Cytoelectric coupling: Electric fields sculpt neural activity and “tune” the brain’s infrastructure

Pinotsis, Dimitris A.; Fridman, Gene Y.; Miller, Earl K.

doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102465

Cited by 23 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 132 publications

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“…Notably because task-related traveling waves often show complex propagation patterns, it indicates that the brain exhibits new types of functionally relevant spatial organizations, extending beyond currently known anatomical and functional hierarchies (Buckner & Krienen, 2013; De Martino et al, 2018). Further, the diverse propagation patterns of these cognition-related traveling waves is consistent with a rich set of models suggesting a role for spatially organized neural assemblies and oscillations in the computational processes underlying memory, cognition, and other behaviors (Freeman, 2003; Pinotsis et al, 2023; Pinotsis & Miller, 2023; Rubino et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

“…Traveling waves are present at various frequencies (Ermentrout & Kleinfeld, 2001), including the theta/alpha range in humans (Zhang et al, 2018). Because propagating oscillations correlate with underlying neuronal activity (Jacobs et al, 2007), the spatiotemporal organization of traveling waves at each moment may indicate which brain areas are active and how they correspond to particular computational processes and memory representations in the cortex (Pinotsis et al, 2023; Pinotsis & Miller, 2023). The propagation of traveling waves may therefore show how the brain’s spatial organization and connectivity flexibly adapts to task demands and behaviors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Planar, Spiral, and Concentric Traveling Waves Distinguish Cognitive States in Human Memory

Das,

Zabeh,

Ermentrout

et al. 2024

Preprint

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A fundamental challenge in neuroscience is explaining how widespread brain regions flexibly interact to support behaviors. We hypothesize that a mechanism of neural coordination is brain oscillations that propagate as traveling waves across the cortex in distinctive patterns that control when and where different regions interact. To test this hypothesis, we used direct recordings from humans performing multiple memory experiments and a novel analytical framework that measures the directional propagation of oscillations. We found that traveling waves propagated along the cortex in not only plane waves as seen previously, but also in spirals, sources and sinks, and more complex patterns. These traveling wave patterns correlated with various aspects of behavior, with specific propagation patterns reflecting broad cognitive processes, and the identities of specific remembered items. Together, these findings show that complex spatiotemporal patterns of traveling waves underlie human cognition and are relevant practically for neural decoding and brain-computer interfacing.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Planar, Spiral, and Concentric Traveling Waves Distinguish Cognitive States in Human Memory

Das,

Zabeh,

Ermentrout

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The suggestion of semiconducting behavior in this case, which is solely based on temporal current fluctuations, is still speculative without further electrical, structural, and theoretical analyses. This type of electrical activity is reminiscent of that observed in neurons within the nervous system. − Although the level of electrical activity is lower than that of neurons, the similarity in its behavior is intriguing. Despite this, the results of Figure suggest that the electrical nature of proteinoids may exhibit properties similar to what is observed in biological cells. ,, The data from Figure is further supported by our previous research that proteinoids could synchronize electrical activity. , …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Proteinoid Microspheres as Protoneural Networks

Mougkogiannis,

Adamatzky

2023

ACS Omega

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Proteinoids, also known as thermal proteins, possess a fascinating ability to generate microspheres that exhibit electrical spikes resembling the action potentials of neurons. These spiking microspheres, referred to as protoneurons, hold the potential to assemble into proto-nanobrains. In our study, we investigate the feasibility of utilizing a promising electrochemical technique called differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) to interface with proteinoid nanobrains. We evaluate DPV's suitability by examining critical parameters such as selectivity, sensitivity, and linearity of the electrochemical responses. The research systematically explores the influence of various operational factors, including pulse width, pulse amplitude, scan rate, and scan time. Encouragingly, our findings indicate that DPV exhibits significant potential as an efficient electrochemical interface for proteinoid nanobrains. This technology opens up new avenues for developing artificial neural networks with broad applications across diverse fields of research.

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“…In these models, local cell assemblies that drive behavior are embedded within synaptic action fields that reflect short-time changes in the number densities of active excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Recent experimental and theoretical studies suggest that electric fields carry information about WM content (Pinotsis & Miller, 2022) and organize the storage of information across multiple brain areas (Pinotsis et al, 2023). We therefore speculate that the directional and frequency- specific traveling waves reported here reflect the operation of large-scale electric fields that shape local cortical activity and information transfer across the neocortex.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Traveling waves link human visual and frontal cortex during working memory-guided behavior

Luo,

Ester

2024

Preprint

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Working Memory (WM) enables flexible behavior by forming a temporal bridge between recent sensory events and possible actions. Through re-analysis of published human EEG studies, we show that successful WM-guided behaviors are accompanied by bidirectional cortical traveling waves linking sensory cortical areas implicated in WM storage with frontal cortical areas implicated in response selection and production. We identified a feedforward (occipital-to-frontal) theta wave that emerged shortly after a response probe and whose latency predicted intra- and inter-individual differences in response times, and a feedback (frontal-to-occipital) beta wave that emerged after response termination. Importantly, both waveforms were present only around the time of an overt motor response. When participants could select task-relevant WM content prepare but not execute a task-appropriate action, neither waveform was observed. Our observations suggest that cortical traveling waves play an important role in the generation and execution of WM-guided behaviors.

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Cytoelectric coupling: Electric fields sculpt neural activity and “tune” the brain’s infrastructure

Cited by 23 publications

References 132 publications

Planar, Spiral, and Concentric Traveling Waves Distinguish Cognitive States in Human Memory

Planar, Spiral, and Concentric Traveling Waves Distinguish Cognitive States in Human Memory

Proteinoid Microspheres as Protoneural Networks

Traveling waves link human visual and frontal cortex during working memory-guided behavior

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