L-Theanine and Caffeine in Combination Affect Human Cognition as Evidenced by Oscillatory alpha-Band Activity and Attention Task Performance

ABSTRACTRhythmic visual stimulation (“flicker”) is primarily used to “tag” processing of low-level visual and high-level cognitive phenomena. However, preliminary evidence suggests that flicker may also entrain endogenous brain oscillations, thereby modulating cognitive processes supported by those brain rhythms. Here we tested the interaction between 10 Hz flicker and endogenous alpha-band (~10 Hz) oscillations during a selective visuospatial attention task. We recorded EEG from human participants (both genders) while they performed a modified Eriksen flanker task in which distractors and targets flickered within (10 Hz) or outside (7.5 or 15 Hz) the alpha band. By using a combination of EEG source separation, time-frequency, and single-trial linear mixed effects modeling, we demonstrate that 10 Hz flicker interfered with stimulus processing more on incongruent than congruent trials (high vs. low selective attention demands). Crucially, the effect of 10 Hz flicker on task performance was predicted by the distance between 10 Hz and individual alpha peak frequency (estimated during the task). Finally, the flicker effect on task performance was more strongly predicted by EEG flicker responses during stimulus processing than during preparation for the upcoming stimulus, suggesting that 10 Hz flicker interfered more with reactive than proactive selective attention. These findings are consistent with our hypothesis that visual flicker entrained endogenous alpha-band networks, which in turn impaired task performance. Our findings also provide novel evidence for frequency-dependent exogenous modulation of cognition that is determined by the correspondence between the exogenous flicker frequency and the endogenous brain rhythms.SignificanceHere we provide novel evidence that the interaction between exogenous rhythmic visual stimulation and endogenous brain rhythms can have frequency-specific behavioral effects. We show that alpha-band (10 Hz) flicker impairs stimulus processing in a selective attention task when the stimulus flicker rate matches individual alpha peak frequency. The effect of sensory flicker on task performance was stronger when selective attention demands were high, and was stronger during stimulus processing and response selection compared to the pre-stimulus anticipatory period. These findings provide novel evidence that frequency-specific sensory flicker affects online attentional processing, and also demonstrate that the correspondence between exogenous and endogenous rhythms is an overlooked prerequisite when testing for frequency-specific cognitive effects of flicker.

Download Full-text

Somatosensory Anticipatory Alpha Activity Increases to Suppress Distracting Input

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn_a_00164 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 677-685 ◽

Cited By ~ 112

Author(s):

Saskia Haegens ◽

Lisa Luther ◽

Ole Jensen

Keyword(s):

Task Performance ◽

Discrimination Task ◽

Discrimination Performance ◽

Alpha Activity ◽

Task Demands ◽

Alpha Power ◽

Alpha Band ◽

Stimulus Detection ◽

Engagement And Disengagement ◽

Band Activity

Effective processing of sensory input in daily life requires attentional selection and amplification of relevant input and, just as importantly, attenuation of irrelevant information. It has been proposed that top–down modulation of oscillatory alpha band activity (8–14 Hz) serves to allocate resources to various regions, depending on task demands. In previous work, we showed that contralateral somatosensory alpha activity decreases to facilitate processing of an anticipated target stimulus in a tactile discrimination task. In the current study, we asked whether somatosensory alpha activity is also modulated when expecting incoming distracting stimuli on the nonattended side. We hypothesized that an ipsilateral increase of alpha to suppress distracters would be required for optimal task performance. We recorded magneto-encephalography while subjects performed a tactile stimulus discrimination task where a cue directed attention either to their left or right hand. Distracters were presented simultaneously to the unattended hand. We found that alpha power contralateral to the attended hand decreased, whereas ipsilateral alpha power increased. In addition, posterior alpha power showed a general increase. Importantly, these three alpha components all contributed to discrimination performance. This study further extends the notion that alpha band activity is involved in shaping the functional architecture of the working brain by determining the engagement and disengagement of specific regions: Contralateral alpha decreases to facilitate stimulus detection, whereas ipsilateral alpha increases when active suppression of distracters is required. Importantly, the ipsilateral alpha increase is crucial for optimal task performance.

