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Rodriguez-Larios J, Rassi E, Mendoza G, Merchant H, Haegens S. Common neural mechanisms supporting time judgements in humans and monkeys. bioRxiv 2024:2024.04.25.591075. [PMID: 38712259 PMCID: PMC11071527 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.25.591075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
There has been an increasing interest in identifying the biological underpinnings of human time perception, for which purpose research in non-human primates (NHP) is common. Although previous work, based on behaviour, suggests that similar mechanisms support time perception across species, the neural correlates of time estimation in humans and NHP have not been directly compared. In this study, we assess whether brain evoked responses during a time categorization task are similar across species. Specifically, we assess putative differences in post-interval evoked potentials as a function of perceived duration in human EEG (N = 24) and local field potential (LFP) and spike recordings in pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) of one monkey. Event-related potentials (ERPs) differed significantly after the presentation of the temporal interval between "short" and "long" perceived durations in both species, even when the objective duration of the stimuli was the same. Interestingly, the polarity of the reported ERPs was reversed for incorrect trials (i.e., the ERP of a "long" stimulus looked like the ERP of a "short" stimulus when a time categorization error was made). Hence, our results show that post-interval potentials reflect the perceived (rather than the objective) duration of the presented time interval in both NHP and humans. In addition, firing rates in monkey's pre-SMA also differed significantly between short and long perceived durations and were reversed in incorrect trials. Together, our results show that common neural mechanisms support time categorization in NHP and humans, thereby suggesting that NHP are a good model for investigating human time perception.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elie Rassi
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paris-Lodron-University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Germán Mendoza
- Instituto de Neurobiología, UNAM, Campus Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Hugo Merchant
- Instituto de Neurobiología, UNAM, Campus Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, USA
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
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2
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Zioga I, Zhou YJ, Weissbart H, Martin AE, Haegens S. Alpha and Beta Oscillations Differentially Support Word Production in a Rule-Switching Task. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0312-23.2024. [PMID: 38490743 PMCID: PMC10988358 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0312-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Research into the role of brain oscillations in basic perceptual and cognitive functions has suggested that the alpha rhythm reflects functional inhibition while the beta rhythm reflects neural ensemble (re)activation. However, little is known regarding the generalization of these proposed fundamental operations to linguistic processes, such as speech comprehension and production. Here, we recorded magnetoencephalography in participants performing a novel rule-switching paradigm. Specifically, Dutch native speakers had to produce an alternative exemplar from the same category or a feature of a given target word embedded in spoken sentences (e.g., for the word "tuna", an exemplar from the same category-"seafood"-would be "shrimp", and a feature would be "pink"). A cue indicated the task rule-exemplar or feature-either before (pre-cue) or after (retro-cue) listening to the sentence. Alpha power during the working memory delay was lower for retro-cue compared with that for pre-cue in the left hemispheric language-related regions. Critically, alpha power negatively correlated with reaction times, suggestive of alpha facilitating task performance by regulating inhibition in regions linked to lexical retrieval. Furthermore, we observed a different spatiotemporal pattern of beta activity for exemplars versus features in the right temporoparietal regions, in line with the proposed role of beta in recruiting neural networks for the encoding of distinct categories. Overall, our study provides evidence for the generalizability of the role of alpha and beta oscillations from perceptual to more "complex, linguistic processes" and offers a novel task to investigate links between rule-switching, working memory, and word production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Zioga
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen 6525 XD, The Netherlands
| | - Ying Joey Zhou
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Hugo Weissbart
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea E Martin
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen 6525 XD, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032
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3
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Al E, Stephani T, Engelhardt M, Haegens S, Villringer A, Nikulin VV. Cardiac activity impacts cortical motor excitability. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002393. [PMID: 38015826 PMCID: PMC10684011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Human cognition and action can be influenced by internal bodily processes such as heartbeats. For instance, somatosensory perception is impaired both during the systolic phase of the cardiac cycle and when heartbeats evoke stronger cortical responses. Here, we test whether these cardiac effects originate from overall changes in cortical excitability. Cortical and corticospinal excitability were assessed using electroencephalographic and electromyographic responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation while concurrently monitoring cardiac activity with electrocardiography. Cortical and corticospinal excitability were found to be highest during systole and following stronger neural responses to heartbeats. Furthermore, in a motor task, hand-muscle activity and the associated desynchronization of sensorimotor oscillations were stronger during systole. These results suggest that systolic cardiac signals have a facilitatory effect on motor excitability-in contrast to sensory attenuation that was previously reported for somatosensory perception. Thus, it is possible that distinct time windows exist across the cardiac cycle, optimizing either perception or action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esra Al
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- MindBrainBody Institute, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Tilman Stephani
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School NeuroCom, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Melina Engelhardt
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Berlin, Germany
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Einstein Center for Neurosciences, Berlin, Germany
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, United States of America
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Arno Villringer
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- MindBrainBody Institute, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vadim V. Nikulin
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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4
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Zhou YJ, Ramchandran A, Haegens S. Alpha oscillations protect working memory against distracters in a modality-specific way. Neuroimage 2023; 278:120290. [PMID: 37482324 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha oscillations are thought to be involved in suppressing distracting input in working-memory tasks. Yet, the spatial-temporal dynamics of such suppression remain unclear. Key questions are whether such suppression reflects a domain-general inattentiveness mechanism, or occurs in a stimulus- or modality-specific manner within cortical areas most responsive to the distracters; and whether the suppression is proactive (i.e., preparatory) or reactive. Here, we addressed these questions using a working-memory task where participants had to memorize an array of visually presented digits and reproduce one of them upon being probed. We manipulated the presence of distracters and the sensory modality in which distracters were presented during memory maintenance. Our results show that sensory areas most responsive to visual and auditory distracters exhibited stronger alpha power increase after visual and auditory distracter presentation respectively. These results suggest that alpha oscillations underlie distracter suppression in a reactive, modality-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Joey Zhou
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Aarti Ramchandran
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America; Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States of America.
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5
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Rassi E, Lin WM, Zhang Y, Emmerzaal J, Haegens S. β Band Rhythms Influence Reaction Times. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0473-22.2023. [PMID: 37364994 PMCID: PMC10312120 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0473-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite their involvement in many cognitive functions, β oscillations are among the least understood brain rhythms. Reports on whether the functional role of β is primarily inhibitory or excitatory have been contradictory. Our framework attempts to reconcile these findings and proposes that several β rhythms co-exist at different frequencies. β Frequency shifts and their potential influence on behavior have thus far received little attention. In this human magnetoencephalography (MEG) experiment, we asked whether changes in β power or frequency in auditory cortex and motor cortex influence behavior (reaction times) during an auditory sweep discrimination task. We found that in motor cortex, increased β power slowed down responses, while in auditory cortex, increased β frequency slowed down responses. We further characterized β as transient burst events with distinct spectro-temporal profiles influencing reaction times. Finally, we found that increased motor-to-auditory β connectivity also slowed down responses. In sum, β power, frequency, bursting properties, cortical focus, and connectivity profile all influenced behavioral outcomes. Our results imply that the study of β oscillations requires caution as β dynamics are multifaceted phenomena, and that several dynamics must be taken into account to reconcile mixed findings in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elie Rassi
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paris-Lodron-University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Wy Ming Lin
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Hector Research Institute for Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Jill Emmerzaal
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Human Movement Biomechanics Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
- REVAL Rehabilitation Research Centre, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, 3500 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032
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6
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Rodriguez-Larios J, Haegens S. Genuine beta bursts in human working memory: controlling for the influence of lower-frequency rhythms. bioRxiv 2023:2023.05.26.542448. [PMID: 37292960 PMCID: PMC10245977 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.26.542448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Human working memory is associated with significant modulations in oscillatory brain activity. However, the functional role of brain rhythms at different frequencies is still debated. Modulations in the beta frequency range (15-40 Hz) are especially difficult to interpret because they could be artifactually produced by (more prominent) oscillations in lower frequencies that show non-sinusoidal properties. In this study, we investigate beta oscillations during working memory while controlling for the possible influence of lower frequency rhythms. We collected electroencephalography (EEG) data in 31 participants who performed a spatial working-memory task with two levels of cognitive load. In order to rule out the possibility that observed beta activity was affected by non-sinusoidalities of lower frequency rhythms, we developed an algorithm that detects transient beta oscillations that do not coincide with more prominent lower frequency rhythms in time and space. Using this algorithm, we show that the amplitude and duration of beta bursts decrease with memory load and during memory manipulation, while their peak frequency and rate increase. In addition, interindividual differences in performance were significantly associated with beta burst rates. Together, our results show that beta rhythms are functionally modulated during working memory and that these changes cannot be attributed to lower frequency rhythms with non-sinusoidal properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Rodriguez-Larios
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, USA, NY 10032
- Div. of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA, NY 10032
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, USA, NY 10032
- Div. of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA, NY 10032
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 6525 EN
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7
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Rassi E, Zhang Y, Mendoza G, Méndez JC, Merchant H, Haegens S. Distinct beta frequencies reflect categorical decisions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2923. [PMID: 37217510 PMCID: PMC10203257 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38675-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on prior findings of content-specific beta synchronization in working memory and decision making, we hypothesized that beta oscillations support the (re-)activation of cortical representations by mediating neural ensemble formation. We found that beta activity in monkey dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and pre-supplementary motor area (preSMA) reflects the content of a stimulus in relation to the task context, regardless of its objective properties. In duration- and distance-categorization tasks, we changed the boundary between categories from one block of trials to the next. We found that two distinct beta-band frequencies were consistently associated with the two relative categories, with activity in these bands predicting the animals' responses. We characterized beta at these frequencies as transient bursts, and showed that dlPFC and preSMA are connected via these distinct frequency channels. These results support the role of beta in forming neural ensembles, and further show that such ensembles synchronize at different beta frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elie Rassi
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paris-Lodron-University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Germán Mendoza
- Instituto de Neurobiología, UNAM, Campus Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Juan Carlos Méndez
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Hugo Merchant
- Instituto de Neurobiología, UNAM, Campus Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico.
