Exploring the detection of associatively novel events using fMRI

Identifying and evaluating events which are novel in a particular environment is crucially important for adaptive behavior. These events are often not just novel, as they typically violate expectations which may be formulated based on numerous features of our surroundings, one of which includes the ordinal structure (temporal order) of relevant stimuli. Events which violate such expectations, namely sequential deviants, constitute one category of associatively novel stimuli. The present event-related fMRI study investigated the detection of sequential deviants presented within three types of equivalently organized, attended visual sequences which differed in stimulus dimensions relevant for defining the sequential structure (position, rhythm, and object identity). Presenting deviants within perceptual sequences defined by position and rhythm stimulus properties triggered comparable patterns of activations within the lateral parietal, premotor, and prefrontal regions. However, the activations identified in the context of position sequences showed a more dorsal distribution when compared to those in rhythm sequences. In contrast, detection of deviants within object sequences was supported by right-lateralized parietal and temporal cortices. Thus, although the obtained results indicate similarities and partial overlap in activations triggered by specific pairs of deviants, differences in their processing were also revealed. This suggests that the general task context and specific stimulus features which define the deviant itself influence which brain regions within a widespread network incorporating lateral prefrontal, anterior premotor, and posterior (mainly lateral parietal) areas will become engaged in its processing.