Download Full-text

Mindfulness Improves Brain Computer Interface Performance by Increasing Control over Neural Activity in the Alpha Band

10.1101/2020.04.13.039081 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

James R. Stieger ◽

Stephen Engel ◽

Haiteng Jiang ◽

Christopher C. Cline ◽

Mary Jo Kreitzer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Activity ◽

Resting State ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Large Population ◽

Body Awareness ◽

Mindfulness Practice ◽

Control Group ◽

Alpha Band ◽

Attention Task ◽

Band Activity

AbstractBrain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are promising tools for assisting patients with paralysis, but suffer from long training times and variable user proficiency. Mind-body awareness training (MBAT) can improve BCI learning, but how it does so remains unknown. Here we show that MBAT allows participants to learn to volitionally increase alpha band neural activity during BCI tasks that incorporate intentional rest. We trained individuals in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR; a standardized MBAT intervention) and compared performance and brain activity before and after training between randomly assigned trained and untrained control groups. The MBAT group showed reliably faster learning of BCI than the control group throughout training. Alpha-band activity in EEG signals, recorded in the volitional resting state during task performance, showed a parallel increase over sessions, and predicted final BCI performance. The level of alpha-band activity during the intentional resting state correlated reliably with individuals’ mindfulness practice as well as performance on a sustained attention task. Collectively, these results show that MBAT modifies a specific neural signal used by BCI. MBAT, by increasing patients’ control over their brain activity during rest, may increase the effectiveness of BCI in the large population who could benefit from alternatives to direct motor control.

Download Full-text

Alpha Band Activity and CNV Reflect the Evaluation of Target Probability

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e512682013-544 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

Waltraud Stadler ◽

Karim N'Diaye ◽

Richard Ragot ◽

Wolfgang Klimesch ◽

Catherine Tallon-Baudry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alpha Band ◽

Target Probability ◽

Band Activity

Download Full-text

Visual predictions, neural oscillations and naïve physics

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-95295-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Blake W. Saurels ◽

Wiremu Hohaia ◽

Kielan Yarrow ◽

Alan Johnston ◽

Derek H. Arnold

Keyword(s):

Brain Activity ◽

Dynamic Environment ◽

Predictive Performance ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Internal Models ◽

Oscillatory Activity ◽

Alpha Band ◽

Core Property ◽

Ball Tracking ◽

Band Activity

AbstractPrediction is a core function of the human visual system. Contemporary research suggests the brain builds predictive internal models of the world to facilitate interactions with our dynamic environment. Here, we wanted to examine the behavioural and neurological consequences of disrupting a core property of peoples’ internal models, using naturalistic stimuli. We had people view videos of basketball and asked them to track the moving ball and predict jump shot outcomes, all while we recorded eye movements and brain activity. To disrupt people’s predictive internal models, we inverted footage on half the trials, so dynamics were inconsistent with how movements should be shaped by gravity. When viewing upright videos people were better at predicting shot outcomes, at tracking the ball position, and they had enhanced alpha-band oscillatory activity in occipital brain regions. The advantage for predicting upright shot outcomes scaled with improvements in ball tracking and occipital alpha-band activity. Occipital alpha-band activity has been linked to selective attention and spatially-mapped inhibitions of visual brain activity. We propose that when people have a more accurate predictive model of the environment, they can more easily parse what is relevant, allowing them to better target irrelevant positions for suppression—resulting in both better predictive performance and in neural markers of inhibited information processing.

