The mismatch negativity (MMN) – A unique window to disturbed central auditory processing in ageing and different clinical conditions

• Published in: Clinical neurophysiology Vol. 123; no. 3; pp. 424 - 458
• Main Authors: Näätänen, R, Kujala, T, Escera, C, Baldeweg, T, Kreegipuu, K, Carlson, S, Ponton, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.03.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aging - physiology; Auditory discrimination; Auditory Perceptual Disorders - physiopathology; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Central auditory processing; Cognition - physiology; Discrimination (Psychology) - physiology; Electrodiagnosis. Electric activity recording; Electrophysiology; Event-related potentials (ERP); Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetoencephalography; Medical sciences; Nervous system; Nervous System Diseases - physiopathology; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Neurological disorders; Neurology; Neuropsychiatric disorders; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Reaction Time - physiology; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - physiology; The mismatch negativity (MMN); The NMDA-receptor system; The NMDA-receptor system; Auditory discrimination; The mismatch negativity (MMN); Neuropsychiatric disorders; Magnetoencephalography; Event-related potentials (ERP); Neurodevelopmental disorders; Central auditory processing; Neurological disorders; Cognitive disorder; Memory; Central nervous system; Electrophysiology; Glutamate receptor; Review; Encephalon; Accuracy; Mismatch negativity; Acoustic stimulus; Neurological disorder; Human; Nervous system diseases; Ageing; Attention; Sound; Discrimination; Repetitive stimulus; Speech
• ISSN: 1388-2457; 1872-8952
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2011.09.020

Highlights ► The mismatch negativity (MMN) indexes different types of central auditory abnormalities in different neuropsychiatric, neurological, and neurodevelopmental disorders. ► The diminished amplitude/prolonged peak latency observed in patients usually indexes decreased auditory discrimination. ► An MMN deficit may also index cognitive and functional decline shared by different disorders irrespective of their specific aetiology and symptomatology. ► MMN deficits index deficient N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor function affecting memory-trace formation and hence cognition in different disorders.