Summary: © 2006 Nature Publishing Group
Gamma-band synchronization in visual cortex
predicts speed of change detection
Thilo Womelsdorf1
*, Pascal Fries1,2
*, Partha P. Mitra3
& Robert Desimone4,5
Our capacity to process and respond behaviourally to multiple
incoming stimuli is very limited. To optimize the use of this
limited capacity, attentional mechanisms give priority to beha-
viourally relevant stimuli at the expense of irrelevant distractors.
In visual areas, attended stimuli induce enhanced responses and
an improved synchronization of rhythmic neuronal activity in the
gamma frequency band (40­70 Hz)1­11
. Both effects probably
improve the neuronal signalling of attended stimuli within and
among brain areas1,12­16
. Attention also results in improved beha-
vioural performance and shortened reaction times. However, it is
not known how reaction times are related to either response

Source: Andrzejak, Ralph Gregor - Departament de Tecnologia, Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Wagner, Anthony - Department of Psychology, Stanford University

Collections: Biology and Medicine; Computer Technologies and Information Sciences