Individual resting-state alpha peak frequency and within-trial changes in alpha peak frequency both predict visual dual-pulse segregation performance

Jan Drewes, Evelyn Muschter, Weina Zhu, David Melcher

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Although sensory input is continuous, information must be combined over time to guide action and cognition, leading to the proposal of temporal sampling windows. A number of studies have suggested that a 10-Hz sampling window might be involved in the "frame rate"of visual processing. To investigate this, we tested the ability of participants to localize and enumerate 1 or 2 visual flashes presented either at near-threshold or full-contrast intensities, while recording magnetoencephalography. The inter-stimulus interval (ISI) between the 2 flashes was varied across trials. Performance in distinguishing between 1 and 2 flashes was linked to the alpha frequency, both at the individual level and trial-by-trial. Participants with a higher resting-state alpha peak frequency showed the greatest improvement in performance as a function of ISI within a 100-ms time window, while those with slower alpha improved more when ISI exceeded 100 ms. On each trial, correct enumeration (1 vs. 2) performance was paired with faster pre-stimulus instantaneous alpha frequency. Our results suggest that visual sampling/processing speed, linked to peak alpha frequency, is both an individual trait and can vary in a state-dependent manner.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)5455-5466
Number of pages12
JournalCerebral Cortex
Volume32
Issue number23
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2022

Keywords

  • individual alpha frequency
  • instantaneous alpha frequency
  • temporal integration
  • temporal segregation
  • visual processing speed

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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