Role of the Temporo-parietal Junctions and Pre-stimulus Dynamics in Predictive Processing

The temporoparietal junctions (TPJs) represent critical brain regions that encompass various cytoarchitectonic areas and have been implicated in a range of cognitive functions. Recent research has suggested that the TPJs function as central hubs for integrating information from multiple cognitive domains. Furthermore, the TPJs have been proposed as key players in predictive processing theories, which posit that the brain constructs internal models to predict future events and continuously updates these models based on sensory input. Using a variety of methods, this research elucidates the multifaceted role of bilateral TPJs in predictive processing, both in neurological patients and healthy individuals. The TPJs emerge as pivotal hubs for integrating information from diverse cognitive domains, facilitating predictive processing in the language domain but probably also across a spectrum of cognitive functions. These findings have implications for understanding cognitive impairments in neurological diseases and advancing our knowledge of the neural mechanisms underlying predictive processing.