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
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8
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Zioga I, Weissbart H, Lewis AG, Haegens S, Martin AE. Naturalistic Spoken Language Comprehension Is Supported by Alpha and Beta Oscillations. J Neurosci 2023; 43:3718-3732. [PMID: 37059462 PMCID: PMC10198453 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1500-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain oscillations are prevalent in all species and are involved in numerous perceptual operations. α oscillations are thought to facilitate processing through the inhibition of task-irrelevant networks, while β oscillations are linked to the putative reactivation of content representations. Can the proposed functional role of α and β oscillations be generalized from low-level operations to higher-level cognitive processes? Here we address this question focusing on naturalistic spoken language comprehension. Twenty-two (18 female) Dutch native speakers listened to stories in Dutch and French while MEG was recorded. We used dependency parsing to identify three dependency states at each word: the number of (1) newly opened dependencies, (2) dependencies that remained open, and (3) resolved dependencies. We then constructed forward models to predict α and β power from the dependency features. Results showed that dependency features predict α and β power in language-related regions beyond low-level linguistic features. Left temporal, fundamental language regions are involved in language comprehension in α, while frontal and parietal, higher-order language regions, and motor regions are involved in β. Critically, α- and β-band dynamics seem to subserve language comprehension tapping into syntactic structure building and semantic composition by providing low-level mechanistic operations for inhibition and reactivation processes. Because of the temporal similarity of the α-β responses, their potential functional dissociation remains to be elucidated. Overall, this study sheds light on the role of α and β oscillations during naturalistic spoken language comprehension, providing evidence for the generalizability of these dynamics from perceptual to complex linguistic processes.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT It remains unclear whether the proposed functional role of α and β oscillations in perceptual and motor function is generalizable to higher-level cognitive processes, such as spoken language comprehension. We found that syntactic features predict α and β power in language-related regions beyond low-level linguistic features when listening to naturalistic speech in a known language. We offer experimental findings that integrate a neuroscientific framework on the role of brain oscillations as "building blocks" with spoken language comprehension. This supports the view of a domain-general role of oscillations across the hierarchy of cognitive functions, from low-level sensory operations to abstract linguistic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Zioga
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, 6525 XD, The Netherlands
| | - Hugo Weissbart
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Ashley G Lewis
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, 6525 XD, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032
| | - Andrea E Martin
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, 6525 XD, The Netherlands
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Rodriguez-Larios J, ElShafei A, Wiehe M, Haegens S. Visual working memory recruits two functionally distinct alpha rhythms in posterior cortex. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0159-22.2022. [PMID: 36171059 PMCID: PMC9536853 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0159-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Oscillatory activity in the human brain is dominated by posterior alpha oscillations (8-14 Hz), which have been shown to be functionally relevant in a wide variety of cognitive tasks. Although posterior alpha oscillations are commonly considered a single oscillator anchored at an individual alpha frequency (IAF; ∼10 Hz), previous work suggests that IAF reflects a spatial mixture of different brain rhythms. In this study, we assess whether Independent Component Analysis (ICA) can disentangle functionally distinct posterior alpha rhythms in the context of visual short-term memory retention. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was recorded in 33 subjects while performing a visual working memory task. Group analysis at sensor level suggested the existence of a single posterior alpha oscillator that increases in power and decreases in frequency during memory retention. Conversely, single-subject analysis of independent components revealed the existence of two dissociable alpha rhythms: one that increases in power during memory retention (Alpha1) and another one that decreases in power (Alpha2). Alpha1 and Alpha2 rhythms were differentially modulated by the presence of visual distractors (Alpha1 increased in power while Alpha2 decreased) and had an opposite relationship with accuracy (positive for Alpha1 and negative for Alpha2). In addition, Alpha1 rhythms showed a lower peak frequency, a narrower peak width, a greater relative peak amplitude and a more central source than Alpha2 rhythms. Together, our results demonstrate that modulations in posterior alpha oscillations during short-term memory retention reflect the dynamics of at least two distinct brain rhythms with different functions and spatiospectral characteristics.Significance statementAlpha oscillations are the most prominent feature of the human brain's electrical activity, and consist of rhythmic neuronal activity in posterior parts of the cortex. Alpha is usually considered a single brain rhythm that changes in power and frequency to support cognitive operations. We here show that posterior alpha entails at least two dissociable rhythms with distinct functions and characteristics. These findings could solve previous inconsistencies in the literature regarding the direction of task-related alpha power/frequency modulations and their relation to cognitive performance. In addition, the existence of two distinct posterior alpha rhythms could have important consequences for the design of neurostimulation protocols aimed at modulating alpha oscillations and subsequently cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Rodriguez-Larios
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, USA, NY 10032
- Div. of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA, NY 10032
| | - Alma ElShafei
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 6525 EN
| | - Melanie Wiehe
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 6525 EN
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, USA, NY 10032
- Div. of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA, NY 10032
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 6525 EN
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10
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Lin WM, Oetringer DA, Bakker‐Marshall I, Emmerzaal J, Wilsch A, ElShafei HA, Rassi E, Haegens S. No behavioural evidence for rhythmic facilitation of perceptual discrimination. Eur J Neurosci 2022. [PMID: 33772897 PMCID: PMC9540985 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15208 10.1101/2020.12.10.418947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that internal oscillations can synchronize (i.e., entrain) to external environmental rhythms, thereby facilitating perception and behaviour. To date, evidence for the link between the phase of neural oscillations and behaviour has been scarce and contradictory; moreover, it remains an open question whether the brain can use this tentative mechanism for active temporal prediction. In our present study, we conducted a series of auditory pitch discrimination tasks with 181 healthy participants in an effort to shed light on the proposed behavioural benefits of rhythmic cueing and entrainment. In the three versions of our task, we observed no perceptual benefit of purported entrainment: targets occurring in-phase with a rhythmic cue provided no perceptual benefits in terms of discrimination accuracy or reaction time when compared with targets occurring out-of-phase or targets occurring randomly, nor did we find performance differences for targets preceded by rhythmic versus random cues. However, we found a surprising effect of cueing frequency on reaction time, in which participants showed faster responses to cue rhythms presented at higher frequencies. We therefore provide no evidence of entrainment, but instead a tentative effect of covert active sensing in which a faster external rhythm leads to a faster communication rate between motor and sensory cortices, allowing for sensory inputs to be sampled earlier in time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wy Ming Lin
