EEG Alpha power predicts the temporal sensitivity of multisensory perception

London, R. E., Benwell, C. S. Y., Cecere, R., Quak, M., Thut, G. and Talsma, D. (2022) EEG Alpha power predicts the temporal sensitivity of multisensory perception. European Journal of Neuroscience, 55(11-12), pp. 3241-3255. (doi: 10.1111/ejn.15719) (PMID:35569824)

Abstract

Pre-stimulus EEG oscillations, especially in the alpha range (8-13 Hz), can affect the sensitivity to temporal lags between modalities in multisensory perception. The effects of alpha power are often explained in terms of alpha’s inhibitory functions, whereas effects of alpha frequency have bolstered theories of discrete perceptual cycles, where the length of a cycle, or window of integration, is determined by alpha frequency. Such studies typically employ visual detection paradigms with near-threshold or even illusory stimuli. It is unclear whether such results generalize to above-threshold stimuli. Here, we recorded electroencephalography, while measuring temporal discrimination sensitivity in a temporal order judgement task using above-threshold auditory and visual stimuli. We tested whether the power and instantaneous frequency of pre-stimulus oscillations predict audio-visual temporal discrimination sensitivity on a trial-by-trial basis. By applying a jackknife procedure to link single-trial pre-stimulus oscillatory power and instantaneous frequency to psychometric measures, we identified a posterior cluster where lower alpha power was associated with higher temporal sensitivity of audiovisual discrimination. No statistically significant relationship between instantaneous alpha frequency and temporal sensitivity was found. These results suggest that temporal sensitivity for above-threshold multisensory stimuli fluctuates from moment to moment and is indexed by modulations in alpha power.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by Ghent University (BOF Grant: B/13469/01) to D.T. and the Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders (FWO-V; grant number V429516N) to R.E.L.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Thut, Professor Gregor and Cecere, Dr Roberto
• Authors: London, R. E., Benwell, C. S. Y., Cecere, R., Quak, M., Thut, G., and Talsma, D.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: European Journal of Neuroscience
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0953-816X
• ISSN (Online): 1460-9568
• Published Online: 15 May 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley and Sons Ltd
• First Published: First published in European Journal of Neuroscience 55(11-12): 3241-3255
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy