title: Optimizing the auditory distraction paradigm: behavioral and event-related potential effects in a lateralized multi-deviant approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed at adapting a multi-deviant auditory distraction paradigm for a comprehensive screening of functions of voluntary and involuntary auditory attention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects performed phonetic discrimination on lateralized consonant-vowel syllables in a distraction paradigm in which task-irrelevant deviances occurred on different syllable features. Behavioral performance and event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured within a multi-deviant (frequency, location, and duration deviants, p=0.11 each) and a classic single-deviant design (frequency deviants only, p=0.11). Additionally, ERP effects obtained in an active and a passive multi-deviant condition were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Behavioral and electrophysiological deviance-related effects were rather similar in the multi-deviant and the single-deviant paradigm. Furthermore, the comparison to the passive listening condition revealed a marked effect of voluntary attention on sensory processing of the syllables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The multi-deviant distraction paradigm provides a gain in time compared to the classic single-deviant distraction paradigm which is not accompanied by a loss in the strength of the effects. Inclusion of a passive listening condition enables the additional evaluation of effects of voluntary attention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present multi-deviant distraction paradigm creates an important step towards a tool suited to investigate involuntary and voluntary attention in selected groups of patients during the processing of task-relevant and task-irrelevant auditory information across different acoustic dimensions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology I, University of Leipzig, Seeburgstr. 14-20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grimm
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schröger
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bendixen
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bäss
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roye
authors.forename: Leon Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Deouell
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010700:Phonetics; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*