Stimulus Expectancy Triggers Low-frequency Phase Reset during Restricted Vigilance

S. Ten Oever, N.M. van Atteveldt, A Sack

    Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    Temporal cues can be used to selectively attend to relevant information during abundant sensory stimulation. However, such cues differ vastly in the accuracy of their temporal estimates, ranging from very predictable to very unpredictable. When cues are strongly predictable, attention may facilitate selective processing by aligning relevant incoming information to high neuronal excitability phases of ongoing low-frequency oscillations. However, top-down effects on ongoing oscillations when temporal cues have some predictability, but also contain temporal uncertainties, are unknown. Here, we experimentally created such a situation of mixed predictability and uncertainty: A target could occur within a limited time window after cue but was always unpredictable in exact timing. Crucially to assess top- down effects in such a mixed situation, we manipulated target probability. High target likelihood, compared with low likelihood, enhanced delta oscillationsmore strongly asmeasured by evoked power and intertrial coherence. Moreover, delta phasemodulated detection rates for probable targets. The delta frequency range corresponds with half-a-period to the target occurrence window and therefore suggests that low-frequency phase reset is engaged to produce a long window of high excitability when event timing is uncertain within a restricted temporal window.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1811-1822
    JournalJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience
    Volume27
    Issue number9
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2015

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