Top-down control of cortical gamma-band communication via pulvinar induced phase shifts in the alpha rhythm
Fig 7
Stimulus discrimination in the receiving cortical area is influenced by alpha phase difference with the sending cortical area.
(A) The excitatory populations of both areas were divided in 2 subpopulations that were individually stimulated. Each subpopulation in area 1 was selectively connected to the corresponding one in area 2. (B) The degree to which information send from the first area that could be retrieved from the response of the second area depended both on alpha phase of area 1 at stimulus onset (y-axis) as well as on the alpha phase difference between area 1 and area 2 (x-axis), in a similar fashion as the stimulus response characterized in Fig 6D. (C) A cross section at the optimal alpha phase of area 1 (0°, dashed line in panel 7D) highlights the effect of relative phase. The information transfer from area 1 to area 2 attained peak values at the same alpha phase difference where stimulus response of area 2 was highest. (D) When less neurons in area 2 were available for decoding, the performance decreased. For 200 neurons decoding performance is always 100% and the alpha phase difference is not relevant. However, for more challenging tasks for which there are fewer neurons available for decoding the optimal alpha phase difference is essential for adequate decoding. Data was averaged over 10 trials, the error bars represent the standard error of the mean (SEM).