Mismatch negativity indexes auditory temporal resolution: evidence from event-related potential (ERP) and event-related field (ERF) recordings.

This study examined auditory temporal resolution as indexed by gap detection using the mismatch negativity (MMN) component of the auditory event-related potential (ERP) and its magnetic counterpart (MMNm). ERPs were recorded in 10 subjects who were presented with auditory stimuli. These stimuli were presented in sequences of repetitive continuous 'standard' sinusoidal tones interspersed with infrequently occurring 'deviant' stimuli that differed from standards only in that they contained a silent gap midway in the stimulus. The gap size varied in separate stimulus blocks and was either 3, 5 or 7 ms. The stimuli were presented monaurally either to the left or the right ear. In a separate session, event-related magnetic fields (ERFs) were recorded from eight subjects using a similar paradigm but with gap sizes of 3, 7 or 11 ms and with binaural stimulation. Both ERP and ERF recordings showed that the smallest gap size (3 ms) did not elicit as large or reliable MMN or MMNm as did the larger ones. There were no differences in the laterality of the MMN as might be predicted on the basis of previous behavioural studies, but this result is likely a reflection of differences in task requirements. Nonetheless, the findings suggest that MMN and MMNm successfully index auditory temporal resolution thresholds, as measures that are independent of attention.