Perceptual switching and synchronized neural activities between frontal and parietal areas in human scalp EEG

摘要

Ambiguous figures provide a useful experimental paradigm to study neuronal correlates of conscious perception. Prolonged presentation of ambiguous figures results in perceptual switching between alternative interpretations. According to recent fMRI studies, areas related to perceptual switching are widely-distributed in the brain. Their coordination may require some form of temporal synchronization of activity. We investigated the temporal structure of synchronized activity between distant electrodes in human scalp EEG. A Necker cube was presented continuously and subjects were asked to press a button whenever a perceptual switch occurred. Transient synchronized gamma-band activity between frontal and parietal areas appeared prior to the button presses.