Motor-Induced Suppression of the N100 Event-Related Potential During Motor Imagery Control of a Speech Synthesizer Brain–Computer Interface

Abstract

Purpose Speech motor control relies on neural processes for generating sensory expectations using an efference copy mechanism to maintain accurate productions. The N100 auditory event-related potential (ERP) has been identified as a possible neural marker of the efference copy with a reduced amplitude during active listening while speaking when compared to passive listening. This study investigates N100 suppression while controlling a motor imagery speech synthesizer brain–computer interface (BCI) with instantaneous auditory feedback to determine whether similar mechanisms are used for monitoring BCI-based speech output that may both support BCI learning through existing speech motor networks and be used as a clinical marker for the speech network integrity in individuals without severe speech and physical impairments. Method The motor-induced N100 suppression is examined based on data from 10 participants who controlled a BCI speech synthesizer using limb motor imagery. We considered listening to auditory target stimuli (without motor imagery) in the BCI study as passive listening and listening to BCI-controlled speech output (with motor imagery) as active listening since audio output depends on imagined movements. The resulting ERP was assessed for statistical significance using a mixed-effects general linear model. Results Statistically significant N100 ERP amplitude differences were observed between active and passive listening during the BCI task. Post hoc analyses confirm the N100 amplitude was suppressed during active listening. Conclusion Observation of the N100 suppression suggests motor planning brain networks are active as participants control the BCI synthesizer, which may aid speech BCI mastery.