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bioRxiv · 10.1101/230656

Low-frequency alternating current stimulation rhythmically suppresses stimulus-induced gamma-band oscillations in visual cortex and impairs perceptual performance

Herring, J. D.·Esterer, S.·Marshall, T. R.·Jensen, O.·Bergmann, T. O.
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Abstract

Alpha oscillations (8-12 Hz) are hypothesized to rhythmically gate sensory processing, reflected by activity in the 40-100 Hz gamma band, via the mechanism of pulsed inhibition. We applied transcranial alternating current stimulation (TACS) at individual alpha frequency (IAF) and flanking frequencies (IAF-4 Hz, IAF+4 Hz) to the occipital cortex of healthy human volunteers during concurrent magnetoencephalography (MEG), while participants performed a visual detection task inducing strong gamma-band responses. Occipital (but not frontal) TACS phasically suppressed stimulus-induced gamma oscillations in the visual cortex and impaired target detection, with stronger phase-to-amplitude coupling predicting behavioral impairments. Frontal control TACS ruled out retino-thalamo-cortical entrainment resulting from (subthreshold) retinal stimulation. All TACS frequencies tested were effective, suggesting that visual gamma-band responses can be modulated by a range of low frequency oscillations. We propose that TACS-induced cortical excitability fluctuations mimic the mechanism of pulsed inhibition, which mediates the function of alpha oscillations in gating sensory processing.

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Herring, J. D., Esterer, S., Marshall, T. R., Jensen, O., Bergmann, T. O.. 2017-12-07. Low-frequency alternating current stimulation rhythmically suppresses stimulus-induced gamma-band oscillations in visual cortex and impairs perceptual performance. https://doi.org/10.1101/230656

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