to specify the ROIs at which the difference between the two chord<br />

functions was significant.<br />

Correlation analyses were used to <strong>in</strong>vestigate the relation between the ERP <strong>in</strong>dicators <strong>of</strong><br />

music-syntactic process<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> the behavioural measures <strong>of</strong> l<strong>in</strong>guistic abilities, musical<br />

skills, <strong>and</strong> non-verbal <strong>in</strong>telligence. Due to the bimodal distribution <strong>of</strong> the most variables<br />

(i.e., to the relatively dist<strong>in</strong>ct values <strong>in</strong> the two groups) non-parametric (Spearman)<br />

correlations were used. F<strong>in</strong>ally, by means <strong>of</strong> a l<strong>in</strong>ear discrim<strong>in</strong>ant analysis, it was tested<br />

whether the children <strong>in</strong> the two groups (TLD or SLI) could be classified accord<strong>in</strong>g to<br />

the amplitudes <strong>of</strong> their ERP responses.<br />

10.3 Results<br />

To ensure that difficulties <strong>of</strong> children with SLI <strong>in</strong> their process<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> musical syntax are<br />

not due to deficiencies <strong>in</strong> primary auditory process<strong>in</strong>g, the ERP response to the onset <strong>of</strong><br />

the first chord <strong>of</strong> the chord sequence was evaluated (see Figure 10-2).<br />

Figure 10-2 ERP responses to the onset <strong>of</strong> the first chord <strong>in</strong> the sequence: Children with typical language<br />

development (red solid l<strong>in</strong>es) were compared to children with specific language impairment<br />

(blue solid l<strong>in</strong>es)<br />

No differences <strong>in</strong> the ERP responses reflect<strong>in</strong>g early stages <strong>of</strong> auditory process<strong>in</strong>g were<br />

observed between the children <strong>of</strong> both groups (TLD vs. SLI). In both groups, the ampli-<br />

tude <strong>of</strong> the ERP response was larger at anterior scalp sites <strong>and</strong> had essentially the same

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