Induced gamma activity is associated with conscious awareness of pattern masked nouns.
The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between electroencephalographic (EEG) activity in the gamma frequency range and conscious awareness of a visual stimulus. EEG was recorded from subjects while they were shown backward-masked words only some of which they were able to discriminate correctly. The results showed that activity in the gamma frequency range increased with reported awareness of a word independently of whether it was correctly discriminated or not. It is concluded that gamma power is associated with awareness-dependent visual processing but not with processing that occurs in the absence of awareness.
Summerfield
Christopher
C
Department of Psychiatry and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Hospital Clinic, c/Casanova 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. summerfd@paradox.psych.columbia.edu
Jack
Anthony Ian
AI
Burgess
Adrian Philip
AP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005556:Form Perception; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology