Previous Research

During his time as a postdoctoral student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), André Bastos, alongside his advisor Earl Miller, conducted studies involving monkeys. Their work led to the identification of unique activity patterns in the cerebral cortex, the brain’s outer layer responsible for high-level functions such as emotional processing and sensory information handling.

Bastos found that the cortex exhibited rapid, high-frequency electrical activity in its upper layers, while slower frequencies were observed in the deeper layers. The high-frequency waves, known as gamma rhythms, range from 50 to 150 hertz and are associated with the encoding and retrieval of sensory data. In contrast, alpha and beta rhythms, which occur at 10 to 30 hertz, regulate this incoming information.

Bastos suggests that these lower-frequency waves act as gatekeepers, managing what enters our conscious awareness. He explains, "You have information coming in that can be represented by gamma bursts and spikes. And then you can have another mechanism for saying, ‘I don’t care anymore, turn that off.’ That’s the job of alpha-beta waves — to yank one thought off stage to let another on."

Later on, Bastos and Miller collaborated with other researchers from Vanderbilt University and beyond to delve deeper into this intriguing brain activity.

New Research Findings

In January 2023, Miller, Bastos, and their international team published their latest findings in Nature Neuroscience. They revealed that the previously identified brain activity patterns were more widespread than initially thought, appearing across fourteen different cortical areas.

Bastos remarked, “What we have shown here is that it’s not just present in one area or another, but it’s really present throughout.” They also found these patterns in marmosets, macaques, and humans.

To conduct their research, the team used advanced multi-contact laminar probes to record activity across all layers of the cortex simultaneously. For human subjects, these probes were implanted during surgeries for conditions such as epilepsy.

The data collected revealed a universal pattern of cortical activity, characterized by peaks of gamma activity in the upper layers and alpha-beta activity in the deeper regions. Interestingly, similar patterns were not observed in mouse brains.

As for the implications of this research, Bastos agrees with Miller’s hypothesis that the slower waves serve as gatekeepers of information. Although further exploration is needed, the researchers believe these patterns likely reflect similar cognitive processes across primate species.

Future Research Directions

The scientists propose that imbalances between high- and low-frequency brain waves could be linked to various mental health conditions. For example, excessive high-frequency waves might contribute to conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), whereas an excess of lower-frequency waves could lead to disorders such as schizophrenia.

Miller, a senior author of the study, emphasizes the importance of balancing these signals: “The proper balance between the top-down control signals and the bottom-up sensory signals is important for everything the cortex does. When the balance goes awry, you get a wide variety of neuropsychiatric disorders.”

Moving forward, the researchers aim to explore whether monitoring these oscillations could enhance diagnostic methods for such disorders. Future studies may also involve observing brain activity during specific tasks rather than just resting states.

Bastos is enthusiastic about future technological developments that could allow for simultaneous recordings of thousands of neuronal activities across different brain regions, hoping to deepen our understanding of cognition.

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Perspective Shift

The universal nature of these brainwave patterns suggests they play a crucial role in how the brain shifts focus between pieces of information. Although the exact function of these oscillations is still under investigation, their presence across species invites curiosity about the cognitive similarities we share with other animals.

I am eager to discover how many more shared neural patterns exist among species. While we may never fully comprehend how different animals experience life, studying brainwave activity may help us draw closer to understanding our connections. Ultimately, this research serves as a humbling reminder that we are not above, but rather part of the intricate tapestry of the animal kingdom.

This article was originally published in the author’s free newsletter, Curious Adventure, and has been edited for publication on Medium with her permission.

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