| In daily life our brains receive a continuous stream of sensory input. Effective processing in a complex natural environment requires attention: selection of relevant input and suppression of irrelevant information. Recent work shows that brain activity reflecting the internal state prior to perception is highly relevant for subsequent processing of external information. In particular, (anticipatory) oscillatory brain activity in the alpha frequency band (8-14 Hz) is thought to reflect functional inhibition: decreased alpha facilitates processing whereas increased alpha functions to suppress distracting input. My recent research has provided substantial evidence for this functional role of the alpha rhythm and its consequences for behaviour. However, the underlying neurophysiological mechanism remains surprisingly ill-understood. How exactly do alpha oscillations influence neuronal processing? The proposed project aims to answer this highly relevant question. Using intracranial recordings, I will have the unique opportunity to test the hypothesis that alpha oscillations modulate neuronal processing in a phasic manner in order to allocate attention. Combining the theoretical framework proposing that alpha reflects functional inhibition, with unique data recordings and state-of-the-art methods to assess the causal interaction between alpha oscillations and neuronal processing, the proposed project will provide fundamental insights into the brain mechanisms underlying attention. |
