Work

Resting electroencephalogram alpha-power over posterior sites indexes baseline visual cortex excitability

Year: 2008

Type: article

Abstract: Variations of oscillatory brain activity have been related to distinct functional states depending on the frequency of oscillations. In the alpha-band (about 8-14 Hz), decreased oscillatory activity is thought to reflect a state of enhanced cortical excitability, and increased activity to reflect a state of cortical idling or inhibition in which excitability is reduced, but the alpha/excitability link has not been probed directly. Here, we studied the relationship between resting oscillatory activity and visual cortex excitability across participants using electroencephalography and transcranial magnetic stimulation to the occipital pole. We found individual posterior alpha-band power to correlate with the individual threshold for eliciting illusory, transcranial magnetic stimulation-induced visual percepts. This provides direct support for an alpha/excitability link and for baseline states of the visual brain to vary across individuals.

Source: Neuroreport

DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0b013e3282f454c4

Authors: Vincenzo Romei, Tonia Rihs, Verena Brodbeck, Gregor Thut

Institutions: University Hospital of Geneva, University of Geneva

Language: English

Topic: Neural dynamics and brain function

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung