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Hebron H, Lugli B, Dimitrova R, Jaramillo V, Yeh LR, Rhodes E, Grossman N, Dijk DJ, Violante IR. A closed-loop auditory stimulation approach selectively modulates alpha oscillations and sleep onset dynamics in humans. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002651. [PMID: 38889194 PMCID: PMC11185466 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpha oscillations play a vital role in managing the brain's resources, inhibiting neural activity as a function of their phase and amplitude, and are changed in many brain disorders. Developing minimally invasive tools to modulate alpha activity and identifying the parameters that determine its response to exogenous modulators is essential for the implementation of focussed interventions. We introduce Alpha Closed-Loop Auditory Stimulation (αCLAS) as an EEG-based method to modulate and investigate these brain rhythms in humans with specificity and selectivity, using targeted auditory stimulation. Across a series of independent experiments, we demonstrate that αCLAS alters alpha power, frequency, and connectivity in a phase, amplitude, and topography-dependent manner. Using single-pulse-αCLAS, we show that the effects of auditory stimuli on alpha oscillations can be explained within the theoretical framework of oscillator theory and a phase-reset mechanism. Finally, we demonstrate the functional relevance of our approach by showing that αCLAS can interfere with sleep onset dynamics in a phase-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Hebron
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
- Surrey Sleep Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London and the University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrice Lugli
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Radost Dimitrova
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Valeria Jaramillo
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
- Surrey Sleep Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London and the University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa R. Yeh
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Edward Rhodes
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Nir Grossman
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Derk-Jan Dijk
- Surrey Sleep Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London and the University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Ines R. Violante
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
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2
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Williams JG, Harrison WJ, Beale HA, Mattingley JB, Harris AM. Effects of neural oscillation power and phase on discrimination performance in a visual tilt illusion. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1801-1809.e4. [PMID: 38569544 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Neural oscillations reflect fluctuations in the relative excitation/inhibition of neural systems1,2,3,4,5 and are theorized to play a critical role in canonical neural computations6,7,8,9 and cognitive processes.10,11,12,13,14 These theories have been supported by findings that detection of visual stimuli fluctuates with the phase of oscillations prior to stimulus onset.15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23 However, null results have emerged in studies seeking to demonstrate these effects in visual discrimination tasks,24,25,26,27 raising questions about the generalizability of these phenomena to wider neural processes. Recently, we suggested that methodological limitations may mask effects of phase in higher-level sensory processing.28 To test the generality of phasic influences on perception requires a task that involves stimulus discrimination while also depending on early sensory processing. Here, we examined the influence of oscillation phase on the visual tilt illusion, in which a center grating has its perceived orientation biased away from the orientation of a surround grating29 due to lateral inhibitory interactions in early visual processing.30,31,32 We presented center gratings at participants' subjective vertical angle and had participants report whether the grating appeared tilted clockwise or counterclockwise from vertical on each trial while measuring their brain activity with electroencephalography (EEG). In addition to effects of alpha power and aperiodic slope, we observed robust associations between orientation perception and alpha and theta phase, consistent with fluctuating illusion magnitude across the oscillatory cycle. These results confirm that oscillation phase affects the complex processing involved in stimulus discrimination, consistent with its purported role in canonical computations that underpin cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica G Williams
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Building 79, Upland Road, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, McElwain Building, Campbell Road, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - William J Harrison
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Building 79, Upland Road, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, McElwain Building, Campbell Road, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia
| | - Henry A Beale
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Building 79, Upland Road, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jason B Mattingley
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Building 79, Upland Road, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, McElwain Building, Campbell Road, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Ave., Suite 505, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Anthony M Harris
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Building 79, Upland Road, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
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Alamia A, VanRullen R. A Traveling Waves Perspective on Temporal Binding. J Cogn Neurosci 2024; 36:721-729. [PMID: 37172133 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Brain oscillations are involved in many cognitive processes, and several studies have investigated their role in cognition. In particular, the phase of certain oscillations has been related to temporal binding and integration processes, with some authors arguing that perception could be an inherently rhythmic process. However, previous research on oscillations mostly overlooked their spatial component: how oscillations propagate through the brain as traveling waves, with systematic phase delays between brain regions. Here, we argue that interpreting oscillations as traveling waves is a useful paradigm shift to understand their role in temporal binding and address controversial results. After a brief definition of traveling waves, we propose an original view on temporal integration that considers this new perspective. We first focus on cortical dynamics, then speculate about the role of thalamic nuclei in modulating the waves, and on the possible consequences for rhythmic temporal binding. In conclusion, we highlight the importance of considering oscillations as traveling waves when investigating their role in cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Alamia
