Temporal regularity facilitates higher-order sensory predictions in fast auditory sequences.
Does temporal regularity facilitate prediction in audition? To test this, we recorded human event-related potentials to frequent standard tones and infrequent pitch deviant tones, pre-attentively delivered within isochronous and anisochronous (20% onset jitter) rapid sequences. Deviant tones were repeated, either with high or low probability. Standard tone repetition sets a first-order prediction, which is violated by deviant tone onset, leading to a first-order prediction error response (Mismatch Negativity). The response to highly probable deviant repetitions is, however, attenuated relative to less probable repetitions, reflecting the formation of higher-order sensory predictions. Results show that temporal regularity is required for higher-order predictions, but does not modulate first-order prediction error responses. Inverse solution analyses (Variable Resolution Electrical Tomography; VARETA) localized the error response attenuation to posterior regions of the left superior temporal gyrus. In a control experiment with a slower stimulus rate, we found no evidence for higher-order predictions, and again no effect of temporal information on first-order prediction error. We conclude that: (i) temporal regularity facilitates the establishing of higher-order sensory predictions, i.e. 'knowing what next', in fast auditory sequences; (ii) first-order prediction error relies predominantly on stimulus feature mismatch, reflecting the adaptive fit of fast deviance detection processes.
Institute of Psychology, University of Leipzig, 04109, Leipzig, Germany.
Alessandro
A
Tavano
Andreas
A
Widmann
Alexandra
A
Bendixen
Nelson
N
Trujillo-Barreto
Erich
E
Schröger
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D059031:Anticipation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011337:Probability Learning; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D013998:Time Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
Mismatch Negativity; audition; prediction; repetition suppression; temporal regularity