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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
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Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice
Published on: June 19, 2019
Awake cortex stabilizes traveling waves for global and reliable information routing
Kaio Misawa1, Koji Chinen1, Akira Kawabata1,2
1Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Iscience
|July 19, 2026
Summary
Brain organization for perception relies on traveling waves, a fundamental mode for global information transfer. These waves are more stable and reliable during wakefulness than under anesthesia, supporting theories of consciousness.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Computational Neuroscience
Background:
- Theories of consciousness suggest perceptual experience emerges from global cortical communication.
- The neural mechanisms underlying information transfer between cortical regions are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of traveling waves in global information transfer across the cerebral cortex.
- To compare neural information organization during wakefulness versus anesthesia.
Main Methods:
- Utilized large-scale, high-density electrocorticography (ECoG) arrays.
- Analyzed visual-evoked traveling waves.
- Employed hierarchical clustering to identify wave motifs.
- Quantified information flow fidelity along wave propagation directions.
Main Results:
- Traveling waves were identified as a fundamental mode for global information transfer.
- Visual-evoked traveling waves showed significantly greater stability during wakefulness compared to anesthesia.
- Widespread waves with diverse motifs emerged only in the awake state.
- Information flow fidelity was higher along wave propagation during wakefulness.
Conclusions:
- Traveling waves are crucial for global information transfer and perceptual organization during wakefulness.
- The findings support theories linking consciousness to global cortical communication.
- Introduced a new framework, 'informational tuning,' to characterize neural and informational flow geometry.
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