Phase dynamics shape thought dynamics - Oscillatory model of thought

Thought is not static but inherently dynamic, continuously fluctuating over time. Where and how do these fluctuations, that is, thought dynamics come from? Recent evidence suggests that the temporal dynamics of thought share deep parallels with those of perception. In perception, neural oscillatory phase organizes sensory processing into discrete temporal windows, giving rise to rhythmic "perceptual cycles." Drawing on converging behavioral and neurophysiological findings, we propose the 'Oscillatory Model of Thought' (OMT), according to which thought dynamics are shaped by oscillatory phase dynamics operating across nested neural timescales. We review how distinct oscillatory frequencies, particularly in the alpha and theta bands, shape different dimensions of spontaneous thought. Specifically, we propose that phase-based mechanisms create local-regional temporal windows which are nested within slower more global network-level dynamics. This nested organization may support two complementary processes that shape thought: temporal segregation and temporal integration. Similar to temporal binding and temporal parsing in perception, temporal segregation operates on shorter timescales supporting task-focused (on-task) and externally-directed thought about environmental events. While temporal integration, operating on longer timescales, allows thought to incorporate additional internal inputs such as memory, supporting more internally-directed thoughts about the own self, e.g., self-reflection. Together, the OMT provides a multiscale temporal architecture for thought analogous to that of perception, dynamically linking the external and internal dimensions of our thoughts and, more generally, of conscious experience.