Traveling waves link human visual and frontal cortex during working memory-guided behavior

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Luo, Canhuang; Ester, Edward F.
• 署名单位: Shenzhen University; Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE); University of Nevada Reno; Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE); University of Nevada Reno
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-14511
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2415573122
• 发表日期: 2025-07-23
• 关键词: eeg; REPRESENTATIONS; mechanisms; DYNAMICS; reveals; error; delay

摘要

Traveling waves guide the spatial propagation of neural activity and computational processes across the brain. Traveling waves could contribute to the control of memory- guided behaviors by flexibly organizing the timing and direction of interactions between brain regions responsible for storing memory content with those responsible for producing task- relevant behaviors. Using short- term memory as a test case, we report evidence supporting this possibility. Analyses of human EEG data revealed forward- and backward- propagating traveling waves linking visual and motor brain areas around the time of a memory- guided behavior. These waves predicted intra- and interindividual differences in task performance, could not be explained by eye movements or passive volume conduction, and were absent when participants planned but could not execute a memory- guided behavior. These findings implicate traveling waves as a mechanism in the initiation and control of memory- guided behaviors.