"Do brain oscillations orchestrate memory?" by Wenhan Luo and Ji-Song Guan

Home > BRAIN-SCIENCE-ADVANCES > Vol. 4 (2018) > No. 1

Article Title

Do brain oscillations orchestrate memory?

Authors

Wenhan Luo, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China School of Life Sciences and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Ji-Song Guan, School of Life Sciences and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China

Keywords

learning and memory, neural oscillation, state-dependent memory, synchronization

Abstract

Rhythmicity and oscillations are common features in nature, and can be seen in phenomena such as seasons, breathing, and brain activity. Despite the fact that a single neuron transmits its activity to its neighbor through a transient pulse, rhythmic activity emerges from large population-wide activity in the brain, and such rhythms are strongly coupled with the state and cognitive functions of the brain. However, it is still debated whether the oscillations of brain activity actually carry information. Here, we briefly introduce the biological findings of brain oscillations, and summarize the recent progress in understanding how oscillations mediate brain function. Finally, we examine the possible relationship between brain cognitive function and oscillation, focusing on how oscillation is related to memory, particularly with respect to state-dependent memory formation and memory retrieval under specific brain waves. We propose that oscillatory waves in the neocortex contribute to the synchronization and activation of specific memory trace ensembles in the neocortex by promoting long-range neural communication.