Modulation of beta-range oscillatory synchrony as a mechanism for response selection

Field: Neuroscience (Life Sciences)

Event Abstract Back to Event Modulation of beta-range oscillatory synchrony as a mechanism for response selection Peter Praamstra1*, B C M Van Wijk2 and A. Daffertshofer2 1 Behavioural Brain Science Centre, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom 2 Research Institute MOVE, VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands Beta range oscillatory activity recorded over the motor cortex is typically attenuated during the preparation of movement and shows a rebound after movement. Contrasting with down-regulation before voluntary movement, recent work has demonstrated that beta activity can be prospectively up-regulated when the task requires a maintained posture instead of the generation of a new movement . Likewise, in the domain of visual spatial attention there is evidence for prospective up- and down-regulation of activity in the alpha frequency band. Both these examples concern anticipatory adjustments of oscillatory activity for future events. The present investigation addressed whether concurrent up- and down-regulation of beta synchrony can act as an online mechanism implementing the selection between competing motor responses. The investigation used high-density EEG and examined both local oscillatory synchrony (beta spectral power) and long-range oscillatory synchrony in terms of corticomuscular coherence and phase synchrony. Electroencephalographic and electromyographic signals were recorded during a cued choice reaction task. Response alternatives were mapped onto opposite hands and response readiness was manipulated by directional cues that were predictive or non-predictive of the response side indicated by an upcoming response signal. Reaction times and movement-related potentials confirmed that participants used the predictive cues to prepare their response. Further analyses focused on measures of beta activity during the two-second delay period, that is, during the interval between cue and response signal. In the first second of that period, directional cues elicited lateralized power, corticospinal coherence, and phase synchronization irrespective of their predictive value. At the same time, beta activity increased in the non-predictive cue condition relative to the predictive condition. By contrast, only predictive cues resulted in response preparation during the second half of the delay period, expressed in lateralization of not only power, but also of corticospinal coherence and phase synchronization. Together, these data indicate that processing of a directional cue, whether relevant or not, is associated with covert response activation, expressed in a differential modulation of beta activity in ipsi- and contralateral motor cortex. In addition, access of this covert activation to later preparation stages seems critically influenced by beta local and long-range synchrony. We therefore conclude that up- and down-regulation of beta activity is likely to have a functional role in response selection, resembling attentional modulation of alpha activity in visual selection. References 1. Gilbertson et al. (2005) J Neurosci 25: 7771-79.2. Androulidakis et al. (2007) Eur J Neurosci 25: 3758-65. Conference: 10th International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience, Bodrum, Türkiye, 1 Sep - 5 Sep, 2008. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Brain Electrical Oscillations in Cognition Citation: Praamstra P, Van Wijk B and Daffertshofer A (2008). Modulation of beta-range oscillatory synchrony as a mechanism for response selection. Conference Abstract: 10th International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience. doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.09.2009.01.138 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 05 Dec 2008; Published Online: 05 Dec 2008. * Correspondence: Peter Praamstra, Behavioural Brain Science Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom, peter.praamstra@radboudumc.nl Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Peter Praamstra B C M Van Wijk A. Daffertshofer Google Peter Praamstra B C M Van Wijk A. Daffertshofer Google Scholar Peter Praamstra B C M Van Wijk A. Daffertshofer PubMed Peter Praamstra B C M Van Wijk A. Daffertshofer Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.