- CNRS Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition (CERCO, UMR 5549), Toulouse, France
| | - Rufin VanRullen
- CNRS Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition (CERCO, UMR 5549), Toulouse, France
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4
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Mackenzie AK, Baker J, Daly RC, Howard CJ. Peak occipital alpha frequency mediates the relationship between sporting expertise and multiple object tracking performance. Brain Behav 2024; 14:e3434. [PMID: 38383037 PMCID: PMC10881284 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple object tracking (MOT) is often used as a lab-based paradigm for investigating goal-driven attention as an indicator for "real-world" attention in tasks such as sport. When exploring MOT performance in the context of sporting expertise, we typically observe that individuals with sporting expertise outperform non-sporting individuals. There are a number of general explanations for performance differences such as cognitive transfer effects; however, the potential neurophysiological mechanisms explaining the relationship between sporting expertise and performance differences in MOT are not clear. Based on the role occipital alpha (posterior oscillations usually around 8-12 Hz) has been shown to have in visuospatial attention, the aim of this study was to examine whether individual differences in occipital peak alpha frequency (PAF) mediate the relationship between sporting expertise and performance in two object tracking tasks: a standard MOT task and a visuomotor-controlled object tracking task (multiple object avoidance [MOA]). METHOD Using electroencephalography (EEG), participants, who either played sport competitively or did not, had their posterior PAF measured at rest (eyes closed) across a 2-min window. They completed the two tasks separately from the resting EEG measures. RESULTS Those who engaged in sport performed better in the MOT and MOA tasks and had higher PAF. Higher PAF predicted superior MOT performance. The mediation analysis revealed that sporting individuals had significantly higher PAF, and this was in turn related to superior MOT performance. CONCLUSIONS It is suggested that PAF is a possible neurophysiological mediating mechanism as to why sporting individuals have superior MOT performance. There was no evidence that PAF mediated the relationship between sporting expertise and visuomotor MOA performance. Explanations and implications are discussed, and unanswered questions are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joshua Baker
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of EssexColchesterUK
| | - Rosie C. Daly
- NTU PsychologyNottingham Trent UniversityNottinghamUK
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5
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Fakche C, Dugué L. Perceptual Cycles Travel Across Retinotopic Space. J Cogn Neurosci 2024; 36:200-216. [PMID: 37902594 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Visual perception waxes and wanes periodically over time at low frequencies (theta: 4-7 Hz; alpha: 8-13 Hz), creating "perceptual cycles." These perceptual cycles can be induced when stimulating the brain with a flickering visual stimulus at the theta or alpha frequency. Here, we took advantage of the well-known organization of the visual system into retinotopic maps (topographic correspondence between visual and cortical spaces) to assess the spatial organization of induced perceptual cycles. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that they can propagate across the retinotopic space. A disk oscillating in luminance (inducer) at 4, 6, 8, or 10 Hz was presented in the periphery of the visual field to induce perceptual cycles at specific frequencies. EEG recordings verified that the brain responded at the corresponding inducer frequencies and their first harmonics. Perceptual cycles were assessed with a concurrent detection task-target stimuli were displayed at threshold contrast (50% detection) at random times during the inducer. Behavioral results confirmed that perceptual performance was modulated periodically by the inducer at each frequency. We additionally manipulated the distance between the target and the inducer (three possible positions) and showed that the optimal phase, that is, moment of highest target detection, shifted across target distance to the inducer, specifically when its flicker frequency was in the alpha range (8 and 10 Hz). These results demonstrate that induced alpha perceptual cycles travel across the retinotopic space in humans at a propagation speed of 0.3-0.5 m/sec, consistent with the speed of unmyelinated horizontal connections in the visual cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Fakche
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, Paris, France
| | - Laura Dugué
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France
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6
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Su Z, Zhou X, Wang L. Dissociated amplitude and phase effects of alpha oscillation in a nested structure of rhythm- and sequence-based temporal expectation. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9741-9755. [PMID: 37415070 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The human brain can utilize various information to form temporal expectations and optimize perceptual performance. Here we show dissociated amplitude and phase effects of prestimulus alpha oscillation in a nested structure of rhythm- and sequence-based expectation. A visual stream of rhythmic stimuli was presented in a fixed sequence such that their temporal positions could be predicted by either the low-frequency rhythm, the sequence, or the combination. The behavioral modeling indicated that rhythmic and sequence information additively led to increased accumulation speed of sensory evidence and alleviated threshold for the perceptual discrimination of the expected stimulus. The electroencephalographical results showed that the alpha amplitude was modulated mainly by rhythmic information, with the amplitude fluctuating with the phase of the low-frequency rhythm (i.e. phase-amplitude coupling). The alpha phase, however, was affected by both rhythmic and sequence information. Importantly, rhythm-based expectation improved the perceptual performance by decreasing the alpha amplitude, whereas sequence-based expectation did not further decrease the amplitude on top of rhythm-based expectation. Moreover, rhythm-based and sequence-based expectations collaboratively improved the perceptual performance by biasing the alpha oscillation toward the optimal phase. Our findings suggested flexible coordination of multiscale brain oscillations in dealing with a complex environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongbin Su
