Mismatch Negativity to Different Time-frequency Distribution Complex Tones

This study aims to determine whether or not the mismatch negativity (MMN) is involved in the processing on time-frequency distribution of acoustic information. Invariable, step down and gradually decreasing time-frequency distribution complex tones compose the three kinds of deviant stimuli, which appear randomly in the repeating standard tones sequence. MMNs were evoked by the deviant stimuli. The data indicate that the latency, onset and duration of elicited MMN were different among the deviant stimuli. The results suggest that MMN is sensitive to the time-frequency distribution feature. The rapid changes in the stimulus may affect the duration of MMN significantly. Such rapid change detection capability reflected by MMN may be related to the highly rapid sound information processing in human auditory system