动物的失匹配负波研究进展

失匹配负波（MMN）是由重复刺激序列（即标准刺激）中偶然出现的、与标准刺激有可辨别差异的偏差刺激所诱发的一种持续时间较短、极性为负的事件相关电位（ERP）。失匹配负波在人类和动物中普遍存在,并可在视、听、嗅等多种模态中诱发,其出现不依赖于注意,所以反映了大脑对知觉环境变化的自动感知,对动物的生存与繁殖成功至关重要。本文对不同类群动物失匹配负波研究、失匹配负波产生机制、发生源以及影响因素进行了综述,旨在厘清该生理指标的优势与不足,为动物认知潜在机制研究提供有益参考。最后文章对动物失匹配负波未来研究方向提出了展望。     

SSVEP次谐波的诱发因素和功率变化——建模及实验研究

稳态视觉诱发电位(steady-state visual evoked potential,SSVEP)在大脑的感知、认知研究中具有广泛应用.目前,对SSVEP次谐波的诱发机制尚未清楚.为此,本文通过视皮层网络模型进行SSVEP次谐波诱发因素和功率变化的研究;通过测试20名受试者头表SSVEP,对建模仿真结果进行验证.仿真和实验结果表明,刺激频率、刺激强度和噪声强度是影响SSVEP的1/2次谐波诱发和功率变化的3个重要参数.次谐波诱发是3个参数协同作用的结果:a.在刺激频率和噪声强度相同时,1/2次谐波功率随刺激强度的变化曲线与Sigma函数相似,存在无诱发区、线性增长区和饱和区,在无诱发区,1/2次谐波功率近似为0;在线性增长区,1/2次谐波功率和刺激强度成正比;在饱和区,1/2次谐波功率趋于恒定;b.在噪声强度相同时,能明显诱发出1/2次谐波的刺激参数区域呈现非线性同步中的阿诺德舌头变化规律,即能诱发1/2次谐波的有效刺激频率范围随刺激强度的增大而增宽;c.在刺激参数相同时,噪声强度的大小决定了1/2次谐波能否被诱发;噪声强度越大,对1/2次谐波的诱发及功率抑制作用就越强.本文的实验和仿真结果基本一致,说明了模型仿真的可行性.研究结果为理解SSVEP次谐波的产生机制及其有效应用提供有意义的理论和实验依据.     

SSVEP次谐波的诱发影响因素及其功率变化——建模及实验研究*

稳态视觉诱发电位(steady-state visual evoked potential, SSVEP)在大脑的感知、认知研究中具有广泛应用。目前，对SSVEP次谐波的诱发机制尚未清楚。为此，本文通过视皮层网络模型进行SSVEP次谐波的诱发因素和功率变化的研究；进一步，测试20名受试者的头表SSVEP，对建模仿真结果进行验证。仿真和实验结果表明，刺激频率、刺激强度和噪声强度是影响SSVEP的1/2次谐波诱发和功率变化的三个重要参数。次谐波诱发是三个参数协同作用的结果：（1）在刺激频率和噪声强度相同时，1/2次谐波功率随刺激强度的变化曲线与Sigma函数相似，存在无诱发区、线性增长区和饱和区：在无诱发区，1/2次谐波功率近似为0；在线性增长区，1/2次谐波功率和刺激强度成正比；在饱和区，1/2次谐波功率趋于恒定；（2）在噪声强度相同时，能明显诱发出1/2次谐波的刺激参数区域呈现非线性同步中的阿诺德舌头变化规律，即能诱发1/2次谐波的有效刺激频率范围随刺激强度的增大而增宽；（3）在刺激参数相同时，噪声强度的大小决定了1/2次谐波能否被诱发；噪声强度越大，对1/2次谐波的诱发及功率抑制作用就越强。本文的实验和仿真结果基本一致，说明了模型仿真的可行性。研究结果为理解SSVEP次谐波的产生机制及其有效应用提供有意义的理论和实验依据。     