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
- Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Lihui Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
- Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 201602, China
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7
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Houshmand Chatroudi A, Yotsumoto Y. No evidence for the effect of entrainment's phase on duration reproduction and precision of regular intervals. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:3037-3057. [PMID: 37369629 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Perception of time is not always veridical; rather, it is subjected to distortions. One such compelling distortion is that the duration of regularly spaced intervals is often overestimated. One account suggests that excitatory phases of neural entrainment concomitant with such stimuli play a major role. However, assessing the correlation between the power of entrained oscillations and time dilation has yielded inconclusive results. In this study, we evaluated whether phase characteristics of neural oscillations impact time dilation. For this purpose, we entrained 10-Hz oscillations and experimentally manipulated the presentation of flickers so that they were presented either in-phase or out-of-phase relative to the established rhythm. Simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) recordings confirmed that in-phase and out-of-phase flickers had landed on different inhibitory phases of high-amplitude alpha oscillations. Moreover, to control for confounding factors of expectancy and masking, we created two additional conditions. Results, supplemented by the Bayesian analysis, indicated that the phase of entrained visual alpha oscillation does not differentially affect flicker-induced time dilation. Repeating the same experiment with regularly spaced auditory stimuli replicated the null findings. Moreover, we found a robust enhancement of precision for the reproduction of flickers relative to static stimuli that were partially supported by entrainment models. We discussed our results within the framework of neural oscillations and time-perception models, suggesting that inhibitory cycles of visual alpha may have little relevance to the overestimation of regularly spaced intervals. Moreover, based on our findings, we proposed that temporal oscillators, assumed in entrainment models, may act independently of excitatory phases in the brain's lower level sensory areas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuko Yotsumoto
- Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Michael E, Covarrubias LS, Leong V, Kourtzi Z. Learning at your brain's rhythm: individualized entrainment boosts learning for perceptual decisions. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:5382-5394. [PMID: 36352510 PMCID: PMC10152088 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Training is known to improve our ability to make decisions when interacting in complex environments. However, individuals vary in their ability to learn new tasks and acquire new skills in different settings. Here, we test whether this variability in learning ability relates to individual brain oscillatory states. We use a visual flicker paradigm to entrain individuals at their own brain rhythm (i.e. peak alpha frequency) as measured by resting-state electroencephalography (EEG). We demonstrate that this individual frequency-matched brain entrainment results in faster learning in a visual identification task (i.e. detecting targets embedded in background clutter) compared to entrainment that does not match an individual's alpha frequency. Further, we show that learning is specific to the phase relationship between the entraining flicker and the visual target stimulus. EEG during entrainment showed that individualized alpha entrainment boosts alpha power, induces phase alignment in the pre-stimulus period, and results in shorter latency of early visual evoked potentials, suggesting that brain entrainment facilitates early visual processing to support improved perceptual decisions. These findings suggest that individualized brain entrainment may boost perceptual learning by altering gain control mechanisms in the visual cortex, indicating a key role for individual neural oscillatory states in learning and brain plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Michael
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | | | - Victoria Leong
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
- Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore 6398818, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, NTU, Singapore 308232, Singapore
| | - Zoe Kourtzi
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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9
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Fernández A, Hanning NM, Carrasco M. Transcranial magnetic stimulation to frontal but not occipital cortex disrupts endogenous attention. