While human speech comprehension is thought to be an active process that involves top-down predictions, it remains unclear how predictive information is used to prepare for the processing of upcoming speech information. We aimed to identify the neural signatures of the preparatory processing of upcoming speech. Participants selectively attended to one of two competing naturalistic, narrative speech streams, and a temporal response function (TRF) method was applied to derive event-related-like neural responses from electroencephalographic data. The phase responses to the attended speech at the delta band (1–4 Hz) were correlated with the comprehension performance of individual participants, with a latency of − 200–0 ms relative to the onset of speech amplitude envelope fluctuations over the fronto-central and left-lateralized parietal electrodes. The phase responses to the attended speech at the alpha band also correlated with comprehension performance but with a latency of 650–980 ms post-onset over the fronto-central electrodes. Distinct neural signatures were found for the attentional modulation, taking the form of TRF-based amplitude responses at a latency of 240–320 ms post-onset over the left-lateralized fronto-central and occipital electrodes. Our findings reveal how the brain gets prepared to process an upcoming speech in a continuous, naturalistic speech context.

虽然人类语音理解被认为是一个涉及自上而下预测的主动过程，但仍不清楚如何使用预测信息来为即将到来的语音信息的处理做准备。我们的目的是识别即将到来的语音准备处理的神经特征。参与者有选择地关注两个相互竞争的自然主义、叙事语音流之一，并应用时间响应函数 (TRF) 方法从脑电图数据中得出与事件相关的类神经反应。在 delta 频段（1-4 赫兹）对参与演讲的相位响应与个体参与者的理解表现相关，相对于额中央语音幅度包络波动的开始，延迟为 − 200-0 毫秒和左侧顶叶电极。在 alpha 波段对参与演讲的相位响应也与理解能力相关，但在额中央电极上有 650-980 毫秒的延迟。发现注意力调制的不同神经特征，采用基于 TRF 的振幅响应形式，在左侧化的额中央和枕骨电极上延迟 240-320 毫秒。我们的研究结果揭示了大脑如何准备好在连续的、自然的语音环境中处理即将到来的语音。在左侧化额中央和枕骨电极上以 240-320 毫秒的发病后潜伏期采用基于 TRF 的振幅响应形式。我们的研究结果揭示了大脑如何准备好在连续的、自然的语音环境中处理即将到来的语音。在左侧化额中央和枕骨电极上以 240-320 毫秒的发病后潜伏期采用基于 TRF 的振幅响应形式。我们的研究结果揭示了大脑如何准备好在连续的、自然的语音环境中处理即将到来的语音。