Effects of the overall paradigm context on intensity deviant responses in healthy subjects

Abstract

Three experiments have been carried out to explore Mismatch Negativity responses to intensity deviants in a roving intensity deviant paradigm in control and tinnitus groups. The first experiment used interspersed blocks of two tinnitus-like frequencies set by each participant with tinnitus, which were usually around 1/3 of an octave apart. On the other hand, two later studies used interspersed blocks tones at tinnitus-like frequencies and at 1 kHz. This was the only difference in the paradigms used, however, there were differences in the patterns displayed by the control group in the first study compared to the other two. Three groups of healthy controls were recruited to measure responses to intensity deviants when different frequencies were used for the alternating blocks. For one group, the whole experiment was set at a single frequency; for the next, blocks were played at 6 kHz and at a frequency 1/3 octave below 6 kHz (small difference); the last group was presented with blocks that had tones at 6 kHz and 1 kHz frequencies (large difference). Overall, the Mismatch Negativity responses in the small difference group were opposite to the large difference and the single frequency group. It would be useful to see whether these results generalise to other experiment designs such as attended and ignored stimulus conditions, different stimulus durations, non-isochronous, or paradigms with frequency deviants.