Cross-frequency synchronization connects networks of fast and slow oscillations during visual working memory maintenance

Abstract
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Abstract

Neuronal activity in sensory and fronto-parietal (FP) areas underlies the representation and attentional control, respectively, of sensory information maintained in visual working memory (VWM). Within these regions, beta/gamma phase-synchronization supports the integration of sensory functions, while synchronization in theta/alpha bands supports the regulation of attentional functions. A key challenge is to understand which mechanisms integrate neuronal processing across these distinct frequencies and thereby the sensory and attentional functions. We investigated whether such integration could be achieved by cross-frequency phase synchrony (CFS). Using concurrent magneto- and electroencephalography, we found that CFS was load-dependently enhanced between theta and alpha-gamma and between alpha and beta/gamma oscillations during VWM maintenance among visual, FP, and dorsal attention (DA) systems. CFS also connected the hubs of within-frequency-synchronized networks and its strength predicted individual VWM capacity. We propose that CFS integrates processing among synchronized neuronal networks from theta to gamma frequencies to link sensory and attentional functions.

Data availability

The following data sets were generated

(2016) Data from: Cross-frequency synchronization connects networks of fast and slow oscillations during visual working memory maintenance
Available at Dryad Digital Repository under a CC0 Public Domain Dedication.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fb240

Article and author information

Author details

Felix Siebenhühner

Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Sheng H Wang

Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
J Matias Palva

Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Satu Palva

Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

For correspondence
satu.palva@helsinki.fi

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0001-9496-7391

Funding

Suomen Akatemia (SA1126927, SA266402,)

Satu Palva

Helsinki University Research Grants (788/51/2010)

Satu Palva

Brain and Mind doctoral program

Felix Siebenhühner

Suomen Akatemia (SA253130, SA281414, SA256472)

J Matias Palva

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

Ethics

Human subjects: This study was approved by the ethical committee of Helsinki University Central hospital and was performed according to the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from each subject prior to the experiment.

Copyright

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.