Maternal voice is a highly relevant stimulus for newborns. Adult voice processing occurs in specific brain regions. Voice-specific brain areas in newborns and the relevance of an early vocal exposure on these networks have not been defined. This study investigates voice perception in newborns and the impact of prematurity on the cerebral processes. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and high-density electroencephalography (EEG) were used to explore the brain responses to maternal and stranger female voices in full-term newborns and preterm infants at term-equivalent age (TEA). fMRI results and the EEG oddball paradigm showed enhanced processing for voices in preterms at TEA than in full-term infants. Preterm infants showed additional cortical regions involved in voice processing in fMRI and a late mismatch response for maternal voice, considered as a first trace of a recognition process based on memory representation. Full-term newborns showed increased cerebral activity to the stranger voice. Results from fMRI, oddball, and standard auditory EEG paradigms highlighted important change detection responses to novelty after birth. These findings suggest that the main components of the adult voice-processing networks emerge early in development. Moreover, an early postnatal exposure to voices in premature infants might enhance their capacity to process voices.

中文翻译：

---

新生儿声音感知的神经相关性和早产的影响。

母亲的声音对新生儿来说是一种高度相关的刺激。成人语音处理发生在特定的大脑区域。新生儿的声音特定大脑区域以及早期声音暴露在这些网络上的相关性尚未确定。这项研究调查了新生儿的声音感知以及早产对大脑过程的影响。功能磁共振成像 (fMRI) 和高密度脑电图 (EEG) 用于探索足月新生儿和足月等效年龄 (TEA) 早产儿对母亲和陌生人女性声音的大脑反应。fMRI 结果和 EEG 古怪范式表明，与足月婴儿相比，TEA 早产儿对声音的处理能力更强。早产儿在 fMRI 中显示出额外的皮层区域参与声音处理，以及对母亲声音的晚期错配反应，被认为是基于记忆表征的识别过程的第一道痕迹。足月新生儿对陌生人声音的大脑活动增加。fMRI、古怪和标准听觉 EEG 范式的结果突出了对出生后新奇事物的重要变化检测反应。这些发现表明，成人语音处理网络的主要组成部分出现在发展的早期。此外，早产儿出生后早期接触声音可能会增强他们处理声音的能力。这些发现表明，成人语音处理网络的主要组成部分出现在发展的早期。此外，早产儿出生后早期接触声音可能会增强他们处理声音的能力。这些发现表明，成人语音处理网络的主要组成部分出现在发展的早期。此外，早产儿出生后早期接触声音可能会增强他们处理声音的能力。