Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026

07:14
A Method to Study Adaptation to Left-Right Reversed Audition
Published on: October 29, 2018
Temporal integration of deviant sound in automatic detection reflected by mismatch negativity
Tetsuya Shiga1, Hirooki Yabe, Le Yu
1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan. tetsuya3@fmu.ac.jp
Neuroreport
|April 20, 2011
Summary
This study shows that deviant sounds, like frequent sounds, are processed as a single unit by the brain. This finding helps understand auditory sensory memory and mismatch negativity (MMN) generation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Perception
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Mismatch negativity (MMN) is an auditory event-related potential reflecting sensory memory comparison.
- Frequent sounds are processed as a temporal unit within 160-170 ms.
- It remains unclear if deviant sounds are similarly processed as a unit.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether deviant auditory stimuli are processed as a temporal unit.
- To examine the effect of deviant sound duration on MMN amplitude and latency.
Main Methods:
- Twelve healthy males participated.
- Deviant sounds with omitted parts (varying durations) were presented alongside standard sounds.
- Mismatch negativity (MMN) was recorded and analyzed.
Main Results:
- MMN amplitude increased with longer deviant sound durations.
- No significant differences in MMN latency were observed across deviant durations.
- Deviant sounds containing omitted parts were processed as unitary events.
Conclusions:
- Deviant auditory events are processed as temporal units, similar to frequent sounds.
- The duration of the omitted part in deviant sounds influences MMN amplitude.
- This supports the unitary processing of auditory events in sensory memory.

