ERP response decrement and recovery as a function of stimulus type and scalp location

Response decrement and recovery of visual event-related potentials (ERPs) at different electrode sites to different types of repetitive stimuli were studied. Nine blocks of stimuli were presented in the form AAAAAABB. Stimuli were of four types: diffuse flashes of light, geometric shapes, words of similar meanings, and words of dissimilar meanings. The relative amounts of ERP response decrement and recovery differed as a function of ERP response components measured (early vs. late), electrode site (left frontal, left temporoparietal, and left occipital), and stimulus type. Early components were sensitive to sensory characteristics of the stimuli. Late components from the left temporoparietal site were sensitive to the meanings of the linguistic stimuli. The research suggests a useful paradigm for the study of habituation-like responses and of cerebral specificity in an intact normal population.