Auditory frequency discrimination and event-related potentials

doi:10.1016/0168-5597(85)90054-1

Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology/Evoked Potentials Section

Volume 62, Issue 6, November 1985, Pages 437-448

https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-5597(85)90054-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

Auditory stimulus blocks were presented to 6 subjects. 80% of the stimuli in each block were standards of 1000 Hz and 20% were deviants of either 1002 Hz, 1004 Hz, 1008 Hz, 1016 Hz or 1032 Hz, one deviant type in each block. The constant interstimulus interval was 1 sec and the order of the stimuli was randomized. The subject was insructed either to ignore the deviant stimuli (ignore condition) or to press a response key to them (discrimination condition).

In the ignore condition, an ERP component called the mismatch negativity (MMN), with a peak latency of approximately 170 msec, was elicited by those deviants exceeding the discrimination threshold (1016 Hz and 1032 Hz) and also those at the threshold (1008 Hz) tended to elicit a small MMN. In the discrimination condition, in addition to MMN, another negative component, N2b, was elicited by the detected deviants. This component had a somewhat longer latency than, and its midline distribution was posterior to, the MMN.

The present results are in line with the hypothesis according to which the MMN component reflects the activation of cerebral mechanisms of passive discrimination, those which cause us to become aware of occasional changes in unattended stimulus sequences. In the discrimination condition, N2b and the slow parietal positivity were dominant features of the ERPs elicited by the detected suprathreshold deviants. The data obtained at the discrimination threshold specifically associate the parietal positivity with becoming aware of stimulus change since those deviants which were detected elicited this positivity whereas there was none to those (physically identical) deviants which remained undetected.

Résumé

Des ensembles de stimulus auditifs ont été présentés à 6 sujets. 80% des stimulus de chaque ensemble étaient standards (1000 Hz) et 20% déviants (1002, 1004, 1008, 1016 ou 1032 Hz), chaque ensemble ne contenant qu'un seul type de stimulus déviant. L'intervalle inter-stimulus restait constant (1 sec) et l'ordre des stimulus était aléatoire. Il avait été demandé aux sujets soit d'ignorer les stimulus déviants (condition de négligence) soit de presser une clef pour y répondre (condition de discrimination).

Dans la condition de négligence, une composante ERP appelée négativité de différence (MMN), avec une latence de pic d'environ 170 msec, était évoquée par les stimulus déviants qui excédaient le seuil de discrimination (1016 et 1032 Hz), ceux qui étaient au seuil (1008 Hz) avaient tendance à évoquer une MMN réduite. Dans la condition de discrimination, en plus de la MMN, une autre composante négative, N2b, était évoquée par les stimulus déviants reconnus. Cette composante avait une latence quelque peu plus longue que celle de la MMN et sa distribution sur la ligne médiane était postérieure.

Ces résultats sont en accord avec l'hypothèse que la composante MMN reflète l'activation de mécanismes cérébraux d'une discrimination passive, ceux qui nous rendent attentifs aux modifications occasionnelles dans les séquences de stimulus auxquels on ne prête pas attention. Dans la condition de discrimination, N2b et la positivité pariétale lente ont été des configurations dominantes des ERP évoqués par les stimulus déviants supraliminaires reconnus. Les données obtenues au seuil de discrimination associaient spécifiquement la positivité pariétale à la prise en compte attentive de la modification du stimulus, puisque les déviants qui ont été détectés évoquaient cette positivité alors que ceux qui restaient non détectés (physiquement identiques) n'évoquaient rien.

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^☆: The financial support of The Academy of Finland and The Emil Aaltonen Foundation (Tampere, Finland) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Main articleAuditory frequency discrimination and event-related potentialsDiscrimination de fréquences auditives et potentiels liés à l'événement☆

Abstract

Résumé

Biol. Psychol.

Neurosci. Lett.

Acta psychol. (Amst.)

Biol. Psychol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Behav. Biol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Auditory evoked potentials to unpredictable shifts in pitch

Psychophysiology

Main article
Auditory frequency discrimination and event-related potentialsDiscrimination de fréquences auditives et potentiels liés à l'événement☆