Neocortical Gamma Oscillations Research Articles

Transient neocortical gamma oscillations induced by neuronal response modulation.

In this paper a mean field model of spatio-temporal electroencephalographic activity in the neocortex is used to computationally study the emergence of neocortical gamma oscillations as a result of neuronal response modulation. It is shown using a numerical bifurcation analysis that gamma oscillations emerge robustly in the solutions of the model and transition to beta oscillations through coordinated modulation of the responsiveness of inhibitory and excitatory neuronal populations. The spatio-temporal pattern of the propagation of these oscillations across the neocortex is illustrated by solving the equations of the model using a finite element software package. Thereby, it is shown that the gamma oscillations remain localized to the regions of neuronal modulation. Moreover, it is discussed that the inherent spatial averaging effect of commonly used electrocortical measurement techniques can significantly alter the amplitude and pattern of fast oscillations in neocortical recordings, and hence can potentially affect physiological interpretations of these recordings.

Neocortical gamma oscillations in idiopathic generalized epilepsy.

Absence seizures in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) may in part be explained by a decrease in phasic GABAA (type-A γ-aminobutyric acid) receptor function, but the mechanisms are only partly understood. Here we studied the relation between ictal and interictal spike-wave discharges (SWDs) and electroencephalography (EEG) gamma oscillatory activity (30-60 Hz) in patients with IGE. EEG recordings were obtained of 14 children with IGE (mean age, 8.5 ± 5 years) and 14 age- and sex-matched controls. Time-frequency analysis of each seizure and seizure-free control epochs was performed and cross-coherences of neocortical gamma oscillations were calculated to describe interictal and ictal characteristics of generalized seizures. SWDs were characterized with an abrupt increase of oscillatory activity of 3-4 and 13-60 Hz, peaking at 3-4 and 30-60 Hz, and with a simultaneous decrease in the 8-12 Hz frequency band. The rise in EEG gamma oscillations was short-lasting and decreased before activity declined at lower frequency ranges. Compared to control patients, patients with epilepsy also showed higher interictal values of mean coherence of gamma activity, but this interictal increase was not significant after post hoc analysis. Our data support the hypothesis that gamma oscillatory activity increase concomitantly with rises in activity of lower EEG frequencies during absence seizures and that the activity starts to cease earlier than lower EEG frequencies. The data did not support a change in gamma activity preceding the 3-4 Hz SWDs. SWDs are hypothetically generated by the synchronous interaction between the thalamus and the cortex, whereas the production of gamma activity is the result of activity in local inhibitory networks. Thus, the modification of SWD by gamma activity may be understood in terms of the cellular and synaptic mechanisms involved.

Coherent neocortical gamma oscillations decrease during REM sleep in the rat

Higher cognitive functions require the integration and coordination of large populations of neurons in cortical and subcortical regions. Oscillations in the high frequency band (30–100Hz) of the electroencephalogram (EEG), that have been postulated to be a product of this interaction, are involved in the binding of spatially separated but temporally correlated neural events, which results in a unified perceptual experience. The extent of this functional connectivity can be examined by means of the mathematical algorithm called “coherence”, which is correlated with the “strength” of functional interactions between cortical areas. As a continuation of previous studies in the cat [6,7], the present study was conducted to analyze EEG coherence in the gamma band of the rat during wakefulness (W), non-REM (NREM) sleep and REM sleep.Rats were implanted with electrodes in different cortical areas to record EEG activity, and the magnitude squared coherence values within the gamma frequency band of EEG (30–48 and 52–100Hz) were determined.Coherence between all cortical regions in the low and high gamma frequency bands was greater during W compared with sleep. Remarkably, EEG coherence in the low and high gamma bands was smallest during REM sleep.We conclude that high frequency interactions between cortical areas are radically different during sleep and wakefulness in the rat. Since this feature is conserved in other mammals, including humans, we suggest that the uncoupling of gamma frequency activity during REM sleep is a defining trait of REM sleep in mammals.

Gamma-range synchronization of fast-spiking interneurons can enhance detection of tactile stimuli.

