Domain-general neural correlates of dependency formation: using complex tones to simulate language

In the corresponding study, we develop a new approach to mimic the interplay of sequential position as well as categorical and relational information in natural language syntax (word category and agreement) in a non-linguistic target detection paradigm using musical instruments. Participants were instructed to (covertly) detect target tones which were defined by instrument change and pitch rise  between subsequent tones at the last two positions of four-tone sequences. We analysed the EEG using event-related averaging and time-frequency decomposition.show striking similarities to results obtained from linguistic experiments.