迷走神经感觉输入诱发的鲫鱼Mauthner细胞胞内电位变化

实验运用微电极穿刺技术,初步探索了刺激鲫鱼右侧迷走神经在双侧Mauthner(M)细胞胞体诱发的胞内电位变化。结果表明：（1）直接刺激鲫鱼右侧迷走神经,可在同侧或对侧M细胞胞体记录到一种短潜伏期、长持续时间、分级的、复合的突触后电位（postsynaptic potentials,PSPs)。此PSPs表现出明显的强度依从性和频率依赖性。（2）刺激迷走神经诱发的PSPs可使逆向锋电位的幅度降低。（3）肌注士的宁后,PSPs的幅度增高、平均持续时间增加、峰值前移。并且可爆发两个以上的动作电位,上述结果提示：迷走神经到M细胞的通路可能 是由长短不等的神经链群组成的。且此通路中不仅包含有兴奋性成分还包含有抑制性成分,而兴奋和抑制之间的相互关系可能起着调节M细胞兴奋性的作用。     

汉字识别的跨感觉通路ERP注意成分研究

采用提高非注意纯度的“跨通路延迟反应”实验模式 ,观察汉字形音判断的跨通路事件相关电位 (ERP) ,研究N1和早期注意成分 (Nd1 ) .被试为 1 5名青年正常人 .结果发现 ,N1在头皮上的分布存在明显的通路间差异 :既与非语言实验结果不同 ,也与英语实验结果不同 ,可能反映出汉字加工的脑机制特征 .注意加工部位随语言 /非语言、听觉 /视觉通路、偏差刺激 /标准刺激 3种条件的不同而变化 ,具有可塑性 .早期注意效应发生在刺激本身诱发的外源性成分之前 ,支持注意的早期选择学说 .根据N1与Nd1的关系 ,支持注意使N1增大者不是外源性成分 ,而是重叠于外源性成分中的内源性成分的观点     

豚鼠在体肠纱膜下神经节细胞兴奋的来源

本文运用在体细胞内记录法,观察了与肠系膜下神经节（ＩＭＧ）相连的四组神经对ＩＭＧ神经元电位活动的影响。结果显示切断或阻滞任一组神经均使ＩＭＧ细胞电活动受抑。其中结肠神经（ＣＶ）和腹下神经（ＨＮ）分别传导源自结肠尾段和膀胱等盆腔脏器的外周性兴奋,节间神经（ＭＮ）同时传导源自脊髓的中枢性和结肠的外周性兴奋。定量研究表明外周比中枢的影响更重要。因此ＩＭＧ不仅是传统认为的“信息传递站”,而且对中枢和外周     

豚鼠在体肠系膜下神经节细胞兴奋的来源

本文运用在体细胞内记录法,观察了与肠系膜下神经节（ＩＭＧ）相连的四组神经对ＩＭＧ神经元电位活动的影响。结果显示切断或阻滞任一组神经均使ＩＭＧ细胞电活动受抑。其中结肠神经（ＣＮ）和腹下神经（ＨＮ）分别传导源自结肠尾段和膀胱等盆腔脏器的外周性兴奋,节间神经（ＡＭＮ）同时传导源自脊髓的中枢性和结肠的外周性兴奋。定量研究表明外周比中枢的影晌更重要。因此ＩＭＧ不仅是传统认为的“信息传递站”,而且对中枢和外周信息有整合作用。     

对刺激朝向改变的自动加工:事件相关电位的证据

利用事件相关电位（ＥＲＰ）技术,探讨非注意状态的刺激朝向改变是否引起自动加工。刺激为具有一定朝向（垂直和水平各５０％）和一定空间频率（低频９０％,高频１０％）的光栅。要求被试忽略光栅朝向,对高频光栅作反应。刺激呈现时间为５０ｍｓ,刺激间隔在２５０至４５０ｍｓ之间随机变化。低频光栅刺激被分为两类,“匹配”（与前一刺激朝向相同）和“失匹配”（与前一刺激朝向不同）。结果发现,失匹配刺激比匹配刺激诱发出更大的枕区Ｐ１、更大的前额－中央区Ｎ１以及更大的前部与顶区Ｐ２,但前部与顶区的Ｎ２却更小。这些ＥＲＰｓ变化提示,视觉对非注意的刺激朝向变化进行了一定程度的自动加工;视觉通道可能存在类似听觉失匹配负波（ＭＭＮ）的、然而机制不同的自动加工成分     