- Graduate Training Centre of NeuroscienceUniversity of TübingenTübingenGermany,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Djamari A. Oetringer
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Iske Bakker‐Marshall
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Jill Emmerzaal
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Anna Wilsch
- Department of PsychologyNew York UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Hesham A. ElShafei
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Elie Rassi
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands,Department of PsychiatryColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA,Division of Systems NeuroscienceNew York State Psychiatric InstituteNew YorkNYUSA
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11
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Lin WM, Oetringer DA, Bakker‐Marshall I, Emmerzaal J, Wilsch A, ElShafei HA, Rassi E, Haegens S. No behavioural evidence for rhythmic facilitation of perceptual discrimination. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:3352-3364. [PMID: 33772897 PMCID: PMC9540985 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that internal oscillations can synchronize (i.e., entrain) to external environmental rhythms, thereby facilitating perception and behaviour. To date, evidence for the link between the phase of neural oscillations and behaviour has been scarce and contradictory; moreover, it remains an open question whether the brain can use this tentative mechanism for active temporal prediction. In our present study, we conducted a series of auditory pitch discrimination tasks with 181 healthy participants in an effort to shed light on the proposed behavioural benefits of rhythmic cueing and entrainment. In the three versions of our task, we observed no perceptual benefit of purported entrainment: targets occurring in-phase with a rhythmic cue provided no perceptual benefits in terms of discrimination accuracy or reaction time when compared with targets occurring out-of-phase or targets occurring randomly, nor did we find performance differences for targets preceded by rhythmic versus random cues. However, we found a surprising effect of cueing frequency on reaction time, in which participants showed faster responses to cue rhythms presented at higher frequencies. We therefore provide no evidence of entrainment, but instead a tentative effect of covert active sensing in which a faster external rhythm leads to a faster communication rate between motor and sensory cortices, allowing for sensory inputs to be sampled earlier in time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wy Ming Lin
- Graduate Training Centre of NeuroscienceUniversity of TübingenTübingenGermany,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Djamari A. Oetringer
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Iske Bakker‐Marshall
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Jill Emmerzaal
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Anna Wilsch
- Department of PsychologyNew York UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Hesham A. ElShafei
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Elie Rassi
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands,Department of PsychiatryColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA,Division of Systems NeuroscienceNew York State Psychiatric InstituteNew YorkNYUSA
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12
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ElShafei HA, Orlemann C, Haegens S. The Impact of Eye Closure on Anticipatory α Activity in a Tactile Discrimination Task. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0412-21.2021. [PMID: 34965926 PMCID: PMC8805195 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0412-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the very first observations made regarding α oscillations (8-14 Hz), is that they increase in power over posterior areas when awake participants close their eyes. Recent work, especially in the context of (spatial) attention, suggests that α activity reflects a mechanism of functional inhibition. However, it remains unclear how eye closure impacts anticipatory α modulation observed in attention paradigms, and how this affects subsequent behavioral performance. Here, we recorded magnetoencephalography (MEG) in 33 human participants performing a tactile discrimination task with their eyes open versus closed. We replicated the hallmarks of previous somatosensory spatial attention studies: α lateralization across the somatosensory cortices as well as α increase over posterior (visual) regions. Furthermore, we found that eye closure leads to (1) reduced task performance; (2) widespread increase in α power; and (3) reduced anticipatory visual α modulation (4) with no effect on somatosensory α lateralization. Regardless of whether participants had their eyes open or closed, increased visual α power and somatosensory α lateralization improved their performance. Thus, we provide evidence that eye closure does not alter the impact of anticipatory α modulations on behavioral performance. We propose there is an optimal visual α level for somatosensory task performance, which can be achieved through a combination of eye closure and top-down anticipatory attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hesham A ElShafei
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Corinne Orlemann
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032
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13
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Ibarra-Lecue I, Haegens S, Harris AZ. Breaking Down a Rhythm: Dissecting the Mechanisms Underlying Task-Related Neural Oscillations. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:846905. [PMID: 35310550 PMCID: PMC8931663 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.846905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A century worth of research has linked multiple cognitive, perceptual and behavioral states to various brain oscillations. However, the mechanistic roles and circuit underpinnings of these oscillations remain an area of active study. In this review, we argue that the advent of optogenetic and related systems neuroscience techniques has shifted the field from correlational to causal observations regarding the role of oscillations in brain function. As a result, studying brain rhythms associated with behavior can provide insight at different levels, such as decoding task-relevant information, mapping relevant circuits or determining key proteins involved in rhythmicity. We summarize recent advances in this field, highlighting the methods that are being used for this purpose, and discussing their relative strengths and limitations. We conclude with promising future approaches that will help unravel the functional role of brain rhythms in orchestrating the repertoire of complex behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Ibarra-Lecue
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.,New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.,New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States.,Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Alexander Z Harris
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.,New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
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14
