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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Jochem van KempenORCiD, Dr Alwin GieselmannORCiD, Michael Boyd, Professor Alexander Thiele
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2020 The Author(s)Spontaneous fluctuations in cortical excitability influence sensory processing and behavior. These fluctuations, long thought to reflect global changes in cortical state, were recently found to be modulated locally within a retinotopic map during spatially selective attention. We report that periods of vigorous (On) and faint (Off) spiking activity, the signature of cortical state fluctuations, are coordinated across brain areas with retinotopic precision. Top-down attention enhanced interareal local state coordination, traversing along the reverse cortical hierarchy. The extent of local state coordination between areas was predictive of behavioral performance. Our results show that cortical state dynamics are shared across brain regions, modulated by cognitive demands and relevant for behavior. How do fluctuations in ongoing brain activity interact with cognitive functions? In this study, van Kempen et al. show that fluctuations in neural excitability are coordinated between visual areas with retinotopic precision. Top-down attention drives interareal coordination along the reverse cortical hierarchy, predicting better behavioral performance with increased coordination.
Author(s): van Kempen J, Gieselmann MA, Boyd M, Steinmetz NA, Moore T, Engel TA, Thiele A
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Neuron
Year: 2021
Volume: 109
Issue: 5
Pages: 894-904
Print publication date: 03/03/2021
Online publication date: 05/01/2021
Acceptance date: 16/12/2020
Date deposited: 26/02/2021
ISSN (print): 0896-6273
ISSN (electronic): 1097-4199
Publisher: Cell Press
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2020.12.013
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.12.013
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