刺激大鼠“涌泉”穴诱发的脊髓背表面电位

刺激大鼠“涌泉”穴诱发的节段性背表面电位(Y-sCDP),在远节段(L3-T7)逐渐消失,而在更远节段(C6)又记录到一个背表面电位(Y-dCDP),该电位为一慢电位正波(P波),高位横断脊髓后Y-dCDP完全消失,说明它来源于脊髓上结构,当电解损毁中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG)后,P波幅值显著降低(P<0.05),说明刺激“涌泉”穴产生的Y-dCDP为激活PAG等痛觉调制核团下行诱发的脊髓背表面电位。     

跨通路注意的失匹配负波研究

采用“跨通路延迟反应”实验模式 ,提高了非注意纯度 ,排除了偏差刺激中的目标任务因素 ,以 1 2名青年正常人为被试者 ,研究注意与非注意条件下的ERPs.实验分为 2项 :( 1 )注意视觉通路 ,忽视听觉通路 ;( 2 )注意听觉通路 ,忽视视觉通路 .主要分析偏差刺激ERP减去标准刺激ERP所得之偏差成分 .结果发现视听通路在注意条件下均能产生MMN ,N2b和P3,在非注意时主要产生MMN .听觉MMN与视觉MMN具有如下共同特征 :注意时视听最大MMN波幅分布于它们的初级感觉投射区 ,而在非注意条件下视听最大MMN波幅均分布于额中央部 .视觉MMN与听觉MMN波幅无显著性差异 .MMN波幅及其头皮分布不受注意影响 ,提示MMN波幅是反映自动加工的重要ERP指标 ;但视听觉MMN潜伏期皆受注意影响 ,表明MMN不仅仅反映自动加工 ,尚与控制加工有关     

Mismatch negativity in the brain evoked potentials induced by short duration acoustic stimuli in adolescents in the norm and those with attention deficit

The effect of stimulus duration on the mismatch negativity of the auditory event-related potentials was studied in healthy children and those with attention-deficit symptoms. The minimum stimulus duration with which a MMN was elicited by frequency deviant was 50 ms in healthy children. The MMN was absent with shorter stimuli (11 ms and 30 ms). These parametres are close to those in adults. As to children with attention-deficit symptoms the MMN was insignificant with all tested stimulus durations (11 ms, 30 ms, 50 ms).     

Preattentive auditory information processing under exposure to the 902 MHz GSM mobile phone electromagnetic field: A mismatch negativity (MMN) study

Previous studies on the effects of the mobile phone electromagnetic field (EMF) on various event‐related potential (ERP) components have yielded inconsistent and even contradictory results, and often failed in replication. The mismatch negativity (MMN) is an auditory ERP component elicited by infrequent (deviant) stimuli differing in some physical features from the repetitive frequent (standard) stimuli in a sound sequence. The MMN provides a sensitive measure for cortical auditory stimulus feature discrimination, regardless of attention and other contaminating factors. In this study, MMN responses to duration, intensity, frequency, and gap changes were recorded in healthy young adults (n = 17), using a multifeature paradigm including several types of auditory change in the same stimulus sequence, while a GSM mobile phone was placed on either ear with the EMF (902 MHz pulsed at 217 Hz; SAR_1g = 1.14 W/kg, SAR_10g = 0.82 W/kg, peak value = 1.21 W/kg, measured with an SAM phantom) on or off. An MMN was elicited by all deviant types, while its amplitude and latency showed no significant differences due to EMF exposure for any deviant types. In the present study, we found no conclusive evidence that acute exposure to GSM mobile phone EMF affects cortical auditory change detection processing reflected by the MMN. Bioelectromagnetics 30:241–248, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Memory-based mismatch response to frequency changes in rats

Any occasional changes in the acoustic environment are of potential importance for survival. In humans, the preattentive detection of such changes generates the mismatch negativity (MMN) component of event-related brain potentials. MMN is elicited to rare changes ('deviants') in a series of otherwise regularly repeating stimuli ('standards'). Deviant stimuli are detected on the basis of a neural comparison process between the input from the current stimulus and the sensory memory trace of the standard stimuli. It is, however, unclear to what extent animals show a similar comparison process in response to auditory changes. To resolve this issue, epidural potentials were recorded above the primary auditory cortex of urethane-anesthetized rats. In an oddball condition, tone frequency was used to differentiate deviants interspersed randomly among a standard tone. Mismatch responses were observed at 60-100 ms after stimulus onset for frequency increases of 5% and 12.5% but not for similarly descending deviants. The response diminished when the silent inter-stimulus interval was increased from 375 ms to 600 ms for +5% deviants and from 600 ms to 1000 ms for +12.5% deviants. In comparison to the oddball condition the response also diminished in a control condition in which no repetitive standards were presented (equiprobable condition). These findings suggest that the rat mismatch response is similar to the human MMN and indicate that anesthetized rats provide a valuable model for studies of central auditory processing.     

Mechanisms of generation of mismatch negativity and their role in discrimination of short acoustical stimuli

The effect of stimulus duration on the mismatch negativity in the auditory event-related potentials was used to study the role of mismatch negativity (MMN) in discrimination of short acoustical stimuli. We compared discrimination of different short acoustical stimuli in active variant of "odd ball" paradigm. It was shown that it is possible to discriminate between standard and deviant acoustical stimuli which do not produce MMN in passive condition. It makes possible to estimate behavioural significance of MMN in active discrimination task. If the MMN had not been recorded in passive condition, that leads to an increase of reaction time in active paradigm approximately by 50 ms.     

Influence of very low doses of mediators on fungal laccase activity - nonlinearity beyond imagination

Background  

Compared to the waveform or spectrum analysis of event-related potentials (ERPs), time-frequency representation (TFR) has the advantage of revealing the ERPs time and frequency domain information simultaneously. As the human brain could be modeled as a complicated nonlinear system, it is interesting from the view of psychological knowledge to study the performance of the nonlinear and linear time-frequency representation methods for ERP research. In this study Hilbert-Huang transformation (HHT) and Morlet wavelet transformation (MWT) were performed on mismatch negativity (MMN) of children. Participants were 102 children aged 8–16 years. MMN was elicited in a passive oddball paradigm with duration deviants. The stimuli consisted of an uninterrupted sound including two alternating 100 ms tones (600 and 800 Hz) with infrequent 50 ms or 30 ms 600 Hz deviant tones. In theory larger deviant should elicit larger MMN. This theoretical expectation is used as a criterion to test two TFR methods in this study. For statistical analysis MMN support to absence ratio (SAR) could be utilized to qualify TFR of MMN.     

Fast detection of unexpected sound intensity decrements as revealed by human evoked potentials

The detection of deviant sounds is a crucial function of the auditory system and is reflected by the automatically elicited mismatch negativity (MMN), an auditory evoked potential at 100 to 250 ms from stimulus onset. It has recently been shown that rarely occurring frequency and location deviants in an oddball paradigm trigger a more negative response than standard sounds at very early latencies in the middle latency response of the human auditory evoked potential. This fast and early ability of the auditory system is corroborated by the finding of neurons in the animal auditory cortex and subcortical structures, which restore their adapted responsiveness to standard sounds, when a rare change in a sound feature occurs. In this study, we investigated whether the detection of intensity deviants is also reflected at shorter latencies than those of the MMN. Auditory evoked potentials in response to click sounds were analyzed regarding the auditory brain stem response, the middle latency response (MLR) and the MMN. Rare stimuli with a lower intensity level than standard stimuli elicited (in addition to an MMN) a more negative potential in the MLR at the transition from the Na to the Pa component at circa 24 ms from stimulus onset. This finding, together with the studies about frequency and location changes, suggests that the early automatic detection of deviant sounds in an oddball paradigm is a general property of the auditory system.     

