Alpha and Theta Bands Dynamics Serve Distinct Functions during Perception–Action Integration in Response Inhibition

Abstract

The ability to inhibit responses is central for situational behavior. However, the mechanisms how sensory information is used to inform inhibitory control processes are incompletely understood. In the current study, we examined neurophysiological processes of perception–action integration in response inhibition using the theory of event coding as a conceptual framework. Based on theoretical considerations, we focused on theta and alpha band activity in close connection to the functional neuroanatomical level using EEG beamforming. Moreover, we performed a network-based analysis of theta and alpha band activity. We show a seesaw-like relationship between medial and superior frontal cortex theta band activity and frontoparietal cortex alpha band activity during perception–action integration in response inhibition, depending on the necessity to reconfigure perception–action associations. When perception–action integration was more demanding, because perception–action associations (bindings) have to be reconfigured, there was an increase of theta and a decrease of alpha band activity. Vice versa, when there was no need to reconfigure perception–action bindings, theta band activity was low and alpha band activity was high. However, theta band processes seem to be most important for perception–action integration in response inhibition, because only the sensor-level network organization of theta band activity showed variations depending on the necessity to reconfigure perception–action associations. When no reconfiguration was necessary, the network architecture was more small-world-like, likely enabling efficient processing. When reconfigurations were necessary, the network organization becomes more random. These differences were particularly strong for fractions of the neurophysiological signal supposed to reflect response selection processes.

Towards a systematization of brain oscillatory activity in actions

“…Theta network dynamics during event-file processing are modulated when demands on action control processes increase. Along the same lines, event-file reconfigurations modulate theta and decrease alpha-band activity 68,69 . Vice versa, when there was no need to reconfigure perception-action bindings, TBA was low and alphaband activity (ABA) was high.…”

“…Evidence for an involvement of TBA in action control has been corroborated by various studies using different paradigms. In recent years, a number of studies have corroborated a role of TBA activity properties in event-file processing, either by examining TBA directly using time-frequency EEG data 68,69 , or indirectly through EEG responses in the time domain known to depend on TBA [69][70][71][72][73][74][75] . In line with biophysical properties of TBA 59 , and its original conceptualization in TEC 15,43 , event-file dynamics reflect processing in a distributed cortical and subcortical network encompassing inferior and superior parietal areas, supplementary motor areas, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and the hippocampus [69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76] .…”

“…is more contentious, even though some studies have provided evidence that inferior and superior parietal structures are involved in alpha band activity during event file coding 68,140 . From the evidence outlined above it appears that a fronto-parietal network is involved in the dynamics central to assumptions of BRAC.…”

Perception‐action integration during inhibitory control is reflected in a concomitant multi‐region processing of specific codes in the neurophysiological signal

“…For the current data analysis, N = 38 healthy participants were selected randomly from the remaining 82 data sets. N = 38 were chosen to have comparable sample size with previous studies using the same paradigm (Prochnow et al, 2021(Prochnow et al, , 2022. From the N = 38 people, N = 6 participants were removed after the EEG preprocessing and epoching due to an insufficient number of remaining trials.…”

Inhibitory Control and Brain–Heart Interaction: An HRV-EEG Study

“…Furthermore, the higher level of theta activity could indicate the effort to maintain a good level of ‘relaxed concentration’ [ 64 , 65 , 66 ]. The opposite trend in the two groups indicates increasing attention in the GP group and decreased maintenance of attention in the PP group [ 67 , 68 , 69 ].…”