| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3045439 | Clinical Neurophysiology | 2012 | 6 Pages |
ObjectiveWhen investigating auditory perceptual regularity processing, mismatch negativity (MMN) is commonly used. MMN is computed as a difference signal between the event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by repeated standard tones and rarely occurring deviant tones. This procedure leads to an underestimation of the N1 component elicited by standards compared to the N1 to deviants which might affect the MMN. Consequently, a random control design was previously introduced. This design, however, overestimates the N1 to the deviant. Here, we developed a new paradigm that avoids previous drawbacks.MethodsWe designed a regular cascadic sequence as a control to the deviant. ERPs were measured while presenting conventional oddball blocks (standards, deviants), random control blocks and a cascadic control block.ResultsMMN was observed in each difference signal. Regarding the N1, standards elicited smallest amplitudes. The N1 for the deviant and the cascadic control was comparable. The largest N1 was elicited by the random control.ConclusionStandards underestimate N1 refractoriness effects in the responses to deviants, while random control tones overestimate. Cascadic control tones, however, provide a reasonable estimation for the N1.SignificanceThe new cascadic control design is suitable to investigate auditory perceptual regularity processes while controlling for N1 refractoriness effects.
► The ERP components N1 and MMN were measured in oddball and random control blocks as well as in a new cascadic control sequence. ► The cascadic control sequence was designed as a conceptual and methodological refinement of previous control approaches. ► We aimed to improve the estimation of N1-specific refractoriness effects in deviants of an oddball block. ► We found the new cascadic control design to be the most reasonable control for oddball deviants. ► The cascadic control design enables the investigation of the MMN without overestimating frequency-specific refractory states.
