
Article Title
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.
Publisher
Tsinghua University Press
Recommended Citation
Wenhan Luo, Ji-Song Guan. Do brain oscillations orchestrate memory?. Brain Science Advances 2018, 4(1): 16-33.
Included in
Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons, Nervous System Diseases Commons, Neurology Commons, Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons, Neurosciences Commons, Neurosurgery Commons