Direct brain recordings reveal implicit encoding of structure in random auditory streams

Abstract

The brain excels at processing sensory input, even in rich or chaotic environments. Mounting evidence attributes this to sophisticated internal models of the environment that draw on statistical structures in the unfolding sensory input. Understanding how and where such modeling proceeds is a core question in statistical learning and predictive processing. In this context, we address the role of transitional probabilities as an implicit structure supporting the encoding of the temporal structure of a random auditory stream. Leveraging information-theoretical principles and the high spatiotemporal resolution of intracranial electroencephalography, we analyzed the trial-by-trial high-frequency activity representation of transitional probabilities. This unique approach enabled us to demonstrate how the brain automatically and continuously encodes structure in random stimuli and revealed the involvement of a network outside of the auditory system, including hippocampal, frontal, and temporal regions. Our work provides a comprehensive picture of the neural correlates of automatic encoding of implicit structure that can be the crucial substrate for the swift detection of patterns and unexpected events in the environment.