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Thalamocortical oscillations

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Check out this Knowledge Base article from StressTherapy Solutions: Thalamocortical oscillations.

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Study at a glance

Area
QEEG, Methods & Mechanisms
Study type
Review & meta-analysis
Authors
Bazhenov M, Timofeev I
Journal
Scholarpedia
Year
2006
Protocol
review of thalamocortical oscillation mechanisms

Key findings

  • Normal rhythms range from infra-slow (0.02-0.1 Hz) through slow, delta and spindle activity to fast and ultra-fast (100-600 Hz)
  • Infra-slow activity likely originates in the cortex and may help synchronize faster rhythms and modulate excitability
  • The slow sleep oscillation (about 0.3-1 Hz) appears to be generated within the cortex
  • During this oscillation the cortical network alternates between silent and active states lasting 0.2-1 second

DOI 10.4249/scholarpedia.1319 →

An encyclopedia review of the rhythms generated by the thalamus and cortex working together. The authors explain that these oscillations arise either from the built-in electrical properties of single neurons, from interactions within networks of excitatory and inhibitory cells, or from both, and that which rhythms dominate depends on the brain's state. They describe each normal rhythm in turn, from infra-slow to ultra-fast activity, with a focus on the mechanisms behind the slow oscillation of deep sleep.