Amplitude variations in P300 component due to unpredictable stepwise change of stimulus probability

The present study investigates whether the amplitude of the P300 in 'normal' subjects adapts to unexpected changes in global stimulus probability. The adaptation level (AL) metrics (in terms of Helson's [1964] theory) was applied to explain the variations in the P300 amplitude. In an oddball paradigm the probability of the deviant tone (target 1000 Hz, 80 dB, 50 ms) occurring randomly in a train of standard ones (non-target 1100 Hz, 80 dB, 50 ms) was changed in a stepwise way from 0.5 to 0.3 and then to 0.1 in 3 blocks without interruption of the stimulus presentation. Two experiments were performed. In the first one the subjects did not receive any prior information about the changes in the stimulus probability, whereas in the second experiment they were aware of such changes. The task always required the subject to silently count the deviants. EEG was recorded monopolarly from Fz, Cz and Pz in a total of 15 subjects. The block averaged P300 increased monotonically with probability, the increase being larger in Expt. II. In contrast to the block averaged P300, the variations in the P300 amplitude following the abrupt change in probability showed a non-linear dependency. On the basis of the AL a simulation of the time course of the P300 variations with probability was performed and a clear similarity between the simulated P300 and the experimental data was found. Some properties of the AL model are discussed.