The Mismatch Negativity: An Indicator of Perception of Regularities in Music

Abstract

This paper reviews music research using Mismatch Negativity (MMN). MMN is a deviation-specific component of auditory event-related potential (EPR), which detects a deviation between a sound and an internal representation (e.g., memory trace). Recent studies have expanded the notion and the paradigms of MMN to higher-order music processing such as those involving short melodies, harmony chord, and music syntax. In this vein, we firstly reviewed the evolution of MMN from sound to music and then mainly compared the differences of MMN features between musicians and nonmusicians, followed by the discussion of the potential roles of the training effect and the natural exposure in MMN. Since MMN can serve as an index of neural plasticity, it thus can be widely used in clinical and other applied areas, such as detecting music preference in newborns or assessing wholeness of central auditory system of hearing illness. Finally, we pointed out some open questions and further directions. Current music perception research using MMN has mainly focused on relatively low hierarchical structure of music perception. To fully understand the neural substrates underlying processing of regularities in music, it is important and beneficial to combine MMN with other experimental paradigms such as early right-anterior negativity (ERAN).

Central Auditory Processing Disorders in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…The results indicated that MMN responses were reduced and P3a amplitudes were increased significantly in patients with ASDs. Shortened latencies and reduced amplitudes in MMN responses to different deviant stimuli were reported in several other studies ( 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ). The P300 is a late positive component of an ERP, with a latency of approximately 300 ms after the presentation of a stimulus.…”

“…Thus, electrophysiological studies play an important role in the diagnosis of these individuals. In this regard, numerous studies have been performed, demonstrating impairment in the central auditory system in ASDs ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ). In addition to these, there are some neuroimaging studies such as those using functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, demonstrating less activation by complex sounds in autistic children in Brodmann’s areas 21 and 39, which are thought to be auditory associative and involved in word processing.…”

Cortical Sensitivity to Guitar Note Patterns: EEG Entrainment to Repetition and Key

“…The limited sample size and absence of a “musician” group may have limited our ability to identify relationships between ERP's and self-reported musical experience and preference. There appears to be a robust relationship between musicianship and cortical responses to music (Yu et al, 2015 ), with previous studies indicating more negative MMN amplitudes to pitch differences in violinists than non-violinists (Koelsch et al, 1999 ), and a more negative MMN to abstract changes in relative pitch within short melodies within musicians compared to non-musicians (Seppänen et al, 2007 ). Fujioka et al ( 2004 ) reported that musicians MMN responses were more negative for changes in relative pitch within melodies, but did not statistically differ from non-musicians for pitch changes in a series of pure tones (Fujioka et al, 2004 ).…”

“…Using this “musical auditory oddball” approach, previous studies have demonstrated ERP response differences for changes in pitch (Brattico et al, 2001 ), timbre (Christmann et al, 2014 ), chord quality (Koelsch et al, 1999 ; Brattico et al, 2009 ; Tervaniemi et al, 2011 ; Virtala et al, 2014 ), harmony (Leino et al, 2007 ), or combinations of these features (Vuust et al, 2011 , 2016 ). In general, these ERP response differences are reflected in a more negative ERP peak at ~100–250 ms (Koelsch, 2009 ; Yu et al, 2015 ), and an increase in the positive ERP peak that appears ~300–600 ms after the deviant stimulus (Besson and Macar, 1987 ; Nan et al, 2006 ).…”

Mismatch negativity reflects asymmetric pre-attentive harmonic interval discrimination

“…MMN studies have also focused on musical processing and perception [ 14 ]. Vuust et al [ 15 ] elicited MMN using pitch mistuning, intensity, timbre, sound-source location, and rhythm cues.…”