Gating by alpha band inhibition revised: a case for a secondary control mechanism
Ole Jensen
Abstract
In recent decades there has been a growing interest in the role of neuronal oscillations in the alpha band and how they support cognition. It is clear from intracranial animal recordings, that alpha oscillations are associated with inhibition as increases in alpha power co-occur with a decrease in neuronal activity. Nevertheless, several findings have put into question whether alpha-band oscillations, in general, can be controlled in a top-down manner to suppress visual distractors. Also, it has been questioned whether alpha oscillations can exercise gain control in the early visual cortex. We here point to a revised mechanism in which alpha oscillations are controlled by a secondary mechanism governed by the load of goal-relevant information. This view is compatible with perceptual load theory and biased competition, where distractor suppression is an indirect consequence of engagement. We will outline how this framework can be further tested experimentally and discuss the consequences for network dynamics and resource allocation in the working brain.