TEMPORAL CONSTRAINTS OF AUDITORY EVENT SYNTHESIS - EVIDENCE FROM ERPS

THE temporal constraints of auditory event synthesis were investigated using event-related potentials. Standard stimuli consisted of an init ial constant-frequency segment followed by a frequency glide. Occasion ally, stimuli deviating from this standard both in intensity and withi n the direction of the glide mere presented in the otherwise repetitiv e sound sequence. Previous results suggested that such 'double' devian ts elicit only a single mismatch negativity (MMN) if the two temporall y separate deviant elements mere integrated within a common unit. Two successive MMNs were elicited by double deviants when the initial cons tant-frequency segment of the sound was 250 ms long, but only one when this segment was 150 ms in duration. The results support the hypothes is that the auditory input is processed in similar to 200 ms long temp oral integration windows.