scholarly journals Decomposing the role of alpha oscillations during brain maturation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Tröndle ◽  
Tzvetan Popov ◽  
Nicolas Langer
Keyword(s):  
Peak Frequency ◽  
Brain Maturation ◽  
Alpha Power ◽  
Eeg Signal ◽  
Alpha Oscillations ◽  
Signal Component ◽  
Neurophysiological Studies ◽  
Aperiodic Signal ◽  
Alpha Peak

AbstractDuring childhood and adolescence, the human brain undergoes various micro- and macroscopic changes. Understanding the neurophysiological changes within this reorganizational process is crucial, as many major psychiatric disorders emerge during this critical phase of life. In electroencephalography (EEG), a widely studied signal component are alpha oscillations (~8-13 Hz), which have been linked to developmental changes throughout the lifespan. Previous neurophysiological studies have demonstrated an increase of the alpha peak frequency and a decrease of alpha power to be related to brain maturation. The latter results have been questioned by recent developments in EEG signal processing techniques, as it could be demonstrated that aperiodic (non-oscillatory) components in the EEG signal conflate findings on periodic (oscillatory) changes, and thus need to be decomposed accordingly. We therefore analyzed a large, openly available pediatric dataset of 1485 children and adolescents in the age range of 5 to 21 years, in order to clarify the role of alpha oscillations and aperiodic signal components in this period of life. We first replicated previous findings of an increase of alpha peak frequency with age. Our results further suggest that alpha oscillatory power decreases with increasing age, however, when controlling for the aperiodic signal component, this effect inverted such as the aperiodic adjusted alpha power parameters significantly increase with advanced brain maturation, while the aperiodic signal component flattens and its offset decreases. Thus, interpretations of these oscillatory changes should be done with caution and incorporate changes in the aperiodic signal. These findings highlight the importance of taking aperiodic signal components into account when investigating age related changes of EEG spectral power parameters.

scholarly journals Decomposing age effects in EEG alpha power

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Tröndle ◽  
Tzvetan Popov ◽  
Andreas Pedroni ◽  
Christian Pfeiffer ◽  
Zofia Barańczuk-Turska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Present Report ◽  
Measured Signal ◽  
Alpha Power ◽  
Aging Research ◽  
Total N ◽  
Alpha Oscillations ◽  
Signal Component ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Aperiodic Signal

Increasing life expectancy is prompting the need to understand how the brain changes during healthy aging. Research utilizing Electroencephalography (EEG) has found that the power of alpha oscillations decrease from adulthood on. However, non-oscillatory (aperiodic) components in the data may confound results and thus require re-investigation of these findings. The present report aims at analyzing a pilot and two additional independent samples (total N = 533) of resting-state EEG from healthy young and elderly individuals. A newly developed algorithm will be utilized that allows the decomposition of the measured signal into aperiodic and aperiodic-adjusted signal components. By using multivariate sequential Bayesian updating of the age effect in each signal component, evidence across the datasets will be accumulated. It is hypothesized that previously reported age-related alpha power differences will disappear when absolute power is adjusted for the aperiodic signal component. Consequently, age-related differences in the intercept and slope of the aperiodic signal component are expected. Importantly, using a battery of neuropsychological tests, we will assess how the previously reported relationship between cognitive functions and alpha oscillations changes when taking the aperiodic signal into account; this will be done on data of the young and aged individuals separately. The aperiodic signal components and adjusted alpha parameters could potentially offer a promising biomarker for cognitive decline, thus finally the test–retest reliability of the aperiodic and aperiodic-adjusted signal components will be assessed.

scholarly journals Visual signals suppress Alpha Power Increases & Frequency Decreases before and after a Mindfulness Meditation Intervention for Problem Gambling

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaili-Larissa Martin ◽  
Farah Jindani ◽  
Nigel Turner ◽  
Joseph FX DeSouza
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Peak Frequency ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Visual Signals ◽  
Alpha Power ◽  
Alpha Oscillations ◽  
Temporal Lobes ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Alpha Peak

AbstractThe use of mindfulness meditation (MM) in the treatment of problem gambling (PG), has been used effectively for over five years. However, the neural mechanisms responsible for the improvements are unknown. The literature describes healthy individuals with an increase in alpha power and a decrease in alpha frequency after eight weeks of mindfulness meditation, but it is unknown if changes are similar amongst individuals with PG. Using resting-state electroencephalography (rsEEG), we measured the changes in alpha oscillations before and after an eight-week mindfulness meditation intervention (MMi) and a pre/ post-five-minute mindfulness meditation body scan (MMb). For people with PG, we observed an increase in alpha power and decreased alpha peak frequency after the MMi, while the inverse was true for the MMb. The most considerable alpha rhythm changes occurred in the frontal and temporal lobes, areas sensitive to reward and sensory processing in PG. Our observed changes may reflect theories that MMi for PG may improve attentional control as hypothesized by previous research in alpha oscillations and cue-reward processing.

scholarly journals Dynamics of spontaneous alpha activity correlate with language ability in young children

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Y. L. Kwok ◽  
Janis Oram Cardy ◽  
Brian L. Allman ◽  
Prudence Allen ◽  
Björn Herrmann
Keyword(s):  
Oral Language ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Temporal Correlation ◽  
Language Ability ◽  
Brain Maturation ◽  
Alpha Power ◽  
Alpha Oscillations ◽  
Alpha Frequency ◽  
Temporal Correlations ◽  
Eeg Recordings

AbstractEarly childhood is a period of tremendous growth in both language ability and brain maturation. To understand the dynamic interplay between neural activity and spoken language development, we used resting-state EEG recordings to explore the relation between alpha oscillations (7–10 Hz) and oral language ability in 4- to 6-year-old children with typical development (N=41). Three properties of alpha oscillations were investigated: a) alpha power using spectral analysis, b) flexibility of the alpha frequency quantified via the oscillation’s moment-to-moment fluctuations, and c) scaling behavior of the alpha oscillator investigated via the long-range temporal correlation in the alpha-amplitude time course. All three properties of the alpha oscillator correlated with children’s oral language abilities. Higher language scores were correlated with lower alpha power, greater flexibility of the alpha frequency, and longer temporal correlations in the alpha-amplitude time course. Our findings demonstrate a cognitive role of several properties of the alpha oscillator that has largely been overlooked in the literature. Graphical Abstract

scholarly journals Alpha oscillations link action to cognition: An oculomotor account of the brain's dominant rhythm

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tzvetan Popov ◽  
Gregory A. Miller ◽  
Brigitte Rockstroh ◽  
Ole Jensen ◽  
Nicolas Langer
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Oculomotor Control ◽  
Alpha Power ◽  
Foveal Vision ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Alpha Oscillations ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Human Primate

Power modulations in alpha oscillations (8-14Hz) have been associated with most human cognitive functions and psychopathological conditions studied. These reports are often inconsistent with the prevailing view of a specific relationship of alpha oscillations to attention and working memory (WM). We propose that conceptualizing the role of alpha oscillations in oculomotor control resolves this inconsistency. This proposition is based on a review of results across species (human Npooled=295, one non-human primate, honey bee N=5), experimental conditions (rest, attention, and working memory), and recording techniques (EEG, ECOG, eye-tracking, and MEG) that encourage the following relationships between alpha oscillations and eye-movement control: (i) saccade initiation prompts power decrease in brain circuits associated with saccadic control; (ii) the direction of a saccade is consistent with alpha lateralization, both during task and resting conditions; (iii) the phase of alpha activity informs saccade occurrence and biases miniature eye movements during fixation (e.g. fixational tremor); and (iv) oculomotor action differentiates WM load. A new theory on how alpha oscillations link oculomotor action to cognition is proposed. Generalizing across tasks and species: low oculomotor activity is associated with high alpha power and vice versa. Alpha oscillations regulate how long to look at a given target and how fast to saccade to a next. By ensuring steady gaze position, any potential input outside foveal vision is 'suppressed'.

scholarly journals Relationship between Regional White Matter Hyperintensities and Alpha Oscillations in Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deniz Kumral ◽  
Elena Cesnaite ◽  
Frauke Beyer ◽  
Simon M. Hofmann ◽  
Tilman Hensch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
White Matter Hyperintensities ◽  
Occipital Cortex ◽  
Peak Frequency ◽  
Cerebral White Matter ◽  
Alpha Power ◽  
Alpha Oscillations ◽  
Temporal Correlations ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Impact

AbstractWhite matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in the cerebral white matter and attenuation of alpha oscillations (AO; 7–13 Hz) occur with the advancing age. However, a crucial question remains, whether changes in AO relate to aging per se or they rather reflect the impact of age-related neuropathology like WMHs. In this study, using a large cohort (N=907) of elderly participants (60-80 years), we assessed relative alpha power (AP), individual alpha peak frequency (IAPF) and long-range temporal correlations (LRTC) from resting-state EEG. We further associated these parameters with voxel-wise WMHs from 3T MRI. We found that higher prevalence of WMHs in the superior and posterior corona radiata was related to elevated relative AP, with strongest correlations in the bilateral occipital cortex, even after controlling for potential confounding factors. In contrast, we observed no significant relation of probability of WMH occurrence with IAPF and LRTC. We argue that the WMH-associated increase of AP reflects generalized and likely compensatory changes of AO leading to a larger number of synchronously recruited neurons.

scholarly journals Introspection confidence correlates with EEG decoding of self-generated thoughts and meta-awareness

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naya Polychroni ◽  
Maria Herrojo Ruiz ◽  
Devin B. Terhune
Keyword(s):  
External Environment ◽  
Alpha Power ◽  
Alpha Oscillations ◽  
Neural Representations ◽  
Distribution Of Power ◽  
Listening Task ◽  
Multivariate Pattern ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Experiential State

AbstractThe neurophysiological bases of mind wandering (MW) – an experiential state wherein attention is disengaged from the external environment in favour of internal thoughts, and state meta-awareness are poorly understood. In parallel, the relationship between introspection confidence in experiential state judgements and neural representations remains unclear. Here, we recorded EEG whilst participants completed a listening task within which they made experiential state judgments and rated their confidence. Alpha power was reliably greater during MW episodes, with unaware MW further associated with greater delta and theta power. Multivariate pattern classification analysis revealed that MW, and meta-awareness can be decoded from the distribution of power in these three frequency bands. Critically, we show that individual decoding accuracies positively correlate with introspection confidence. Our results reaffirm the role of alpha oscillations in MW, implicate lower frequencies in meta-awareness, and are consistent with the proposal that introspection confidence indexes neurophysiological discriminability of representational states.

scholarly journals Individual Alpha Peak Frequency, an Important Biomarker for Live Z-Score Training Neurofeedback in Adolescents with Learning Disabilities

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 167
Author(s):  
Rubén Pérez-Elvira ◽  
Javier Oltra-Cucarella ◽  
José Antonio Carrobles ◽  
Minodora Teodoru ◽  
Ciprian Bacila ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Peak Frequency ◽  
Normative Values ◽  
Z Score ◽  
Absolute Power ◽  
The Individual ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Waves ◽  
Alpha Peak

Learning disabilities (LDs) have an estimated prevalence between 5% and 9% in the pediatric population and are associated with difficulties in reading, arithmetic, and writing. Previous electroencephalography (EEG) research has reported a lag in alpha-band development in specific LD phenotypes, which seems to offer a possible explanation for differences in EEG maturation. In this study, 40 adolescents aged 10–15 years with LDs underwent 10 sessions of Live Z-Score Training Neurofeedback (LZT-NF) Training to improve their cognition and behavior. Based on the individual alpha peak frequency (i-APF) values from the spectrogram, a group with normal i-APF (ni-APF) and a group with low i-APF (li-APF) were compared in a pre-and-post-LZT-NF intervention. There were no statistical differences in age, gender, or the distribution of LDs between the groups. The li-APF group showed a higher theta absolute power in P4 (p = 0.016) at baseline and higher Hi-Beta absolute power in F3 (p = 0.007) post-treatment compared with the ni-APF group. In both groups, extreme waves (absolute Z-score of ≥1.5) were more likely to move toward the normative values, with better results in the ni-APF group. Conversely, the waves within the normal range at baseline were more likely to move out of the range after treatment in the li-APF group. Our results provide evidence of a viable biomarker for identifying optimal responders for the LZT-NF technique based on the i-APF metric reflecting the patient’s neurophysiological individuality.

scholarly journals The role of alpha oscillations in deriving and maintaining spatial relations in working memory

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 888-901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara J. Blacker ◽  
Akiko Ikkai ◽  
Balaji M. Lakshmanan ◽  
Joshua B. Ewen ◽  
Susan M. Courtney
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Spatial Relations ◽  
Alpha Oscillations

QUANTIFYING STOCHASTIC RESONANCE IN A SINGLE THRESHOLD DETECTOR FOR RANDOM APERIODIC SIGNALS

2004 ◽  
Vol 04 (02) ◽  
pp. L247-L265 ◽  
Author(s):  
ARUNEEMA DAS ◽  
N. G. STOCKS ◽  
A. NIKITIN ◽  
E. L. HINES
Keyword(s):  
Stochastic Resonance ◽  
Cross Correlation ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Probability Distributions ◽  
Probability Density Functions ◽  
Surprising Result ◽  
Threshold Detector ◽  
Gaussian Form ◽  
Aperiodic Signal

We explore stochastic resonance (SR) effects in a single comparator (threshold detector) driven by either a Gaussian or exponentially distributed aperiodic signal. The behaviour of different performance measures, namely the cross-correlation coefficient (CCC), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and mutual information, I, has been investigated. The signals were added to Gaussian noise before being passed through the threshold detector. For the two signals tested, we observe the perhaps surprising result that the SNR never displays SR. However, SR is displayed by both the CCC and I for Gaussian signals. For exponential signals SR is not displayed by any of the measures. By generating signals whose probability distributions have the generalized Gaussian form Ae-|βx|n it is possible to demonstrate that SR ceases to occur if n<1.7. We conclude that SR is only observable in threshold based systems for certain types of aperiodic signal. Specifically, SR is not expected to occur for signals whose probability density functions have long, slowly decaying, tails. We discuss the implication of these results for the role of SR in biological sensory systems.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document