Mismatch negativity of ERP in cross-modal attention

Event-related potentials were measured in 12 healthy youth subjects aged 19-22 using the paradigm "cross-modal and delayed response" which is able to improve unattended purity and to avoid the effect of task target on the deviant components of ERP. The experiment included two conditions: (i) Attend visual modality, ignore auditory modality; (ii) attend auditory modality, ignore visual modality. The stimuli under the two conditions were the same. The difference wave was obtained by subtracting ERPs of the standard stimuli from that of the deviant stim-uli. The present results showed that mismatch negativity (MMN), N2b and P3 components can be produced in the auditory and visual modalities under attention condition. However, only MMN was observed in the two modalities un-der inattention condition. Auditory and visual MMN have some features in common: their largest MMN wave peaks were distributed respectively over their primary sensory projection areas of the scalp under attention condition, but over front     

The Enhancement of the N1 Wave Elicited by Sensory Stimuli Presented at Very Short Inter-Stimulus Intervals Is a General Feature across Sensory Systems

Background

A paradoxical enhancement of the magnitude of the N1 wave of the auditory event-related potential (ERP) has been described when auditory stimuli are presented at very short (<400 ms) inter-stimulus intervals (ISI). Here, we examined whether this enhancement is specific for the auditory system, or whether it also affects ERPs elicited by stimuli belonging to other sensory modalities.

Methodology and Principal Findings

We recorded ERPs elicited by auditory and somatosensory stimuli in 13 healthy subjects. For each sensory modality, 4800 stimuli were presented. Auditory stimuli consisted in brief tones presented binaurally, and somatosensory stimuli consisted in constant-current electrical pulses applied to the right median nerve. Stimuli were delivered continuously, and the ISI was varied randomly between 100 and 1000 ms. We found that the ISI had a similar effect on both auditory and somatosensory ERPs. In both sensory modalities, ISI had an opposite effect on the magnitude of the N1 and P2 waves: the magnitude of the auditory and the somatosensory N1 was significantly increased at ISI≤200 ms, while the magnitude of the auditory and the somatosensory P2 was significantly decreased at ISI≤200 ms.

Conclusion and Significance

The observation that both the auditory and the somatosensory N1 are enhanced at short ISIs indicates that this phenomenon reflects a physiological property that is common across sensory systems, rather than, as previously suggested, unique for the auditory system. Two of the hypotheses most frequently put forward to explain this observation, namely (i) the decreased contribution of inhibitory postsynaptic potentials to the recorded scalp ERPs and (ii) the decreased contribution of ‘latent inhibition’, are discussed. Because neither of these two hypotheses can satisfactorily account for the concomitant reduction of the auditory and the somatosensory P2, we propose a third, novel hypothesis, consisting in the modulation of a single neural component contributing to both the N1 and the P2 waves.     

Beat Processing Is Pre-Attentive for Metrically Simple Rhythms with Clear Accents: An ERP Study

The perception of a regular beat is fundamental to music processing. Here we examine whether the detection of a regular beat is pre-attentive for metrically simple, acoustically varying stimuli using the mismatch negativity (MMN), an ERP response elicited by violations of acoustic regularity irrespective of whether subjects are attending to the stimuli. Both musicians and non-musicians were presented with a varying rhythm with a clear accent structure in which occasionally a sound was omitted. We compared the MMN response to the omission of identical sounds in different metrical positions. Most importantly, we found that omissions in strong metrical positions, on the beat, elicited higher amplitude MMN responses than omissions in weak metrical positions, not on the beat. This suggests that the detection of a beat is pre-attentive when highly beat inducing stimuli are used. No effects of musical expertise were found. Our results suggest that for metrically simple rhythms with clear accents beat processing does not require attention or musical expertise. In addition, we discuss how the use of acoustically varying stimuli may influence ERP results when studying beat processing.