Bursts of beta oscillation differentiate postperformance activity in the striatum and motor cortex of monkeys performing movement tasks

Abstract

Studies of beta oscillations, highlighted clinically because of exaggerated beta-band activity in Parkinson’s disease, have focused on measures averaged over multiple trials, and readers outside the field could have the misperception that beta oscillations persist over seconds. We show that brief bursts of oscillation are responsible for virtually all beta-band activity in healthy monkeys. The state called “beta synchronization” consists of numerous brief (∼40–120 ms) bouts of oscillation within a nonoscillatory background, and these bouts can also occur during periods of “desynchronization.” Thus, postmovement “synchronization” of beta represents a transient increase in oscillation probability, with different time courses in the motor cortex and striatum. We suggest that the timing and duration of these bursts are critical parameters for network function.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Oct 12, 2015
Source ID
10.1073/pnas.1517629112

Entities

People

  • Ann Graybiel
  • Brian Depasquale
  • Daniel J. Gibson
  • Joseph Feingold

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
  • Office of Naval Research

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Brain and Cognitive Science; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Control Systems Engineering.
  • Neuroscience