Effect of contralateral white noise masking on the mismatch negativity

Mismatch negativity (MMN), an auditive event-related potential (ERP) component, evoked by deviant stimuli in a homogeneous stream of standard stimuli was studied in a unilateral stimulation and contralateral white noise masking condition. Eleven subjects (Ss) with normal hearing (aged 20-35 years) were examined using sine tone stimuli (70 dB HL, interstimulus interval 300 ms, duration 40 ms with 5 ms rise and fall times). Three blocks of standard (std)/deviant (dev) series of stimuli were used: std 500/dev 600 Hz, std 2000/dev 1900 Hz, and std 2000/dev 1600 Hz. The first block was repeated for another group of 11 Ss with normal hearing (aged 17-27 years). The MMN was analysed from the difference curves recorded at Fz, Cz and Pz. The stimuli were delivered unilaterally, either with or without 50 dB effective masking level white noise to the contralateral ear. The MMN amplitude attenuated significantly when contralateral masking was used. In addition, there was interaction between noise masking and the stimulated ear. The MMN latencies were not affected by white noise masking.