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Haegens S, Pathak YJ, Smith EH, Mikell CB, Banks GP, Yates M, Bijanki KR, Schevon CA, McKhann GM, Schroeder CE, Sheth SA. Alpha and broadband high-frequency activity track task dynamics and predict performance in controlled decision-making. Psychophysiology 2021; 59:e13901. [PMID: 34287923 PMCID: PMC8770721 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Intracranial recordings in human subjects provide a unique, fine-grained temporal and spatial resolution inaccessible to conventional non-invasive methods. A prominent signal in these recordings is broadband high-frequency activity (approx. 70-150 Hz), generally considered to reflect neuronal excitation. Here we explored the use of this broadband signal to track, on a single-trial basis, the temporal and spatial distribution of task-engaged areas involved in decision-making. We additionally focused on the alpha rhythm (8-14 Hz), thought to regulate the (dis)engagement of neuronal populations based on task demands. Using these signals, we characterized activity across cortex using intracranial recordings in patients with intractable epilepsy performing the Multi-Source Interference Task, a Stroop-like decision-making paradigm. We analyzed recordings both from grid electrodes placed over cortical areas including frontotemporal and parietal cortex, and depth electrodes in prefrontal regions, including cingulate cortex. We found a widespread negative relationship between alpha power and broadband activity, substantiating the gating role of alpha in regions beyond sensory/motor cortex. Combined, these signals reflect the spatio-temporal pattern of task-engagement, with alpha decrease signifying task-involved regions and broadband increase temporally locking to specific task aspects, distributed over cortical sites. We report sites that only respond to stimulus presentation or to the decision report and, interestingly, sites that reflect the time-on-task. The latter predict the subject's reaction times on a trial-by-trial basis. A smaller subset of sites showed modulation with task condition. Taken together, alpha and broadband signals allow tracking of neuronal population dynamics across cortex on a fine temporal and spatial scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Haegens
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Translational Neuroscience Division, Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Yagna J Pathak
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elliot H Smith
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charles B Mikell
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Garrett P Banks
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mark Yates
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kelly R Bijanki
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Catherine A Schevon
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guy M McKhann
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charles E Schroeder
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Translational Neuroscience Division, Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Sameer A Sheth
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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15
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Balasubramaniam R, Haegens S, Jazayeri M, Merchant H, Sternad D, Song JH. Neural Encoding and Representation of Time for Sensorimotor Control and Learning. J Neurosci 2021; 41:866-872. [PMID: 33380468 PMCID: PMC7880297 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1652-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to perceive and produce movements in the real world with precise timing is critical for survival in animals, including humans. However, research on sensorimotor timing has rarely considered the tight interrelation between perception, action, and cognition. In this review, we present new evidence from behavioral, computational, and neural studies in humans and nonhuman primates, suggesting a pivotal link between sensorimotor control and temporal processing, as well as describing new theoretical frameworks regarding timing in perception and action. We first discuss the link between movement coordination and interval-based timing by addressing how motor training develops accurate spatiotemporal patterns in behavior and influences the perception of temporal intervals. We then discuss how motor expertise results from establishing task-relevant neural manifolds in sensorimotor cortical areas and how the geometry and dynamics of these manifolds help reduce timing variability. We also highlight how neural dynamics in sensorimotor areas are involved in beat-based timing. These lines of research aim to extend our understanding of how timing arises from and contributes to perceptual-motor behaviors in complex environments to seamlessly interact with other cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hugo Merchant
- Instituto de Neurobiologia, UNAM, campus Juriquilla, Querétaro, México 76230
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16
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Dikker S, Haegens S, Bevilacqua D, Davidesco I, Wan L, Kaggen L, McClintock J, Chaloner K, Ding M, West T, Poeppel D. Morning brain: real-world neural evidence that high school class times matter. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 15:1193-1202. [PMID: 33068110 PMCID: PMC7745151 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers, parents and educators consistently observe a stark mismatch between biologically preferred and socially imposed sleep-wake hours in adolescents, fueling debate about high school start times. We contribute neural evidence to this debate with electroencephalogram data collected from high school students during their regular morning, mid-morning and afternoon classes. Overall, student alpha power was lower when class content was taught via videos than through lectures. Students' resting state alpha brain activity decreased as the day progressed, consistent with adolescents being least attentive early in the morning. During the lessons, students showed consistently worse performance and higher alpha power for early morning classes than for mid-morning classes, while afternoon quiz scores and alpha levels varied. Together, our findings demonstrate that both class activity and class time are reflected in adolescents' brain states in a real-world setting, and corroborate educational research suggesting that mid-morning may be the best time to learn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Dikker
- Max Planck-NYU Center for Language, Music and Emotion, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Systems Neuroscience, Columbia University and the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dana Bevilacqua
- Max Planck-NYU Center for Language, Music and Emotion, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ido Davidesco
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lu Wan
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Lisa Kaggen
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Mingzhou Ding
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Tessa West
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Poeppel
- Max Planck-NYU Center for Language, Music and Emotion, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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17
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luca Iemi
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour
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18
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Leszczyński M, Barczak A, Kajikawa Y, Ulbert I, Falchier AY, Tal I, Haegens S, Melloni L, Knight RT, Schroeder CE. Dissociation of broadband high-frequency activity and neuronal firing in the neocortex. Sci Adv 2020; 6:eabb0977. [PMID: 32851172 PMCID: PMC7423365 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb0977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Broadband high-frequency activity (BHA; 70 to 150 Hz), also known as "high gamma," a key analytic signal in human intracranial (electrocorticographic) recordings, is often assumed to reflect local neural firing [multiunit activity (MUA)]. As the precise physiological substrates of BHA are unknown, this assumption remains controversial. Our analysis of laminar multielectrode data from V1 and A1 in monkeys outlines two components of stimulus-evoked BHA distributed across the cortical layers: an "early-deep" and "late-superficial" response. Early-deep BHA has a clear spatial and temporal overlap with MUA. Late-superficial BHA was more prominent and accounted for more of the BHA signal measured near the cortical pial surface. However, its association with local MUA is weak and often undetectable, consistent with the view that it reflects dendritic processes separable from local neuronal firing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Leszczyński
