Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
CMAP Scan MUNE (MScan) - A Novel Motor Unit Number Estimation (MUNE) Method
Published on: June 7, 2018
Mismatch negativity (MMN) in multiple sclerosis: an event-related potentials study in 46 patients
Julien Jung1, Dominique Morlet, Bernadette Mercier
1Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Hopital Neurologique, Lyon, France. jung@lyon.inserm.fr
Objective:
To assess pre-attentive detection mechanisms indexed by MMN component of auditory Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.
Methods:
46 MS patients (mean age 43.7 years, mean disease duration 10.1 years, mean EDSS 4.6) and 46 matched controls were assessed with ERPs elicited by a passive oddball paradigm using duration deviants. Auditory P50, N1, P2 components were recorded. MMN and P3a components were calculated as the difference potential between deviants and standard stimuli. Eighteen of these 46 patients underwent also global psychometrical assessment and were sorted in cognitively normal and impaired patients. ERPs of these two groups of patients were compared.
Results:
MS patients showed reduced MMN and P3a areas as compared to controls, besides exogenous N1-P2 complex amplitude reduction. Among the 18 patients investigated with neuropsychological testings, six were cognitively impaired and 12 cognitively unimpaired. Patients with a global cognitive impairment had reduced MMN as compared to cognitively unimpaired patients.
Conclusions:
Auditory MMN and P3a components of auditory ERPs are altered in MS patients. MMN alterations are more pronounced in cognitively impaired patients.
Significance:
MMN and P3a areas reduction suggests that MS patients are prone to pre-attentive auditory information processing deficits, besides previously described controlled information processing difficulties. Moreover, MMN alterations may represent an objective index of cognitive disturbances in MS patients.
Insights
Multiple Sclerosis patients exhibit deficits in pre-attentive auditory processing, indicated by reduced MMN and P3a responses. These auditory event-related potential (ERP) alterations correlate with cognitive impairment in MS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurology
Background:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system.
- Cognitive impairment is a common symptom in MS, impacting daily functioning.
- Pre-attentive auditory processing deficits may contribute to cognitive difficulties in MS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate pre-attentive auditory processing using event-related potentials (ERPs) in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.
- To assess the mismatch negativity (MMN) component of auditory ERPs in MS.
- To explore the relationship between MMN alterations and cognitive status in MS.
Main Methods:
- Auditory ERPs were recorded from 46 MS patients and 46 controls using a passive oddball paradigm.
- Mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a components were analyzed.
- A subset of MS patients underwent psychometric assessment to evaluate cognitive function.
Main Results:
- MS patients demonstrated reduced MMN and P3a amplitudes compared to controls.
- A significant reduction in MMN was observed in MS patients with cognitive impairment versus those without.
- Exogenous N1-P2 complex amplitude was also reduced in MS patients.
Conclusions:
- Auditory MMN and P3a components are altered in MS patients, suggesting pre-attentive auditory processing deficits.
- MMN alterations are more pronounced in cognitively impaired MS patients.
- MMN may serve as an objective biomarker for cognitive disturbances in MS.