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219635120. [PMID: 36853947 PMCID: PMC10013745 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219635120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Covert endogenous (voluntary) attention improves visual performance. Human neuroimaging studies suggest that the putative human homolog of macaque frontal eye fields (FEF+) is critical for this improvement, whereas early visual areas are not. Yet, correlational MRI methods do not manipulate brain function. We investigated whether rFEF+ or V1/V2 plays a causal role in endogenous attention. We used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to alter activity in the visual cortex or rFEF+ when observers performed an orientation discrimination task while attention was manipulated. On every trial, they received double-pulse TMS at a predetermined site (stimulated region) around V1/V2 or rFEF+. Two cortically magnified gratings were presented, one in the stimulated region (contralateral to the stimulated area) and another in the symmetric (ipsilateral) nonstimulated region. Grating contrast was varied to measure contrast response functions (CRFs) for all attention and stimulation combinations. In experiment 1, the CRFs were similar at the stimulated and nonstimulated regions, indicating that early visual areas do not modulate endogenous attention during stimulus presentation. In contrast, occipital TMS eliminates exogenous (involuntary) attention effects on performance [A. Fernández, M. Carrasco,Curr. Biol. 30, 4078-4084 (2020)]. In experiment 2, rFEF+ stimulation decreased the overall attentional effect; neither benefits at the attended location nor costs at the unattended location were significant. The frequency and directionality of microsaccades mimicked this pattern: Whereas occipital stimulation did not affect microsaccades, rFEF+ stimulation caused a higher microsaccade rate directed toward the stimulated hemifield. These results provide causal evidence of the role of this frontal region for endogenous attention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nina M. Hanning
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY10003
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY10003
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12489Berlin, Germany
| | - Marisa Carrasco
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY10003
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY10003
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10
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Griffiths BJ, Zaehle T, Repplinger S, Schmitt FC, Voges J, Hanslmayr S, Staudigl T. Rhythmic interactions between the mediodorsal thalamus and prefrontal cortex precede human visual perception. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3736. [PMID: 35768419 PMCID: PMC9243108 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31407-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The thalamus is much more than a simple sensory relay. High-order thalamic nuclei, such as the mediodorsal thalamus, exert a profound influence over animal cognition. However, given the difficulty of directly recording from the thalamus in humans, next-to-nothing is known about thalamic and thalamocortical contributions to human cognition. To address this, we analysed simultaneously-recorded thalamic iEEG and whole-head MEG in six patients (plus MEG recordings from twelve healthy controls) as they completed a visual detection task. We observed that the phase of both ongoing mediodorsal thalamic and prefrontal low-frequency activity was predictive of perceptual performance. Critically however, mediodorsal thalamic activity mediated prefrontal contributions to perceptual performance. These results suggest that it is thalamocortical interactions, rather than cortical activity alone, that is predictive of upcoming perceptual performance and, more generally, highlights the importance of accounting for the thalamus when theorising about cortical contributions to human cognition. How the thalamus and the cortex interact in the context of perception remains largely unclear. Here, the authors show that rhythmic activity in the human mediodorsal thalamus and prefrontal cortex interact to predict whether a near-threshold visual stimulus will be seen, contradicting the traditional view that the thalamus is a simple relay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Griffiths
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Tino Zaehle
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Repplinger
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany.,ESF International Graduate School on Analysis, Imaging and Modelling of Neuronal and Inflammatory Processes, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | | | - Jürgen Voges
- Department of Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Simon Hanslmayr
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute for Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Tobias Staudigl
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
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11
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Keitel C, Ruzzoli M, Dugué L, Busch NA, Benwell CSY. Rhythms in cognition: The evidence revisited. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:2991-3009. [PMID: 35696729 PMCID: PMC9544967 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Manuela Ruzzoli
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Laura Dugué
- Université Paris Cité, INCC UMR 8002, CNRS, Paris, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Niko A Busch
- Institute for Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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12
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Periodic attention operates faster during more complex visual search. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6688. [PMID: 35461325 PMCID: PMC9035177 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10647-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention has been found to sample visual information periodically, in a wide range of frequencies below 20 Hz. This periodicity may be supported by brain oscillations at corresponding frequencies. We propose that part of the discrepancy in periodic frequencies observed in the literature is due to differences in attentional demands, resulting from heterogeneity in tasks performed. To test this hypothesis, we used visual search and manipulated task complexity, i.e., target discriminability (high, medium, low) and number of distractors (set size), while electro-encephalography was simultaneously recorded. We replicated previous results showing that the phase of pre-stimulus low-frequency oscillations predicts search performance. Crucially, such effects were observed at increasing frequencies within the theta-alpha range (6–18 Hz) for decreasing target discriminability. In medium and low discriminability conditions, correct responses were further associated with higher post-stimulus phase-locking than incorrect ones, in increasing frequency and latency. Finally, the larger the set size, the later the post-stimulus effect peaked. Together, these results suggest that increased complexity (lower discriminability or larger set size) requires more attentional cycles to perform the task, partially explaining discrepancies between reports of attentional sampling. Low-frequency oscillations structure the temporal dynamics of neural activity and aid top-down, attentional control for efficient visual processing.
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