Integrating intra- and intermodal networks through oscillatory neuronal synchronization

日常事件通常是复杂的，并通过一个以上的感官形态感知。在人脑中，通过不同感觉输入感知的信息在专门的、功能性的和空间分布的区域中进行处理，这些区域具有独特的功能作用，如处理视觉、触觉或听觉输入或控制运动输出。虽然这些区域是分布的，但当处理由多个感官输入表示的事件时，它们必须有效地进行通信和交互。这种有效的相互作用需要分布区域的神经元动态地连接到连贯的神经元群。尽管对于理解大脑至关重要，但这种整合过程的机制还没有得到很好的理解。一个突出的候选机制的分布式脑区的整合是振荡神经元同步。已经证明，神经元显示振荡放电模式，并且当它们处理共同的感觉事件时，它们同步它们的振荡行为。神经元可以在不同的频率下振荡，不同的频带具有不同的功能。不同神经元群的同步振荡可能提供了一种将这些神经元群连接到网络的机制。虽然有越来越多的证据表明振荡神经元同步在局部神经元网络中的功能作用，但其在分布式区域的神经元整合中的作用仍然难以捉摸。使用不同的互补方法，如心理物理学，全头脑磁图（MEG）和经颅交流电刺激（tACS），这项研究计划将研究振荡神经元同步在整合和相互作用的分布大脑区域中的作用。我们将在体感和视觉模式中进行感觉内和感觉间神经元网络的研究，以研究大脑中几毫秒时间尺度上的动态信息流和网络可塑性及其对感知和行为的影响。

Everyday events are typically complex and perceived by more than one sensory modality. In the human brain, information perceived by different sensory inputs is processed in specialised, functionally and spatially distributed areas with unique functional roles like processing visual, tactile, or auditory input or controlling motor output. Although these areas are distributed, they have to communicate and interact effectively when processing an event represented by more than one sensory input. Such effective interaction requires that neurons in distributed areas dynamically link to coherent neuronal groups. Despite being crucial for understanding the brain, the mechanisms of this integration process are not well understood. One prominent candidate mechanism for the integration of distributed brain areas is oscillatory neuronal synchronisation. It has been demonstrated that neurons show oscillatory firing patterns and that they synchronise their oscillatory behaviour when they process a common sensory event. Neurons can oscillate in different frequencies with different frequency bands having distinct functions. Synchronous oscillations in different neuronal groups might offer a mechanism for linking these groups to a network. While there is mounting evidence for the functional role of oscillatory neuronal synchronisation in local neuronal networks, its role for neuronal integration of distributed areas is still elusive.Using different, complementary approaches like psychophysics, whole-head Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), this research proposal will study the role of oscillatory neuronal synchronisation for the integration and interaction of distributed brain areas. We will perform the research on intra- and intersensory neuronal networks in the somatosensory and the visual modalities to study dynamic information flow and network plasticity in the brain on a timescale of a few milliseconds and its impact on perception and behaviour.