Preattentive evaluation of multiple perceptual streams in human audition.

Full Abstract

To analyze an auditory scene, the segregation of the input into separate streams of information is necessary. Here, the mismatch negativity (MMN) of the event-related potential was used to trace the number of simultaneously monitored streams in auditory scene analysis. Subjects passively listened to sounds belonging to either one, two, or three auditory streams defined by spatial position and pitch. An MMN was obtained for deviants within either one, two or three auditory streams albeit with a smaller amplitude in the latter condition. Control experiments ruled out that this effect was due to variations in stimulation rate. Thus, a preattentive deviant detection system based on simple auditory features provides the basis for subsequent attentive processing directed to a selected stream.

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Author information

Author/s: Nager, Wido (W); Teder-Sälejärvi, Wolfgang (W); Kunze, Sylvia (S); Münte, Thomas F (TF);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, 30623 Hannover, Germany.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Neuroreport (Neuroreport), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-May; vol 14 (issue 6) : pp 871-4

Dates: Created 2003/07/14; Completed 2003/08/22; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12858050, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Acoustic Stimulation
Adult
Attention - physiology
Auditory Perception - physiology

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