The effect of visually entrained theta and alpha neural oscillations on working memory
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Abstract
Working memory allows the holding and manipulation of information in mind for short periods of time. Electrophysiological studies have linked this ability to synchronous, frequency-specific neural activity across the brain. When these rhythms become disrupted through aging or disease, the result can be poor working memory function. Researchers have used noninvasive electrical stimulation to reinstate proper neural activity and subsequently improve working memory in both older and younger adults.
This study explored if visual entrainment, the process by which neural activity synchronizes with the frequency of a visual driving stimulus, could also be used to modulate neural activity and working memory function. Subjects were exposed to flickering light at 4 Hz, ~8 Hz, or 10 Hz while they performed multiple change-detection tasks that tested their visual working memory. Although subject accuracy did not change across entrainment frequencies, subject reaction time significantly improved under the 8-Hz and 10-Hz conditions.
These results indicate that visual entrainment may be a viable alternative to noninvasive electrical stimulation in driving neural synchrony and improving working memory function.
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Attribution 4.0 International