Individual alpha power predicts language comprehension

Abstract

Alpha power attenuation during cognitive task performing has been suggested to reflect a process of release of inhibition, increase of excitability, and thereby benefit the improvement of performance. Here, we hypothesized that changes in individual alpha power during the execution of a complex language comprehension task may correlate with the individual performance in that task. We tested this using magnetoencephalography (MEG) recorded during comprehension of German sentences of different syntactic complexity. Results showed that neither the frequency nor the power of the spontaneous oscillatory activity at rest were associated with the individual performance. However, during the execution of a sentences processing task, the individual alpha power attenuation did correlate with individual language comprehension performance. Source reconstruction localized effects in temporal-parietal regions of both hemispheres. While the effect of increased task difficulty is localized in the right hemisphere, the difference in power attenuation between tasks of different complexity exhibiting a correlation with performance was localized in left temporal-parietal brain regions known to be associated with language processing. From our results, we conclude that in-task attenuation of individual alpha power is related to the essential mechanisms of the underlying cognitive processes, rather than merely to general phenomena like attention or vigilance.

Time course of EEG complexity reflects attentional engagement during listening to speech in noise

“…The increase in alpha power over time may imply a decrease in attention. However, the specific relationship between changes in alpha power and attention or vigilance has been debated (Wang et al, 2021). Moreover, alpha activity is known to be associated with both endogenous and exogenous attention orientations, with these orientations being distinct from each other (Keefe & Störmer, 2021).…”