IUBio

40 Hertz

dag.stenberg at helsinki.nospam.fi dag.stenberg at helsinki.nospam.fi
Mon Jan 4 07:13:13 EST 1999


Ken Martens <martensk at cadvision.com> wrote:
> An earlier posting indicated that "consciousness naturally occurs at 40
> hertz."  I am a layman in this area but I recall some reference to
> consciousness occurring at 20 (not 40) hertz.  I don't really know what
> it means for consciousness to "occur" at 40 or at 20 hertz.

> Are there any studies/references that anyone could direct me to so that
> I would have a better understanding of the topic?

These might be helpful for a start (not necessarily the utmost
classics):

         Database: Medline <1966 to present>

         <1>
         Authors
          Yordanova J.  Kolev V.  Demiralp T.
         Title
          The phase-locking of auditory gamma band responses in
          humans is sensitive to task processing.
         Source
          Neuroreport.  8(18):3999-4004, 1997 Dec 22.


         <2>
         Authors
          Steriade M.  Timofeev I.  Durmuller N.  Grenier F.
         Title
          Dynamic properties of corticothalamic neurons and local
          cortical interneurons generating fast rhythmic (30-40 Hz)
          spike bursts.
         Source
          Journal of Neurophysiology.  79(1):483-90, 1998 Jan.


         <3>
         Authors
          Tiitinen H.  May P.  Naatanen R.
         Title
          The transient 40-Hz response, mismatch negativity, and
          attentional processes in humans. [Review] [52 refs]
         Source
          Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological
          Psychiatry.  21(5):751-71, 1997 Jul.


         <4>
         Authors
          Basar-Eroglu C.  Struber D.  Schurmann M.  Stadler M.
          Basar E.
         Title
          Gamma-band responses in the brain: a short review of
          psychophysiological correlates and functional significance.
          [Review] [69 refs]
         Source
          International Journal of Psychophysiology.  24(1-2):101-12,
          1996 Nov.


         <5>
         Authors
          Jefferys JG.  Traub RD.  Whittington MA.
         Title
          Neuronal networks for induced '40 Hz' rhythms [see
          comments].
         Source
          Trends in Neurosciences.  19(5):202-8, 1996 May.


         <6>
         Authors
          Steriade M.  Contreras D.  Amzica F.  Timofeev I.
         Title
          Synchronization of fast (30-40 Hz) spontaneous oscillations
          in intrathalamic and thalamocortical networks.
         Source
          Journal of Neuroscience.  16(8):2788-808, 1996 Apr 15.


         <7>
         Authors
          Steriade M.  Amzica F.
         Title
          Intracortical and corticothalamic coherency of fast
          spontaneous oscillations.
         Source
          Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
          United States of America.  93(6):2533-8, 1996 Mar 19.


         <8>
         Authors
          Steriade M.  Amzica F.  Contreras D.
         Title
          Synchronization of fast (30-40 Hz) spontaneous cortical
          rhythms during brain activation.
         Source
          Journal of Neuroscience.  16(1):392-417, 1996 Jan.


         <9>
         Authors
          Steriade M.
         Title
          Brain activation, then (1949) and now: coherent fast
          rhythms in corticothalamic networks. [Review] [69 refs]
         Source
          Archives Italiennes de Biologie.  134(1):5-20, 1995 Dec.


         <10>
         Authors
          Desmedt JE.  Tomberg C.
         Title
          Consciousness. [Review] [38 refs]
         Source
          Electroencephalography & Clinical Neurophysiology -
          Supplement.  44:227-34, 1995.


         <11>
         Authors
          Goertz R.  Jokeit H.  Kuchler E.
         Title
          Event related dynamics of 40 Hz electroencephalogram during
          visual discrimination task.
         Source
          International Journal of Neuroscience.  79(3-4):267-73,
          1994 Dec.


         <12>
         Authors
          Desmedt JE.  Tomberg C.
         Title
          Transient phase-locking of 40 Hz electrical oscillations in
          prefrontal and parietal human cortex reflects the process
          of conscious somatic perception.
         Source
          Neuroscience Letters.  168(1-2):126-9, 1994 Feb 28.


         <13>
         Authors
          Pfurtscheller G.  Neuper C.  Kalcher J.
         Title
          40-Hz oscillations during motor behavior in man.
         Source
          Neuroscience Letters.  164(1-2):179-82, 1993 Dec 24.


         <14>
         Authors
          Tiitinen H.  Sinkkonen J.  Reinikainen K.  Alho K.
          Lavikainen J.  Naatanen R.
         Title
          Selective attention enhances the auditory 40-Hz transient
          response in humans.
         Source
          Nature.  364(6432):59-60, 1993 Jul 1.


         <15>
         Authors
          Steriade M.  Dossi RC.  Pare D.  Oakson G.
         Title
          Fast oscillations (20-40 Hz) in thalamocortical systems and
          their potentiation by mesopontine cholinergic nuclei in the
          cat.
         Source
          Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
          United States of America.  88(10):4396-400, 1991 May 15.


         <16>
         Authors
          Basar E.  Rosen B.  Basar-Eroglu C.  Greitschus F.
         Title
          The associations between 40 Hz-EEG and the middle latency
          response of the auditory evoked potential.
         Source
          International Journal of Neuroscience.  33(1-2):103-17,
          1987 Mar.

And yes, a 40 Hz rhythm relates to attention.
Dag Stenberg



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