- Cognitive Science and Neuromodulation Program, Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Translational Neuroscience Division of the Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Annamaria Barczak
- Translational Neuroscience Division of the Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Yoshinao Kajikawa
- Translational Neuroscience Division of the Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Istvan Ulbert
- Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Arnaud Y. Falchier
- Translational Neuroscience Division of the Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Idan Tal
- Cognitive Science and Neuromodulation Program, Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Translational Neuroscience Division of the Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Cognitive Science and Neuromodulation Program, Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Lucia Melloni
- Department of Neurology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert T. Knight
- Department of Psychology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Charles E. Schroeder
- Cognitive Science and Neuromodulation Program, Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Translational Neuroscience Division of the Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
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19
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Barczak A, Haegens S, Ross DA, McGinnis T, Lakatos P, Schroeder CE. Dynamic Modulation of Cortical Excitability during Visual Active Sensing. Cell Rep 2020; 27:3447-3459.e3. [PMID: 31216467 PMCID: PMC6598687 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.05.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual physiology is traditionally investigated by presenting stimuli with gaze held constant. However, during active viewing of a scene, information is actively acquired using systematic patterns of fixations and saccades. Prior studies suggest that during such active viewing, both nonretinal, saccade-related signals and “extra-classical” receptive field inputs modulate visual processing. This study used a set of active viewing tasks that allowed us to compare visual responses with and without direct foveal input, thus isolating the contextual eye movement-related influences. Studying nonhuman primates, we find strong contextual modulation in primary visual cortex (V1): excitability and response amplification immediately after fixation onset, transiting to suppression leading up to the next saccade. Time-frequency decomposition suggests that this amplification and suppression cycle stems from a phase reset of ongoing neuronal oscillatory activity. The impact of saccade-related contextual modulation on stimulus processing makes active visual sensing fundamentally different from the more passive processes investigated in traditional paradigms. By isolating contextual eye movement-related influences during active vision, Barczak et al. show that eye movements affect excitability in V1 such that responses are amplified immediately after fixation onset and suppressed as the next saccade approaches. This amplification and suppression cycle stems from a phase reset of ambient oscillatory activity in V1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Barczak
- Translational Neuroscience Division, Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA.
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Translational Neuroscience Division, Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Departments of Neurological Surgery and Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6500HB, the Netherlands
| | - Deborah A Ross
- Translational Neuroscience Division, Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Tammy McGinnis
- Translational Neuroscience Division, Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Peter Lakatos
- Translational Neuroscience Division, Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Charles E Schroeder
- Translational Neuroscience Division, Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Departments of Neurological Surgery and Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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20
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Haegens
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Systems Neuroscience, Columbia University and the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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21
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Wilsch A, Mercier MR, Obleser J, Schroeder CE, Haegens S. Spatial Attention and Temporal Expectation Exert Differential Effects on Visual and Auditory Discrimination. J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 32:1562-1576. [PMID: 32319865 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Anticipation of an impending stimulus shapes the state of the sensory systems, optimizing neural and behavioral responses. Here, we studied the role of brain oscillations in mediating spatial and temporal anticipations. Because spatial attention and temporal expectation are often associated with visual and auditory processing, respectively, we directly contrasted the visual and auditory modalities and asked whether these anticipatory mechanisms are similar in both domains. We recorded the magnetoencephalogram in healthy human participants performing an auditory and visual target discrimination task, in which cross-modal cues provided both temporal and spatial information with regard to upcoming stimulus presentation. Motivated by prior findings, we were specifically interested in delta (1-3 Hz) and alpha (8-13 Hz) band oscillatory state in anticipation of target presentation and their impact on task performance. Our findings support the view that spatial attention has a stronger effect in the visual domain, whereas temporal expectation effects are more prominent in the auditory domain. For the spatial attention manipulation, we found a typical pattern of alpha lateralization in the visual system, which correlated with response speed. Providing a rhythmic temporal cue led to increased postcue synchronization of low-frequency rhythms, although this effect was more broadband in nature, suggesting a general phase reset rather than frequency-specific neural entrainment. In addition, we observed delta-band synchronization with a frontal topography, which correlated with performance, especially in the auditory task. Combined, these findings suggest that spatial and temporal anticipations operate via a top-down modulation of the power and phase of low-frequency oscillations, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manuel R Mercier
- University of Toulouse Paul Sabatier.,Aix Marseille University, Inserm, INS, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France
| | - Jonas Obleser
- University of Lübeck.,Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Charles E Schroeder
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.,Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, SC
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.,Radboud University Nijmegen
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22
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Zhou YJ, Pérez-Bellido A, Haegens S, de Lange FP. Perceptual Expectations Modulate Low-Frequency Activity: A Statistical Learning Magnetoencephalography Study. J Cogn Neurosci 2019; 32:691-702. [PMID: 31820679 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Perceptual expectations can change how a visual stimulus is perceived. Recent studies have shown mixed results in terms of whether expectations modulate sensory representations. Here, we used a statistical learning paradigm to study the temporal characteristics of perceptual expectations. We presented participants with pairs of object images organized in a predictive manner and then recorded their brain activity with magnetoencephalography while they viewed expected and unexpected image pairs on the subsequent day. We observed stronger alpha-band (7-14 Hz) activity in response to unexpected compared with expected object images. Specifically, the alpha-band modulation occurred as early as the onset of the stimuli and was most pronounced in left occipito-temporal cortex. Given that the differential response to expected versus unexpected stimuli occurred in sensory regions early in time, our results suggest that expectations modulate perceptual decision-making by changing the sensory response elicited by the stimuli.
