Physical movement at odds with hearing: team finds neurons in secondary motor cortex inhibit processing of audio information by auditory cortex.
FTA:
When we want to listen carefully to someone, the first thing we do is stop talking. The second thing we do is stop moving altogether. This strategy helps us hear better by preventing unwanted sounds generated by our own movements. […]
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“We were sending a ‘Hey I’m moving’ signal to the auditory cortex,” Schneider said. Then the effect of playing a tone on the auditory cortex was much the same as if the animal had actually been moving – a result that confirmed the importance of [the secondary motor cortex] in modulating the auditory cortex. On the other hand, turning off [the secondary motor cortex] simulated rest in the auditory cortex, even when the animals were still moving.