We tested the sensory impact of repeated synchronization of fast-spiking interneurons (FS), an activity pattern thought to underlie neocortical gamma oscillations. We optogenetically drove “FS-gamma” while mice detected naturalistic vibrissal stimuli and found enhanced detection of less salient stimuli and impaired detection of more salient ones. Prior studies have predicted that the benefit of FS-gamma is generated when sensory neocortical excitation arrives in a specific temporal window 20-25 ms after FS synchronization. To systematically test this prediction, we aligned periodic tactile and optogenetic stimulation. We found that the detection of less salient stimuli was improved only when peripheral drive led to the arrival of excitation 20-25 ms after synchronization and that other temporal alignments either had no effects or impaired detection. These results provide causal evidence that FS-gamma can enhance processing of less salient stimuli, those that benefit from the allocation of attention.

Inter-hemispheric coherence of neocortical gamma oscillations during sleep and wakefulness

Oscillations in the gamma frequency band (mainly ≈40Hz) of the electroencephalogram (EEG) have been involved in the binding of spatially separated but temporally correlated neural events that result in a unified perceptual experience. The extent of these interactions can be examined by means of a mathematical algorithm called “coherence”, which reflects the “strength” of functional interactions between cortical areas. As a continuation of a previous study of our group, the present study was conducted to analyze the inter-hemispheric coherence of the EEG gamma frequency band in the cat during alert wakefulness (AW), quiet wakefulness (QW), non-REM (NREM) sleep and REM sleep. Cats were implanted with electrodes in the frontal, parietal and occipital cortices to monitor EEG activity. The degree of coherence in the low (30–45Hz) and high (60–100Hz) gamma frequency bands from pairs of EEG recordings was analyzed. A large increase in coherence between all inter-hemispheric cortical regions in the low gamma bands during AW was present compared to the other behavioral states. Furthermore, both low and high gamma coherence between inter-hemispheric heterotopic cortices (different cortical areas of both hemispheres) decreased during REM sleep; this is a pattern that we previously reported between the cortical areas of the same hemisphere (intrahemispheric coherence). In the high gamma band, coherence during REM sleep also decreased compared to the other behavioral states. In contrast, between most of the inter-hemispheric homotopic cortical areas (equivalent or mirror areas of both hemispheres), low gamma coherence was similar during NREM compared to REM sleep. We conclude that in spite of subtle differences between homotopic and heterotopic inter-hemispheric cortices, functional interactions at high frequency decrease during REM sleep.

Autaptic Connections and Synaptic Depression Constrain and Promote Gamma Oscillations

Computational models of gamma oscillations have helped increase our understanding of the mechanisms that shape these 40–80 Hz cortical rhythms. Evidence suggests that interneurons known as basket cells are responsible for the generation of gamma oscillations. However, current models of gamma oscillations lack the dynamic short term synaptic plasticity seen at basket cell-basket cell synapses as well as the large autaptic synapses basket cells are known to express. Hence, I sought to extend the Wang-Buzsáki model of gamma oscillations to include these features. I found that autapses increased the synchrony of basket cell membrane potentials across the network during neocortical gamma oscillations as well as allowed the network to oscillate over a broader range of depolarizing drive. I also found that including realistic synaptic depression filtered the output of the network. Depression restricted the network to oscillate in the 60–80 Hz range rather than the 40–120 Hz range seen in the standard model. This work shows the importance of including accurate synapses in any future model of gamma oscillations.

Hippocampal and Neocortical Gamma Oscillations Predict Memory Formation in Humans

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the human brain has shown that the hippocampus and the left temporal and frontal cortices play a key role in the formation of new verbal memories. We recorded electrical activity from 2349 surgically implanted intracranial electrodes in epilepsy patients while they studied and later recalled lists of common words. Using these recordings, we demonstrate that gamma oscillations (44-64 Hz) in the hippocampus and the left temporal and frontal cortices predict successful encoding of new verbal memories. This increase in gamma oscillations was not seen in other frequency bands, whose activity generally decreased during successful memory formation. These findings identify a role for gamma oscillations in verbal memory formation with the hippocampus and the left temporal and frontal cortices, the same regions implicated using noninvasive fMRI recording methods.