Temporal context modulates sensory attenuation magnitude

In studies with self-produced sensory events, sensitivity for these events has been found to be reduced. This phenomenon is called sensory attenuation, and it has been assumed that the crucial factor is the self-production of the event. However, this factor may be confounded with the temporal predictability of the event, as well as with attentional focus on the event. In this study, we wondered about the influence of temporal stimulus predictably on sensory attenuation. We asked observers to discriminate the orientation of Gabor patches that were presented randomly at various times around a button press. Despite the unpredictability of stimulus occurrence, attenuation for these stimuli was tuned to the time of the button press. However, temporal expectations determined attenuation magnitude. Sensory attenuation was stronger when stimuli were expected to occur more often before the button press. When stimuli were expected to occur more often after the button press, no sensory attenuation was found. Our results show first that sensory attenuation occurs mandatorily even if stimulus occurrence cannot be predicted temporally. Second, temporal attention, guided by temporal stimulus probabilities, modulates sensory attenuation magnitude.