Abstract
Retina or visual cortex? The site of phosphene induction by transcranial alternating current stimulation
Highlights
Since the first descriptions of oscillatory synchrony in the cortex, a plethora of studies have provided empirical evidence for correlations between cortical oscillations and perception, attention, and other cognitive functions (Tallon-Baudry, 2009)
When the eyes of the subjects were closed, this optimum frequency shifted to a frequency of about 10 Hz. These stimulation frequencies seem to correspond to the well known beta (12–30 Hz) and alpha (8–12 Hz) frequency bands in the electroencephalogram (EEG), and alpha power in the EEG increases when subjects close their eyes. Based on these ostensible similarities, the authors concluded that“the frequency dependency is caused by interactions with ongoing oscillatory activity in the stimulated cortex”, and that “transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can be used as a noninvasive tool for establishing a causal link between rhythmic cortical activities and their functions”
If this were the case, tACS would potentially be an interesting tool to inquire the causal role of oscillatory synchrony in cortical processing
Summary
Since the first descriptions of oscillatory synchrony in the cortex, a plethora of studies have provided empirical evidence for correlations between cortical oscillations and perception, attention, and other cognitive functions (Tallon-Baudry, 2009). In a recent paper employing such a technique, Kanai et al (2008) report that the visibility of phosphenes elicited by transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) depends on the frequency of stimulation.
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