Download Full-text

Left temporal alpha band activity increases during working memory retention of pitches

European Journal of Neuroscience ◽

10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07227.x ◽

2010 ◽

pp. no-no ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Hanneke Van Dijk ◽

Ingrid L.C. Nieuwenhuis ◽

Ole Jensen

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Memory Retention ◽

Alpha Band ◽

Band Activity

Download Full-text

Occipitoparietal alpha-band responses to the graded allocation of top-down spatial attention

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00654.2013 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 112 (6) ◽

pp. 1307-1316 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Isabel Dombrowe ◽

Claus C. Hilgetag

Keyword(s):

Visual Field ◽

Spatial Attention ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Alpha Band ◽

Top Down ◽

Attentional Resources ◽

Parietal Lobes ◽

Visual Spatial ◽

Entire Visual Field ◽

Band Activity

The voluntary, top-down allocation of visual spatial attention has been linked to changes in the alpha-band of the electroencephalogram (EEG) signal measured over occipital and parietal lobes. In the present study, we investigated how occipitoparietal alpha-band activity changes when people allocate their attentional resources in a graded fashion across the visual field. We asked participants to either completely shift their attention into one hemifield, to balance their attention equally across the entire visual field, or to attribute more attention to one-half of the visual field than to the other. As expected, we found that alpha-band amplitudes decreased stronger contralaterally than ipsilaterally to the attended side when attention was shifted completely. Alpha-band amplitudes decreased bilaterally when attention was balanced equally across the visual field. However, when participants allocated more attentional resources to one-half of the visual field, this was not reflected in the alpha-band amplitudes, which just decreased bilaterally. We found that the performance of the participants was more strongly reflected in the coherence between frontal and occipitoparietal brain regions. We conclude that low alpha-band amplitudes seem to be necessary for stimulus detection. Furthermore, complete shifts of attention are directly reflected in the lateralization of alpha-band amplitudes. In the present study, a gradual allocation of visual attention across the visual field was only indirectly reflected in the alpha-band activity over occipital and parietal cortexes.

Download Full-text

Exploring the relationship of phase and peak-frequency EEG alpha-band and beta-band activity to temporal judgments of stimulus duration

Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1080/17588928.2017.1359524 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 193-205 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alex Milton ◽

Christopher Pleydell-Pearce

Keyword(s):

Stimulus Duration ◽

Peak Frequency ◽

Alpha Band ◽

Beta Band ◽

Eeg Alpha ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship ◽

Temporal Judgments ◽

Band Activity

Download Full-text

Modulation of magnetoencephalography alpha band activity by radiofrequency electromagnetic field depicted in sensor and source space

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-02560-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jasmina Wallace ◽

Lydia Yahia-Cherif ◽

Christophe Gitton ◽

Laurent Hugueville ◽

Jean-Didier Lemaréchal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Performance ◽

Spectral Power ◽

Heart Rate Variability Analysis ◽

Alpha Band ◽

Control Parameters ◽

Double Blind ◽

Eyes Closed ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Cortical Regions ◽

Band Activity

AbstractSeveral studies reported changes in spontaneous electroencephalogram alpha band activity related to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, but findings showed both an increase and a decrease of its spectral power or no effect. Here, we studied the alpha band modulation after 900 MHz mobile phone radiofrequency exposure and localized cortical regions involved in these changes, via a magnetoencephalography (MEG) protocol with healthy volunteers in a double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced crossover design. MEG was recorded during eyes open and eyes closed resting-state before and after radiofrequency exposure. Potential confounding factors, known to affect alpha band activity, were assessed as control parameters to limit bias. Entire alpha band, lower and upper alpha sub-bands MEG power spectral densities were estimated in sensor and source space. Biochemistry assays for salivary biomarkers of stress (cortisol, chromogranin-A, alpha amylase), heart rate variability analysis and high-performance liquid chromatography for salivary caffeine concentration were realized. Results in sensor and source space showed a significant modulation of MEG alpha band activity after the radiofrequency exposure, with different involved cortical regions in relation to the eyes condition, probably because of different attention level with open or closed eyes. None of the control parameters reported a statistically significant difference between experimental sessions.

Download Full-text