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Brain-wide topographic coordination of rotating waves
Zhiwen Ye1, Alexander E Ladd1, Nancy MacKenzie1
1Department of Neurobiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|June 18, 2026
Summary
Brain activity forms rotating waves across regions, sculpted by axonal architecture. This brain wave pattern is mirrored across hemispheres and linked to behavior and sensory input.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
- Computational Neuroscience
Background:
- Brain activity often exhibits wave-like patterns across different species and brain regions.
- The precise spatial organization, anatomical underpinnings, and full distribution of these brain waves remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spatial organization and anatomical basis of prominent brain wave motifs.
- To explore the relationship between rotating brain waves, axonal architecture, and behavioral states.
Main Methods:
- Utilized cortex-wide imaging and electrophysiology in awake mice.
- Analyzed wave patterns, including rotational motifs centered on the somatosensory cortex.
- Investigated the role of axonal architecture and specific neural circuitry by cutting connections.
Main Results:
- Identified prominent rotating wave patterns across spatial scales in the mouse cortex.
- Found that axonal architecture in the sensory cortex displays a circular arrangement matching the wave patterns.
- Demonstrated that cutting specific circular circuitry significantly reduced rotating waves.
- Observed that these waves are modulated by behavioral states, sensory stimuli, and visuomotor task performance.
Conclusions:
- Rotating brain waves are significantly shaped by the brain's axonal architecture across various systems.
- These waves are dynamically modulated by behavior and sensory input, playing a role in cognitive functions like visuomotor performance.
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