Introduction
This article, published in the International Journal of Neuroscience in 2006, investigates the relationship between alpha EEG oscillations and visual reaction time. The researchers aim to determine if the quality and rate of alpha oscillations can predict behavioral timing.
The study is grounded in the hypothesis that consciousness is encoded discretely in time and synchronously in space within the brain. The researchers model the alpha EEG as a potential brain clock responsible for these functions. Previous studies have suggested that neural oscillations, particularly in the alpha frequency range, may play a role in temporal binding and synchronizing brain activity.
Using measures of spontaneous EEG and visual perceptual reaction time, the study involves 14 healthy subjects. EEG data is collected while participants perform tasks measuring immediate reaction time, movement time, simple perceptual reaction time, and conflict perceptual reaction time.
The analysis reveals several correlations:
The study concludes that alpha EEG oscillations may serve as a brain clock for spatial synchronization and excitability cycles. The quality and rate of alpha oscillations affect different aspects of visual reaction time, with faster oscillations influencing conflict perception and higher-quality oscillations impacting basic perceptual tasks.
Overall, the findings support the hypothesis that alpha EEG represents excitability cycles in the brain and may play a role in temporal coordination of cognitive processes.
To read the full article, see the attached PDF.