Frequency modulation of cortical rhythmicity governs behavioral variability, excitability and synchrony of neurons in the visual cortex
Abstract Research in cognitive neuroscience has renewed the idea that brain oscillations are a core organization implicated in fundamental brain functions. Growing evidence reveals that the characteristic features of these oscillations, including power, phase and frequency, are highly non-stationary...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25264-5 |
| _version_ | 1811190435186475008 |
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| author | Mohammad Bagher Khamechian Mohammad Reza Daliri |
| author_facet | Mohammad Bagher Khamechian Mohammad Reza Daliri |
| author_sort | Mohammad Bagher Khamechian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Research in cognitive neuroscience has renewed the idea that brain oscillations are a core organization implicated in fundamental brain functions. Growing evidence reveals that the characteristic features of these oscillations, including power, phase and frequency, are highly non-stationary, fluctuating alongside alternations in sensation, cognition and behavior. However, there is little consensus on the functional implications of the instantaneous frequency variation in cortical excitability and concomitant behavior. Here, we capitalized on intracortical electrophysiology in the macaque monkey’s visual area MT performing a visuospatial discrimination task with visual cues. We observed that the instantaneous frequency of the theta–alpha oscillations (4–13 Hz) is modulated among specific neurons whose RFs overlap with the cued stimulus location. Interestingly, we found that such frequency modulation is causally correlated with MT excitability at both scales of individual and ensemble of neurons. Moreover, studying the functional relevance of frequency variations indicated that the average theta–alpha frequencies foreshadow the monkey’s reaction time. Our results also revealed that the neural synchronization strength alters with the average frequency shift in theta–alpha oscillations, suggesting frequency modulation is critical for mutually adjusting MTs’ rhythms. Overall, our findings propose that theta–alpha frequency variations modulate MT’s excitability, regulate mutual neurons’ rhythmicity and indicate variability in behavior. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:51:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dccd35915d2d428e822884a68c6605cc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:51:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-dccd35915d2d428e822884a68c6605cc2022-12-22T04:17:28ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-12-0112111510.1038/s41598-022-25264-5Frequency modulation of cortical rhythmicity governs behavioral variability, excitability and synchrony of neurons in the visual cortexMohammad Bagher Khamechian0Mohammad Reza Daliri1Neuroscience and Neuroengineering Research Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and TechnologyNeuroscience and Neuroengineering Research Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and TechnologyAbstract Research in cognitive neuroscience has renewed the idea that brain oscillations are a core organization implicated in fundamental brain functions. Growing evidence reveals that the characteristic features of these oscillations, including power, phase and frequency, are highly non-stationary, fluctuating alongside alternations in sensation, cognition and behavior. However, there is little consensus on the functional implications of the instantaneous frequency variation in cortical excitability and concomitant behavior. Here, we capitalized on intracortical electrophysiology in the macaque monkey’s visual area MT performing a visuospatial discrimination task with visual cues. We observed that the instantaneous frequency of the theta–alpha oscillations (4–13 Hz) is modulated among specific neurons whose RFs overlap with the cued stimulus location. Interestingly, we found that such frequency modulation is causally correlated with MT excitability at both scales of individual and ensemble of neurons. Moreover, studying the functional relevance of frequency variations indicated that the average theta–alpha frequencies foreshadow the monkey’s reaction time. Our results also revealed that the neural synchronization strength alters with the average frequency shift in theta–alpha oscillations, suggesting frequency modulation is critical for mutually adjusting MTs’ rhythms. Overall, our findings propose that theta–alpha frequency variations modulate MT’s excitability, regulate mutual neurons’ rhythmicity and indicate variability in behavior.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25264-5 |
| spellingShingle | Mohammad Bagher Khamechian Mohammad Reza Daliri Frequency modulation of cortical rhythmicity governs behavioral variability, excitability and synchrony of neurons in the visual cortex Scientific Reports |
| title | Frequency modulation of cortical rhythmicity governs behavioral variability, excitability and synchrony of neurons in the visual cortex |
| title_full | Frequency modulation of cortical rhythmicity governs behavioral variability, excitability and synchrony of neurons in the visual cortex |
| title_fullStr | Frequency modulation of cortical rhythmicity governs behavioral variability, excitability and synchrony of neurons in the visual cortex |
| title_full_unstemmed | Frequency modulation of cortical rhythmicity governs behavioral variability, excitability and synchrony of neurons in the visual cortex |
| title_short | Frequency modulation of cortical rhythmicity governs behavioral variability, excitability and synchrony of neurons in the visual cortex |
| title_sort | frequency modulation of cortical rhythmicity governs behavioral variability excitability and synchrony of neurons in the visual cortex |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25264-5 |
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