title: Distinct pre-attentive responses to non-scale notes: an auditory mismatch negativity (MMN) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to examine patterns of neural activity in response to variations in scale notes and alterations from a scale note to a non-scale note.
  
  
  METHODS
  Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in response to scale and non-scale violin notes using an odd-ball mismatch negativity (MMN) paradigm. Standard stimuli were set to the scale note A4 (440 Hz). Deviant stimuli included two scale notes (scale-B, B4 = 494 Hz; scale-C, C5 = 523 Hz) and a non-scale note halfway between them (non-scale, B4+42¢ = 506 Hz).
  
  
  RESULTS
  MMN amplitude elicited by the non-scale was significantly larger than that elicited by the scale-B and scale-C, which did not differ significantly from one another.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current results suggest that the human brain may possess pre-attentive mechanisms for extracting relational aspects among sounds of the musical scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that non-scale notes may be processed in a different way even in the pre-attentive stage than scale notes.
authors.affiliation: Section of Liaison Psychiatry and Palliative Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan. m.ayasa716@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ayasa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyajima
authors.forename: Eisuke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Matsushima
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuura
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology*; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult