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Optogenetic Entrainment of Hippocampal Theta Oscillations in Behaving Mice
Published on: June 29, 2018
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Widespread theta synchrony and high-frequency desynchronization underlies enhanced cognition
E A Solomon1, J E Kragel2, M R Sperling3
1Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. esolo@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Nature Communications
|November 24, 2017
Summary
Neural synchrony
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Neurophysiology
Background:
- Synchronous neural activity is a leading hypothesis for cognitive function.
- Previous research lacked whole-brain intracranial electrical connectivity data.
- Memory encoding and retrieval are key cognitive processes to study neural activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To construct whole-brain connectivity maps of neural activity.
- To investigate the roles of gamma and theta oscillations in memory.
- To test the hypothesis that neural synchrony underlies cognition.
Main Methods:
- Utilized intracranial electrophysiological data from 294 neurosurgical patients.
- Mapped whole-brain connectivity for fast gamma (30-100 Hz) and slow theta (3-8 Hz) spectral activity.
- Analyzed neural activity patterns during memory encoding and retrieval tasks.
Main Results:
- Gamma networks desynchronized, while theta networks synchronized during memory tasks.
- Increased gamma power correlated with regional desynchronization from global gamma activity.
- Theta synchrony positively correlated with regional gamma power, suggesting a communication mechanism.
Conclusions:
- Gamma activity appears largely asynchronous, challenging traditional views.
- Theta synchrony may facilitate inter-regional communication, potentially by modulating gamma activity.
- Findings provide new insights into the neural basis of memory and cognition.
