Omission mismatch negativity of speech sounds reveals a functionally impaired temporal window of integration in schizophrenia

Abstract

Objective: We hypothesized that sensory memory associated with the temporal window of integration (TWI) would be impaired in patients with schizophrenia, an issue that had not been evaluated using omission mismatch negativity (MMN) of complex speech sounds. We aimed to assess the functional changes in auditory sensory memory associated with the TWI in patients with schizophrenia by investigating the effect of omission of complex speech stimuli on the MMN.

Methods: In total, 17 patients with schizophrenia and 15 control individuals participated in the study. The MMN in response to omission deviants of complex speech sounds was recorded, while the participants were instructed to ignore the series of speech sounds.

Results: The MMN latency in patients with schizophrenia was significantly prolonged by deviant stimuli to omissions corresponding to the early and late parts of the temporal TWI. There were no significant group differences in the amplitude of the MMN to omissions at different time points across the TWI.

Conclusions: Our results suggested that sensory tracing function in patients with schizophrenia is impaired in the early and the later half of the TWI.

Significance: We showed that certain MMN abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia may be caused by an impaired TWI.

Keywords: Auditory evoked potential; Event-related potential; Mismatch negativity; Schizophrenia; Temporal window of integration.