Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 29, 2025
06:51
Concurrent Electroencephalography Recording During Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation tACS
Published on: January 22, 2016
14.4K
Exploring the correlation and causation between alpha oscillations and one-second time perception through EEG and
Ehsan Mokhtarinejad1, Mahgol Tavakoli2, Amir Hossein Ghaderi1,3
1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
Scientific Reports
|April 5, 2024
Summary
This study explored how alpha oscillations affect time perception. While resting-state alpha power and frequency correlated with time perception accuracy and precision, transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) did not establish a causal link.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Alpha oscillations are linked to time perception, but their exact role is unclear.
- Understanding this relationship is crucial for cognitive models of time.
- Previous research suggests alpha oscillations influence temporal processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the direct impact of alpha oscillations on time perception.
- To examine the relationship between alpha oscillation characteristics and time estimation accuracy and precision.
- To determine if modulating alpha oscillations via tACS causally affects time perception.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) was used to measure peak alpha frequency (PAF) and peak alpha power (PAP).
- Participants performed a time generalization task under different transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) conditions (PAF-2, PAF, PAF+2, sham).
- Repeated measures ANOVAs were employed to assess causal relationships.
Main Results:
- In the sham condition, higher PAP correlated with better accuracy, and higher PAF correlated with greater precision for one-second intervals.
- These correlations between alpha characteristics and time perception were attenuated during real tACS, especially at higher frequencies.
- No significant causal effect of tACS-induced alpha modulation on time perception was found.
Conclusions:
- Alpha oscillations' frequency and power may influence time perception, particularly for one-second intervals.
- The findings suggest a complex, possibly state-dependent, relationship between alpha oscillations and time perception.
- A direct causal link between alpha peak modulation and time perception was not supported by this study, warranting further investigation within existing cognitive models.
