title: Cortical theta wanes for language.
abstract: The role of low frequency oscillations in language areas is not yet understood. Using ECoG in six human subjects, we studied whether different language regions show prominent power changes in a specific rhythm, in similar manner as the alpha rhythm shows the most prominent power changes in visual areas. Broca's area and temporal language areas were localized in individual subjects using fMRI. In these areas, the theta rhythm showed the most pronounced power changes and theta power decreased significantly during verb generation. To better understand the role of this language-related theta decrease, we then studied the interaction between low frequencies and local neuronal activity reflected in high frequencies. Amplitude-amplitude correlations showed that theta power correlated negatively with high frequency activity, specifically across verb generation trials. Phase-amplitude coupling showed that during control trials, high frequency power was coupled to theta phase, but this coupling decreased significantly during verb generation trials. These results suggest a dynamic interaction between the neuronal mechanisms underlying the theta rhythm and local neuronal activity in language areas. As visual areas show a pronounced alpha rhythm that may reflect pulsed inhibition, language regions show a pronounced theta rhythm with highly similar features.
authors.affiliation: Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Section Brain Function and Plasticity, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hermes
authors.forename: Kai J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Mariska J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Vansteensel
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Cyrille H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ferrier
authors.forename: Martin G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bleichner
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: van Rijen
authors.forename: Erik J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Aarnoutse
authors.forename: Nick F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Ramsey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D013826:Theta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult