Cross-frequency phase inter-actions in visual working memory

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Cross-frequency phase inter-actions in visual working memory Satu Palva1* and Matias Palva1 1 Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Finland Human perceptual and mental experiences are serial, coherent, and have a limited capacity. However, neuronal processing is parallel, has a large capacity, and is distributed temporally, anatomically, and functionally. Inter-areal synchronization within a one frequency band may mechanistically underlie the integration of anatomically distributed neuronal activity. However, a mechanism to integrate also the temporally and spectrally distributed processing is required. The integration of spectrally distributed processing could be attained by phase dependent cross-frequency (CF-) interactions; either by CF- phase synchronization or by nested oscillations. Cross-frequency phase synchrony is a phase-phase relationship between oscillations at two distinct frequency bands, whereas in nested oscillations the amplitude of the faster oscillation is modulated by the phase of the slower oscillations. Only the CF-phase synchrony preserves the temporal precision of the faster oscillations and would thus be ideally suited to cross-functional integration during cognitive operations. We have recently shown that load-dependent inter-areal synchronization among fronto-parietal and visual cortical regions in alpha- (8-12 Hz), beta- (18-24 Hz), and gamma- (30-40 Hz) frequency bands may underlie the maintenance of object representations in visual working memory (VWM). We have now investigated whether CF-phase interactions characterize the VWM retention period and whether CF interactions could be used for integration of spectrally distributed processing. CF-frequency phase synchrony among alpha-, beta-, and gamma band oscillations is observed during VWM retention period in fronto-parietal regions that show also inter-areal within frequency synchronization. Funding: Academy of Finland. Keywords: Cross-frequency coupling, working memory Conference: XI International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON XI), Palma, Mallorca, Spain, 25 Sep - 29 Sep, 2011. Presentation Type: Symposium: Oral Presentation Topic: Symposium 18: The cognitive role of cross-frequency coupling Citation: Palva S and Palva M (2011). Cross-frequency phase inter-actions in visual working memory. Conference Abstract: XI International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON XI). doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2011.207.00573 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 14 Nov 2011; Published Online: 28 Nov 2011. * Correspondence: Dr. Satu Palva, Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, satu.palva@helsinki.fi Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Satu Palva Matias Palva Google Satu Palva Matias Palva Google Scholar Satu Palva Matias Palva PubMed Satu Palva Matias Palva Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.