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23
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Zhou YJ, Pérez-Bellido A, Haegens S, de Lange FP. No modulation by expectation of the sensory response to object images as measured by MEG. J Vis 2019. [DOI: 10.1167/19.10.271c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Joey Zhou
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University
| | | | - Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University
| | - Floris P de Lange
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University
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24
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Iemi L, Busch NA, Laudini A, Haegens S, Samaha J, Villringer A, Nikulin VV. Multiple mechanisms link prestimulus neural oscillations to sensory responses. eLife 2019; 8:e43620. [PMID: 31188126 PMCID: PMC6561703 DOI: 10.7554/elife.43620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous fluctuations of neural activity may explain why sensory responses vary across repeated presentations of the same physical stimulus. To test this hypothesis, we recorded electroencephalography in humans during stimulation with identical visual stimuli and analyzed how prestimulus neural oscillations modulate different stages of sensory processing reflected by distinct components of the event-related potential (ERP). We found that strong prestimulus alpha- and beta-band power resulted in a suppression of early ERP components (C1 and N150) and in an amplification of late components (after 0.4 s), even after controlling for fluctuations in 1/f aperiodic signal and sleepiness. Whereas functional inhibition of sensory processing underlies the reduction of early ERP responses, we found that the modulation of non-zero-mean oscillations (baseline shift) accounted for the amplification of late responses. Distinguishing between these two mechanisms is crucial for understanding how internal brain states modulate the processing of incoming sensory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Iemi
- Department of Neurological SurgeryColumbia University College of Physicians and SurgeonsNew York CityUnited States
- Department of NeurologyMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive NeuroscienceNational Research University Higher School of EconomicsMoscowRussian Federation
| | - Niko A Busch
- Institute of PsychologyUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral NeuroscienceUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Annamaria Laudini
- Berlin School of Mind and BrainHumboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Saskia Haegens
- Department of Neurological SurgeryColumbia University College of Physicians and SurgeonsNew York CityUnited States
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Jason Samaha
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of California, Santa CruzSanta CruzUnited States
| | - Arno Villringer
- Department of NeurologyMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Berlin School of Mind and BrainHumboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Vadim V Nikulin
- Department of NeurologyMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive NeuroscienceNational Research University Higher School of EconomicsMoscowRussian Federation
- Department of NeurologyCharité-Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
- Bernstein Center for Computational NeuroscienceBerlinGermany
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Haegens S, Zion Golumbic E. Rhythmic facilitation of sensory processing: A critical review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 86:150-165. [PMID: 29223770 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Here we review the role of brain oscillations in sensory processing. We examine the idea that neural entrainment of intrinsic oscillations underlies the processing of rhythmic stimuli in the context of simple isochronous rhythms as well as in music and speech. This has been a topic of growing interest over recent years; however, many issues remain highly controversial: how do fluctuations of intrinsic neural oscillations-both spontaneous and entrained to external stimuli-affect perception, and does this occur automatically or can it be actively controlled by top-down factors? Some of the controversy in the literature stems from confounding use of terminology. Moreover, it is not straightforward how theories and findings regarding isochronous rhythms generalize to more complex, naturalistic stimuli, such as speech and music. Here we aim to clarify terminology, and distinguish between different phenomena that are often lumped together as reflecting "neural entrainment" but may actually vary in their mechanistic underpinnings. Furthermore, we discuss specific caveats and confounds related to making inferences about oscillatory mechanisms from human electrophysiological data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Haegens
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA; Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Okazaki YO, De Weerd P, Haegens S, Jensen O. Hemispheric lateralization of posterior alpha reduces distracter interference during face matching. Brain Res 2014; 1590:56-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.09.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Haegens S, Cousijn H, Wallis G, Harrison PJ, Nobre AC. Inter- and intra-individual variability in alpha peak frequency. Neuroimage 2014; 92:46-55. [PMID: 24508648 PMCID: PMC4013551 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.01.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 313] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2013] [Revised: 01/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Converging electrophysiological evidence suggests that the alpha rhythm plays an important and active role in cognitive processing. Here, we systematically studied variability in posterior alpha peak frequency both between and within subjects. We recorded brain activity using MEG in 51 healthy human subjects under three experimental conditions - rest, passive visual stimulation and an N-back working memory paradigm, using source reconstruction methods to separate alpha activity from parietal and occipital sources. We asked how alpha peak frequency differed within subjects across cognitive conditions and regions of interest, and looked at the distribution of alpha peak frequency between subjects. In both regions we observed an increase of alpha peak frequency from resting state and passive visual stimulation conditions to the N-back paradigm, with a significantly higher alpha peak frequency in the 2-back compared to the 0-back condition. There was a trend for a greater increase in alpha peak frequency during the N-back task in the occipital vs. parietal cortex. The average alpha peak frequency across all subjects, conditions, and regions of interest was 10.3 Hz with a within-subject SD of 0.9 Hz and a between-subject SD of 2.8 Hz. We also measured beta peak frequencies, and except in the parietal cortex during rest, found no indication of a strictly harmonic relationship with alpha peak frequencies. We conclude that alpha peak frequency in posterior regions increases with increasing cognitive demands, and that the alpha rhythm operates across a wider frequency range than the 8-12 Hz band many studies tend to include in their analysis. Thus, using a fixed and limited alpha frequency band might bias results against certain subjects and conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Haegens
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, USA; Cognitive Neuroscience and Schizophrenia Program, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, USA.
