Modulation of auditory stimulus processing by visual spatial or temporal cue: an event-related potentials study

Utilizing the high temporal resolution of event-related potentials (ERPs), we examined how visual spatial or temporal cues modulated the auditory stimulus processing. The visual spatial cue (VSC) induces orienting of attention to spatial locations; the visual temporal cue (VTC) induces orienting of attention to temporal intervals. Participants were instructed to respond to auditory targets. Behavioral responses to auditory stimuli following VSC were faster and more accurate than those following VTC. VSC and VTC had the same effect on the auditory N1 (150-170 ms after stimulus onset). The mean amplitude of the auditory P1 (90-110 ms) in VSC condition was larger than that in VTC condition, and the mean amplitude of late positivity (300-420 ms) in VTC condition was larger than that in VSC condition. These findings suggest that modulation of auditory stimulus processing by visually induced spatial or temporal orienting of attention were different, but partially overlapping.