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Top-down coordination of local cortical state during selective attention.

ABSTRACT: Spontaneous fluctuations in cortical excitability influence sensory processing and behavior. These fluctuations, long thought to reflect global changes in cortical state, were recently found to be modulated locally within a retinotopic map during spatially selective attention. We report that periods of vigorous (On) and faint (Off) spiking activity, the signature of cortical state fluctuations, are coordinated across brain areas with retinotopic precision. Top-down attention enhanced interareal local state coordination, traversing along the reverse cortical hierarchy. The extent of local state coordination between areas was predictive of behavioral performance. Our results show that cortical state dynamics are shared across brain regions, modulated by cognitive demands and relevant for behavior.

SUBMITTER: van Kempen J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7927916 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Top-down coordination of local cortical state during selective attention.

van Kempen Jochem J Gieselmann Marc A MA Boyd Michael M Steinmetz Nicholas A NA Moore Tirin T Engel Tatiana A TA Thiele Alexander A

Neuron 20210105 5

Spontaneous fluctuations in cortical excitability influence sensory processing and behavior. These fluctuations, long thought to reflect global changes in cortical state, were recently found to be modulated locally within a retinotopic map during spatially selective attention. We report that periods of vigorous (On) and faint (Off) spiking activity, the signature of cortical state fluctuations, are coordinated across brain areas with retinotopic precision. Top-down attention enhanced interareal ...[more]

PMID: 33406410

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