title: Simultaneous pitches are encoded separately in auditory cortex: an MMNm study.
abstract: This study examined whether two simultaneous pitches have separate memory representations or an integrated representation in preattentive auditory memory. Mismatch negativity fields were examined when a pitch change occurred in either the higher-pitched or the lower-pitched tone at 25% probability each, thus making the total deviation rate of the two-tone dyad 50%. Clear MMNm was obtained for deviants in both tones confirming separate memory traces for concurrent tones. At the same time, deviants to the lower-pitched, but not higher-pitched, tone within the two-tone dyad elicited a reduced MMNm compared to when each tone was presented alone, indicating that the representations of two pitches are not completely independent.
authors.affiliation: Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, University of Toronto, Canada. tfujioka@rotman-baycrest.on.ca
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: Laurel J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Trainor
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000502:physiology*