Human EEG responses to 1-100 Hz flicker: resonance phenomena in visual cortex and their potential correlation to cognitive phenomena
Abstract
The individual properties of visual objects, like form or color, are represented in different areas in our visual cortex. In order to perceive one coherent object, its features have to be bound together. This was found to be achieved in cat and monkey brains by temporal correlation of the firing rates of neurons which code the same object. This firing rate is predominantly observed in the gamma frequency range (approx. 30-80 Hz, mainly around 40 Hz). In addition, it has been shown in humans that stimuli which flicker at gamma frequencies are processed faster by our brains than when they flicker at different frequencies. These effects could be due to neural oscillators, which preferably oscillate at certain frequencies, so-called resonance frequencies. It is also known that neurons in visual cortex respond to flickering stimuli at the frequency of the flickering light. If neural oscillators exist with resonance frequencies, they should respond more strongly to stimulation with their resonance frequency. We performed an experiment, where ten human subjects were presented flickering light at frequencies from 1 to 100 Hz in 1-Hz steps. The event-related potentials exhibited steady-state oscillations at all frequencies up to at least 90 Hz. Interestingly, the steady-state potentials exhibited clear resonance phenomena around 10, 20, 40 and 80 Hz. This could be a potential neural basis for gamma oscillations in binding experiments. The pattern of results resembles that of multiunit activity and local field potentials in cat visual cortex.
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The thalamic lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) mediates visual stimuli with temporal frequencies at least up to 90 Hz to layer IV of V1.
“The thalamic lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) mediates visual stimuli with temporal frequencies at least up to 90 Hz to the layer IV of V1 (Gur and Snodderly, 1997; Herrmann, 2001; Norcia et al., 2015; Pastor et al., 2003; Regan, 1989; Vialatte et al., 2010), which in turn relays to output layers II/III and V where temporal filtering occurs (Sachidhanandam et al., 2013), consistent with the notion”
From Perception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation (2022) · cites this paper as Herrmann, 2001
The firing rate of layer IV neurons that receive input from LGN is higher during UF than PF, as evidenced by the synchronization of these neurons to the stimulus frequency.
“In particular, the firing rate of layer IV neurons that receive input from LGN is higher during UF than PF, as evidenced by the synchronization of these neurons to the stimulus frequency (Gur and Snodderly, 1997; Herrmann, 2001; Norcia et al., 2015; Pastor et al., 2003; Regan, 1989; Vialatte et al., 2010), yet we found that lactate and glutamate increases during PF, not UF.”
From Perception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation (2022) · cites this paper as Herrmann, 2001
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“We note that gamma oscillations in V1 are particularly amenable to experimental phase manipulation as they are readily entrained by flickering visual stimuli [43], as expected given the response dynamics of gamma oscillating networks in vitro [44].”
BackgroundPerception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation
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“…input from LGN is higher during UF than PF, as evidenced by the synchronization of these neurons to the stimulus frequency (Gur and Snodderly, 1997; Herrmann, 2001; Norcia et al., 2015; Pastor et al., 2003; Regan, 1989; Vialatte et al., 2010), yet we found that lactate and glutamate increases…”
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- Authors
- Herrmann, C. S.
- Affiliations
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Herrmann, Christoph S.
- Venue
- Experimental Brain Research
- Published
- 2001-04-02
- Volume
- 137
- Issue
- 3-4
- Pages
- 346-353
- ISSN
- 0014-4819 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-1106
- OpenAlex
- W2055264244
- Cited by
- 1,080
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 50 · 2025: 78 · 2024: 69 · 2023: 66 · 2022: 56 · 2021: 55 · 2020: 84 · 2019: 79 · 2018: 72 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 50 · 2015: 61 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 46 · 2012: 51
- FWCI
- 3.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Experimental Brain Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
- Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- visual cortex, flicker, gamma oscillations, resonant frequency, steady-state visual evoked potentials, neural oscillators, feature binding, visual perception
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain Mapping, Cognition, Electroencephalography, Evoked Potentials, Female, Humans, Male, Photic Stimulation, Visual Cortex
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