Is auditory prediction related to domain-general cognitive abilities? A neurophysiology study on MMN and cognitive performance scores

Recent neurophysiological findings have linked domain-specific prediction in sensory cortices with domain-general frontal functions by utilizing the mismatch negativity (MMN) response in the auditory cortex alongside working memory (WM) measures. In the present study, we aimed to provide supporting evidence for this connection by examining both WM and the broader cognitive construct of fluid intelligence (gF), using an ecologically valid auditory stimulation paradigm. Specifically, we recorded MMN responses using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in 26 healthy adults exposed to a tonal multi-feature paradigm, followed by the collection of behavioral measures of WM and gF. We observed a significant relationship between MMN amplitudes and WM performance at frontal sensors, suggesting that sensory-specific predictive processes involved in error detection are linked to general cognitive abilities.