Differences in temporal integration in musicians and non-musicians

Title

Event-related brain potentials to sound omissions differ in musicians and non-musicians

Abstract

The mismatch negativity (MMN) component of the auditory event-related brain potential reflects the automatic detection of sound change. MMN to occasionally omitted sounds in a tone series can be used to investigate the time course of temporal integration in the acoustic system. We used MMN to study differences in temporal integration in musicians and non-musicians. In experiment 1, occasionally omitted ‘sounds’ in an otherwise regular tone series evoked a reliable MMN at inter stimulus intervals (SOAs) of 100, 120, 180, and 220 ms in musicians. In non-musicians, MMN was smaller/absent in the 180 and 220 ms SOAs, respectively. In experiment 2, deviance of a tone was induced by presenting tones at a shorter SOA (100 or 130 ms) compared to the standard stimulus (150 ms). Musicians showed a reliable MMN for both deviant SOAs whereas non-musicnas showed an MMN only for tones presented 50 ms prior to a standard tone (SOA 100 ms). These results indicate that the temporal window of integration seems to be longer and more precise in musicians compared to musical laypersons and that long-term training is reflected in changes in neural activity.

Authors

Jascha Russeler, Eckart Altenmuller, Wido Nager, Christine Kohlmetz, Thomas F. Munte

Citation

Russeler, J., Altenmuller, E., Nager, W., Kohlmetz, C., & Munte, T.F. (2001). Event-related brain potentials to sound omissions differ in musicians and non-musicans. Neuroscience Letters, 308 (1), 33-36.