Electrophysiological correlates of automatic visual change detection in school-age children

► Although the change-detection process occurs in all sensory modalities, little is known about automatic visual deviance detection, particularly regarding the development of this brain function throughout childhood. ► This study is the first to examine the maturation of the electrophysiological response to unattended deviant visual stimuli (vMMN) in 11-year-old children. ► Our findings evidence substantial age-related modification of vMMN characteristics. ► The vMMN waveform appeared very different in children and its morphology still has not reached that of adults at age 11 years, suggesting a non-mature visual change-detection process, even at this late period of childhood.