title: Synchronised vestibular signals increase the P300 event-related potential elicited by auditory oddballs.
abstract: The perception of beat within an auditory rhythm can be facilitated when accompanied by synchronised movements. Electrophysiological investigation shows that this facilitatory effect is associated with a larger P300 amplitude. It has remained unclear, however, which movement-related processes drive this P300 effect. To investigate whether vestibular signals play a role, we administered alternating, sub-sensory (mean=.3mA) galvanic current to the vestibular nerves of participants while they counted the number of oddballs presented in a stream of tones played at a rate of 1Hz. Consistent with a vestibular effect, the P300 elicited by the oddballs was increased during stimulation relative to a sham condition, but only when the frequency of the alternating current matched that at which the tones were played. This finding supports the general idea that the vestibular system is involved in audio-motor synchronisation and is the first to show by electrophysiological means that it influences cognitive processes involved in beat perception.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Psychology, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Kassow
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK. Electronic address: dtw@kent.ac.uk.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Denby
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attention; Auditory-motor synchronization; Balance; ERP; Neuro-modulation