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Stimulus statistical context sensitivity of deviant responses to auditory intensity changes
Maryam Aghamolaei1, Abishek Umashankar1, Ekaterina Yukhnovich1
1Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Scientific Reports
|June 4, 2026
Summary
Mismatch negativity (MMN) to sound intensity changes is enhanced in a low-variability context. High-intensity MMN modulation is robust, while low-intensity MMN modulation is context-dependent, suggesting adaptation influences its processing.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Human EEG Research
Background:
- Mismatch negativity (MMN) reveals sensory processing and its clinical alterations.
- MMN is influenced by statistical stimulus context, like standard deviation (SD) of tone frequencies.
- The impact of statistical context on intensity changes, unlike other sensory features, remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if statistical context modulates MMN evoked by stimulus intensity changes.
- To compare the statistical modulation of high-intensity versus low-intensity deviants.
- To explore potential differences in MMN processing based on intensity and experimental paradigm.
Main Methods:
- Two electroencephalography (EEG) experiments were conducted on normal-hearing volunteers (n=17/15).
- Participants were exposed to auditory stimuli with varying intensity deviants within different standard deviation contexts.
- MMN responses were recorded and analyzed to assess the effects of stimulus context and intensity.
Main Results:
- MMN to intensity deviants was larger in a low-SD context, consistent with other stimulus properties.
- High-intensity MMN modulation was observed earlier and consistently across both experiments.
- Low-intensity MMN modulation showed delayed onset and was paradigm-dependent, suggesting adaptation's role.
Conclusions:
- Statistical context significantly modulates MMN evoked by intensity changes.
- High-intensity MMN processing appears more robust to statistical variations than low-intensity MMN.
- Adaptation over longer timescales or higher cortical levels may be necessary for statistical modulation of low-intensity MMN.
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