Cognitive functions of gamma-band activity: memory match and utilization.
Oscillatory neural activity in the gamma frequency range (>30Hz) has been shown to accompany a wide variety of cognitive processes. So far, there has been limited success in assigning a unitary basic function to these oscillations, and critics have raised the argument that they could just be an epiphenomenon of neural processing. We propose a new framework that relates gamma oscillations observed in human, as well as in animal, experiments to two underlying processes: the comparison of memory contents with stimulus-related information and the utilization of signals derived from this comparison. This model attempts to explain early gamma-band responses in terms of the match between bottom-up and top-down information. Furthermore, it assumes that late gamma-band activity reflects the readout and utilization of the information resulting from this match.
Herrmann
Christoph S
CS
Department for Biological Psychology, Magdeburg University, Postfach 4120, 39108 Magdeburg, Germany. christoph.herrmann@nat.uni-magdeburg.de <christoph.herrmann@nat.uni-magdeburg.de>
Munk
Matthias H J
MH
Engel
Andreas K
AK
D000818:Animals; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005246:Feedback; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D009047:Motor Neurons, Gamma / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000502:physiology; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology
D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic