Cited by 105Neural dynamics and brain functionFunctional Brain Connectivity StudiesVisual perception and processing mechanisms

Finding thalamic BOLD correlates to posterior alpha EEG

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Liu, Zhongming, de Zwart, Jacco A., Yao, Bing, van Gelderen, Peter, Kuo, Li-Wei, Duyn, Jeff H.·2012·NeuroImage

Abstract

Oscillatory electrical brain activity in the alpha (8-13 Hz) band is a prominent feature of human electroencephalography (EEG) during alert wakefulness, and is commonly thought to arise primarily from the occipital and parietal parts of the cortex. While the thalamus is considered to play a supportive role in the generation and modulation of cortical alpha rhythms, its precise function remains controversial and incompletely understood. To address this, we evaluated the correlation between the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals in the thalamus and the spontaneous modulation of posterior alpha rhythms based on EEG-fMRI data acquired concurrently during an eyes-closed task-free condition. We observed both negative and positive correlations in the thalamus. The negative correlations were mostly seen within the visual thalamus, with a preference for the pulvinar over lateral geniculate nuclei. The positive correlations were found at the anterior and medial dorsal nuclei. Through functional connectivity analysis of the fMRI data, the pulvinar was found to be functionally associated with the same widespread cortical visual areas where the fMRI signals were negatively correlated with the posterior alpha modulation. In contrast, the dorsal nuclei were part of a distinct functional network that included brain stem, cingulate cortex and cerebellum. These observations are consistent with previous animal electrophysiology studies and the notion that the visual thalamus, and the pulvinar in particular, is intimately involved in the generation and spontaneous modulation of posterior alpha rhythms, facilitated by its reciprocal and widespread interaction with the cortical visual areas. We further postulate that the anterior and medial dorsal nuclei, being part of the ascending neuromodulatory system, may indirectly modulate cortical alpha rhythms by affecting vigilance and arousal levels.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.08.025

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  • The core-cell pulvinar loop could serve as an alpha generator for extrastriate cortex, through a mechanism analogous to the geniculocortical loop through layers 4 and 6 of V1, and modulate the effectiveness of output from one area to another distant cortical region.

    “This circuit could serve as an alpha generator for extrastriate cortex [68], through a mechanism analogous to the geniculocortical loop through layers 4 and 6 of V1 [69], and modulate the effectiveness of the output from one area to another distant cortical region.”
  • Alpha-band power correlates with fMRI signal in visual and sensorimotor cortices, attention network, and thalamic nuclei.

    “Studies have shown that the alpha-band power is correlated to the fMRI signal from visual and sensorimotor cortices (163), attention network (164, 165), and thalamic nuclei (166).”

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  1. Jones EG 2007 The Thalamus Cambridge University Press New York, USA

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Authors
Liu, Z., de Zwart, J. A., Yao, B., van Gelderen, P., Kuo, L.-W., & Duyn, J. H.
Affiliations
National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author
Liu, Zhongming
Venue
NeuroImage
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-11
Volume
63
Issue
3
Pages
1060-1069
ISSN
1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1996197465
Cited by
104
References
66
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 3
FWCI
2.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
Keywords
thalamus, BOLD signal, EEG-fMRI correlation, pulvinar, lateral geniculate nucleus, visual thalamus, functional connectivity, eyes-closed state
MeSH terms
Alpha Rhythm, Brain Mapping, Humans, Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neural Pathways, Thalamus

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