| | - Helena Cousijn
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - George Wallis
- Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul J Harrison
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Anna C Nobre
- Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Abstract
Abstract
Effective processing of sensory input in daily life requires attentional selection and amplification of relevant input and, just as importantly, attenuation of irrelevant information. It has been proposed that top–down modulation of oscillatory alpha band activity (8–14 Hz) serves to allocate resources to various regions, depending on task demands. In previous work, we showed that contralateral somatosensory alpha activity decreases to facilitate processing of an anticipated target stimulus in a tactile discrimination task. In the current study, we asked whether somatosensory alpha activity is also modulated when expecting incoming distracting stimuli on the nonattended side. We hypothesized that an ipsilateral increase of alpha to suppress distracters would be required for optimal task performance. We recorded magneto-encephalography while subjects performed a tactile stimulus discrimination task where a cue directed attention either to their left or right hand. Distracters were presented simultaneously to the unattended hand. We found that alpha power contralateral to the attended hand decreased, whereas ipsilateral alpha power increased. In addition, posterior alpha power showed a general increase. Importantly, these three alpha components all contributed to discrimination performance. This study further extends the notion that alpha band activity is involved in shaping the functional architecture of the working brain by determining the engagement and disengagement of specific regions: Contralateral alpha decreases to facilitate stimulus detection, whereas ipsilateral alpha increases when active suppression of distracters is required. Importantly, the ipsilateral alpha increase is crucial for optimal task performance.
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Haegens S, Nácher V, Luna R, Romo R, Jensen O. α-Oscillations in the monkey sensorimotor network influence discrimination performance by rhythmical inhibition of neuronal spiking. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:19377-82. [PMID: 22084106 PMCID: PMC3228466 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1117190108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 476] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Extensive work in humans using magneto- and electroencephalography strongly suggests that decreased oscillatory α-activity (8-14 Hz) facilitates processing in a given region, whereas increased α-activity serves to actively suppress irrelevant or interfering processing. However, little work has been done to understand how α-activity is linked to neuronal firing. Here, we simultaneously recorded local field potentials and spikes from somatosensory, premotor, and motor regions while a trained monkey performed a vibrotactile discrimination task. In the local field potentials we observed strong activity in the α-band, which decreased in the sensorimotor regions during the discrimination task. This α-power decrease predicted better discrimination performance. Furthermore, the α-oscillations demonstrated a rhythmic relation with the spiking, such that firing was highest at the trough of the α-cycle. Firing rates increased with a decrease in α-power. These findings suggest that α-oscillations exercise a strong inhibitory influence on both spike timing and firing rate. Thus, the pulsed inhibition by α-oscillations plays an important functional role in the extended sensorimotor system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; and
| | - Verónica Nácher
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular-Neurociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rogelio Luna
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular-Neurociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ranulfo Romo
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular-Neurociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ole Jensen
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; and
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Haegens S, Händel BF, Jensen O. Top-down controlled alpha band activity in somatosensory areas determines behavioral performance in a discrimination task. J Neurosci 2011; 31:5197-204. [PMID: 21471354 PMCID: PMC6622699 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5199-10.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 310] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2010] [Revised: 01/17/2011] [Accepted: 02/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain receives a rich flow of information which must be processed according to behavioral relevance. How is the state of the sensory system adjusted to up- or downregulate processing according to anticipation? We used magnetoencephalography to investigate whether prestimulus alpha band activity (8-14 Hz) reflects allocation of attentional resources in the human somatosensory system. Subjects performed a tactile discrimination task where a visual cue directed attention to their right or left hand. The strength of attentional modulation was controlled by varying the reliability of the cue in three experimental blocks (100%, 75%, or 50% valid cueing). While somatosensory prestimulus alpha power lateralized strongly with a fully predictive cue (100%), lateralization was decreased with lower cue reliability (75%) and virtually absent if the cue had no predictive value at all (50%). Importantly, alpha lateralization influenced the subjects' behavioral performance positively: both accuracy and speed of response improved with the degree of alpha lateralization. This study demonstrates that prestimulus alpha lateralization in the somatosensory system behaves similarly to posterior alpha activity observed in visual attention tasks. Our findings extend the notion that alpha band activity is involved in shaping the functional architecture of the working brain by determining both the engagement and disengagement of specific regions: the degree of anticipation modulates the alpha activity in sensory regions in a graded manner. Thus, the alpha activity is under top-down control and seems to play an important role for setting the state of sensory regions to optimize processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Haegens S, Osipova D, Oostenveld R, Jensen O. Somatosensory working memory performance in humans depends on both engagement and disengagement of regions in a distributed network. Hum Brain Mapp 2010; 31:26-35. [PMID: 19569072 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.20842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful working memory (WM) requires the engagement of relevant brain areas but possibly also the disengagement of irrelevant areas. We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to elucidate the temporal dynamics of areas involved in a somatosensory WM task. We found an increase in gamma band activity in the primary and secondary somatosensory areas during encoding and retention, respectively. This was accompanied by an increase of alpha band activity over task-irrelevant regions including posterior and ipsilateral somatosensory cortex. Importantly, the alpha band increase was strongest during successful WM performance. Furthermore, we found frontal gamma band activity that correlated both with behavioral performance and the alpha band increase. We suggest that somatosensory gamma band activity reflects maintenance and attention-related components of WM operations, whereas alpha band activity reflects frontally controlled disengagement of task-irrelevant regions. Our results demonstrate that resource allocation involving the engagement of task-relevant and disengagement of task-irrelevant regions is needed for optimal task execution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Haegens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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