Mismatch negativity (MMN) was used to investigate the processing of cluster and noncluster initial consonants in consonant-vowel syllables in the human brain. The MMN was elicited by either syllable with cluster or noncluster initial consonant, phonetic contrasts being identical in both syllables. Compared to the noncluster consonant, the cluster consonant elicited a more prominent MMN. The strong MMN peaks at ~128 ms after change onset in cluster-to-noncluster initial consonants changes and at ~212 ms in noncluster-to-cluster initial consonants changes. The significantly different neuronal populations were thus active between 128-212 ms when syllables with cluster and noncluster initial consonants were present. Microstate segmentation analyses showed that the phonological perception for cluster consonant was at 212 ms whereas 128 ms for non-cluster consonant. After approximately 220 ms, semantic perception started in order to perceive the meaning of the words.

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