Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026
07:12
Assessment of Sensory Thresholds in Dogs Using Mechanical and Hot Thermal Quantitative Sensory Testing
Published on: October 26, 2021
2.7K
Multiple mechanisms link prestimulus neural oscillations to sensory responses
Luca Iemi1,2,3, Niko A Busch4,5, Annamaria Laudini6
1Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, United States.
Elife
|June 13, 2019
Summary
Brain
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Sensory Processing
Background:
- Spontaneous neural activity fluctuations influence sensory perception.
- Variability in responses to identical stimuli suggests internal brain state modulation.
- Understanding these modulations is key to sensory processing research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how prestimulus neural oscillations affect sensory processing.
- To differentiate mechanisms underlying early and late event-related potential (ERP) modulation.
- To clarify the role of internal brain states in sensory information processing.
Main Methods:
- Electroencephalography (EEG) recorded in humans during visual stimulation.
- Analysis of prestimulus neural oscillations (alpha and beta bands).
- Correlation of oscillations with specific event-related potential (ERP) components.
Main Results:
- High prestimulus alpha and beta power suppressed early ERP components (C1, N150).
- High prestimulus alpha and beta power amplified late ERP components (>0.4 s).
- Early suppression linked to functional inhibition; late amplification to baseline shifts.
Conclusions:
- Prestimulus neural oscillations significantly modulate sensory processing at different stages.
- Mechanisms include functional inhibition for early responses and baseline shifts for late responses.
- Differentiating these mechanisms is vital for understanding brain state influences on perception.
Related Concept Videos
01:31What is a Sensory System?
100.9K
Sensory systems detect stimuli—such as light and sound waves—and transduce them into neural signals that can be interpreted by the nervous system. In addition to external stimuli detected by the senses, some sensory systems detect internal stimuli—such as the proprioceptors in muscles and tendons that send feedback about limb position.
100.9K
01:27Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
3.9K
Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
3.9K
02:04Covalently Linked Protein Regulators
8.8K
Proteins can undergo many types of post-translational modifications, often in response to changes in their environment. These modifications play an important role in the function and stability of these proteins. Covalently linked molecules include functional groups, such as methyl, acetyl, and phosphate groups, and also small proteins, such as ubiquitin. There are around 200 different types of covalent regulators that have been identified.
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein....
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein....
8.8K
01:13Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces
3.4K
In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue.
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
3.4K
01:30Oscillations In An LC Circuit
3.0K
An idealized LC circuit of zero resistance can oscillate without any source of emf by shifting the energy stored in the circuit between the electric and magnetic fields. In such an LC circuit, if the capacitor contains a charge q before the switch is closed, then all the energy of the circuit is initially stored in the electric field of the capacitor. This energy is given by
3.0K
01:06Forced Oscillations
7.7K
When an oscillator is forced with a periodic driving force, the motion may seem chaotic. The motions of such oscillators are known as transients. After the transients die out, the oscillator reaches a steady state, where the motion is periodic, and the displacement is determined.
7.7K