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Published on: November 21, 2023
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Spontaneous activity competes with externally evoked responses in sensory cortex
Golan Karvat1,2, Mansour Alyahyay1,3, Ilka Diester4,2,3,5
1Optophysiology Lab, Institute of Biology III, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Summary
Spontaneous beta-bursts in the brain can interfere with sensory perception. Researchers used a closed-loop system to show that adjusting stimulus intensity in real time can counteract this masking effect.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Computational Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
Background:
- The interplay between spontaneous and externally driven neural activity is crucial for brain function.
- High-power beta-band oscillations (15-30 Hz) are linked to internal brain events and may mask external sensory information.
- Real-time demonstration and mechanistic understanding of beta-power's effect on perception are lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the real-time impact of spontaneous beta-bursts on sensory perception.
- To explore the underlying neural mechanisms by which beta-bursts influence sensory processing.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of counteracting the masking effect of beta-bursts through closed-loop modulation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a closed-loop stimulus-intensity adjustment system in rats performing a vibrotactile detection task.
- Employed online burst-occupancy analyses to monitor neural activity.
- Analyzed firing rates and local field potentials across cortical layers and frequency bands.
Main Results:
- The masking effect of beta-burst occupancy on perception was successfully counterbalanced in real time by adjusting vibration amplitude.
- Beta-power in the somatosensory cortex showed an inverse correlation with sensory-evoked responses.
- While all bursts involved cell assembly synchronization, only beta-bursts were associated with a subsequent decrease in firing rate.
Conclusions:
- Spontaneous beta-bursts represent a dynamic neural state that actively competes with the processing of external stimuli.
- Closed-loop modulation can effectively mitigate the perceptual consequences of endogenous neural activity.
- Beta-bursts may exert their masking effect by reducing neuronal firing rates, impacting sensory signal transmission.
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