α Phase-Amplitude Tradeoffs Predict Visual Perception

Fakche, Camille; VanRullen, Rufin; Marqué, P.; Dugué, Laura

doi:10.1523/eneuro.0244-21.2022

Cited by 32 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…We first tested the prediction that the lower the discriminability, the higher the frequency of the pre-stimulus brain oscillations underlying attentional performance. Phase opposition sum (POS) 20 , 62 , 68 , 69 values were estimated for each frequency, pre-stimulus time point and discriminability condition in Experiment 1. A positive POS indicates that the phase is locked in correct trials and that it is locked in the opposite direction in incorrect trials (see “ Materials and methods ”).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A low POS indicates that the two conditions (correct and incorrect) have random phase distributions, whereas a high POS means that phase-locking is strong in both conditions. The measure of POS accounts for uniform distributions of phases: to ensure that the phase was truly opposed between correct and incorrect trials, we checked for circular uniformity (Hodges-Ajne test) of the phase angles (see 68 , 69 ) across all trials (characteristic of a spontaneous signal) at the point of maximum significance at sensor Oz, because it is activated in the 3 conditions (high, medium and low discriminability; see Fig. 2 ), and ensured that no instance of non-uniformity was found (high discriminability: p = 0.242, kappa = 0.3; medium: p = 0.854, kappa = 0.148; low: p = 0.92, kappa = 0.037).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Periodic attention operates faster during more complex visual search

Merholz

Grabot

VanRullen

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Attention has been found to sample visual information periodically, in a wide range of frequencies below 20 Hz. This periodicity may be supported by brain oscillations at corresponding frequencies. We propose that part of the discrepancy in periodic frequencies observed in the literature is due to differences in attentional demands, resulting from heterogeneity in tasks performed. To test this hypothesis, we used visual search and manipulated task complexity, i.e., target discriminability (high, medium, low) and number of distractors (set size), while electro-encephalography was simultaneously recorded. We replicated previous results showing that the phase of pre-stimulus low-frequency oscillations predicts search performance. Crucially, such effects were observed at increasing frequencies within the theta-alpha range (6–18 Hz) for decreasing target discriminability. In medium and low discriminability conditions, correct responses were further associated with higher post-stimulus phase-locking than incorrect ones, in increasing frequency and latency. Finally, the larger the set size, the later the post-stimulus effect peaked. Together, these results suggest that increased complexity (lower discriminability or larger set size) requires more attentional cycles to perform the task, partially explaining discrepancies between reports of attentional sampling. Low-frequency oscillations structure the temporal dynamics of neural activity and aid top-down, attentional control for efficient visual processing.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Periodic attention operates faster during more complex visual search

Merholz

Grabot

VanRullen

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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show abstract

“…Studies suggest that the phase of low-frequency brain oscillations accounts for <20% of the trial-by-trial variability in behavioral performance [1, 4-6, 8, 12, 13]. We hypothesize that if brain oscillations are the support of visual perception, they should explain a larger portion of the variance observed in empirical data.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Studies have shown that when covert attention (in the absence of head or eye movements) is sustained at a given spatial location, information is sampled periodically at the alpha frequency (review [11, 108]). In other words, visual performance fluctuates over time along with the phase of alpha oscillations, in detection tasks in which the target stimulus appeared always at the same spatial location [1-3, 5-8, 13]. However, when multiple stimuli are presented, attention rhythmically samples information at the theta frequency [4, 9, 109-113] (review [10, 11, 108]).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perceptual cycles travel across retinotopic space

Fakche

Dugué

2022

Preprint

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Visual perception waxes and wanes periodically as a function of the phase of low-frequency brain oscillations (theta, 4-7 Hz; alpha, 8-13 Hz) [1-9]. Perceptual cycles are defined as the corresponding periodic modulation of perceptual performance (review [10, 11]). Here, using psychophysics, we tested the hypothesis that brain oscillations travel across the visual cortex, leading to predictable perceptual consequences across the visual field, i.e., perceptual cycles travel across the retinotopic visual space. An oscillating disk (inducer) was presented in the periphery of the visual field to induce brain oscillations at low frequencies (4, 6, 8 or 10 Hz) at a specific retinotopic cortical location. Target stimuli at threshold (50% detection) were displayed at random times during the periodic disk stimulation, at one of three possible distances from the disk. Electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded while participants performed a detection task. EEG analyses showed that the periodic stimulation produced a complex brain oscillation composed of the induced frequency and its first harmonic likely due to the overlap of the periodic response and the neural response to individual stimuli. This complex oscillation, which originated from a precise retinotopic position, modulated detection performance periodically at each target position and at each frequency. Critically, the optimal behavioral phase, i.e., of highest performance, of the 8 Hz and 10 Hz oscillations (alpha range) consistently shifted across target distance to the inducer. Together, the results demonstrate that alpha-induced perceptual cycles traveled across the retinotopic space in human observers at a propagation speed between 0.2 and 0.4 m/s.

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Peak occipital alpha frequency mediates the relationship between sporting expertise and multiple object tracking performance

Mackenzie,

Baker,

Daly

et al. 2024

Brain and Behavior

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BackgroundMultiple object tracking (MOT) is often used as a lab‐based paradigm for investigating goal‐driven attention as an indicator for “real‐world” attention in tasks such as sport. When exploring MOT performance in the context of sporting expertise, we typically observe that individuals with sporting expertise outperform non‐sporting individuals. There are a number of general explanations for performance differences such as cognitive transfer effects; however, the potential neurophysiological mechanisms explaining the relationship between sporting expertise and performance differences in MOT are not clear. Based on the role occipital alpha (posterior oscillations usually around 8–12 Hz) has been shown to have in visuospatial attention, the aim of this study was to examine whether individual differences in occipital peak alpha frequency (PAF) mediate the relationship between sporting expertise and performance in two object tracking tasks: a standard MOT task and a visuomotor‐controlled object tracking task (multiple object avoidance [MOA]).MethodUsing electroencephalography (EEG), participants, who either played sport competitively or did not, had their posterior PAF measured at rest (eyes closed) across a 2‐min window. They completed the two tasks separately from the resting EEG measures.ResultsThose who engaged in sport performed better in the MOT and MOA tasks and had higher PAF. Higher PAF predicted superior MOT performance. The mediation analysis revealed that sporting individuals had significantly higher PAF, and this was in turn related to superior MOT performance.ConclusionsIt is suggested that PAF is a possible neurophysiological mediating mechanism as to why sporting individuals have superior MOT performance. There was no evidence that PAF mediated the relationship between sporting expertise and visuomotor MOA performance. Explanations and implications are discussed, and unanswered questions are proposed.

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α Phase-Amplitude Tradeoffs Predict Visual Perception

Abstract: Alpha phase-amplitude tradeoffs predict visual perception. Abbreviated Title (50 characters maximum)Phase-amplitude tradeoffs and visual perception.

Cited by 32 publications

References 78 publications

Periodic attention operates faster during more complex visual search

Periodic attention operates faster during more complex visual search

Perceptual cycles travel across retinotopic space

Peak occipital alpha frequency mediates the relationship between sporting expertise and multiple object tracking performance

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