A short-term memory influence on the N1 response of cerebral cortex.

The N1 component of auditory evoked potentials varies in amplitude as a function of the direction of attention and has been treated as a physiological correlate of stimulus set. Results from a sequential pitch memory experiment, presented here, show that N1 also indexes the strengths of short-term associations, suggesting that the N1 mechanism(s) may be involved in a more general process of organizing and/or maintaining temporary sensorimotor memories.