title: Beta-band oscillations--signalling the status quo?
abstract: In this review, we consider the potential functional role of beta-band oscillations, which at present is not yet well understood. We discuss evidence from recent studies on top-down mechanisms involved in cognitive processing, on the motor system and on the pathophysiology of movement disorders that suggest a unifying hypothesis: beta-band activity seems related to the maintenance of the current sensorimotor or cognitive state. We hypothesize that beta oscillations and/or coupling in the beta-band are expressed more strongly if the maintenance of the status quo is intended or predicted, than if a change is expected. Moreover, we suggest that pathological enhancement of beta-band activity is likely to result in an abnormal persistence of the status quo and a deterioration of flexible behavioural and cognitive control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology and Pathophysiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. ak.engel@uke.de
authors.forename: Andreas K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fries
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001611:Beta Rhythm; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D010507:Periodicity; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology