Contralaterality of cortical auditory processing at the level of the M50/M100 complex and the mismatch field: a...

Humans show a stronger cortical representation of auditory input at the opposite hemisphere each. To specify the temporal aspects of this contralaterality effect within the domain of speech stimuli, the present study recorded a series of evoked magnetic fields (M50, M100, mismatch field) subsequent to monaural application of stop consonant-vowel syllables using whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG). The M50 components exhibited a skewed shape of cross-symmetrical distribution in terms of an initial maximum peak succeeded by a knot over the contralateral and a reversed pattern over the ipsilateral temporal lobe. Most presumably, this pattern of evoked fields reflects two distinct stages of central-auditory processing: (a) initial excitation of the larger contralateral and the smaller ipsilateral projection area of the stimulated ear; (b) subsequent transcallosal activation of the residual neurons, i.e. the targets of the non-stimulated ear, at either side. Previous studies using non-speech stimuli found contralaterality of central-auditory processing to extend to the M100 field. In contrast, a larger amplitude of ipsilateral M100 as compared to the respective opposite deflection emerged after stimulation of either ear. Finally, the computed magnetic analogues of mismatch negativity failed any significant laterality effects. These data provide first evidence for a distinct pattern of hemispheric differences at the level of the M50/M100 complex subsequent to monaural application of speech stimuli.