Processing of embedded response plans is modulated by an interplay of frontoparietal theta and beta activity

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Abstract

Even simple actions like opening a door require integration/binding and flexible reactivation of different motor elements. Yet, the neural mechanisms underlying the processing of such "embedded response plans"are largely elusive, despite theoretical frameworks, such as the theory of event coding, describing the involved cognitive processes. In a sample of n = 40 healthy participants, we combine time-frequency decomposition and various beamforming methods to examine the neurophysiological dynamics of such action plans, with special emphasis on the interplay of theta and beta frequency activity during the processing of these plans. We show that the integration and rule-guided reactivation of embedded response plans is modulated by a complex interplay of theta and beta activity. Pretrial beta-band activity (BBA) is related to different functional neuroanatomical structures that are activated in a consecutive fashion. Enhanced preparatory activity is positively associated with higher bindingrelated BBA in the precuneus/parietal areas, indicating that activity in the precuneus/parietal cortex facilitates the execution of an embedded action sequence. Increased preparation subsequently leads to reduced working memory retrieval demands. A cascading pattern of interactions between pretrial and within-trial activity indicates the importance of preparatory brain activity. The study shows that there are multiple roles of beta and theta oscillations associated with different functional neuroanatomical structures during the integration and reactivation of motor elements during actions.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)543-555
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of neurophysiology
Volume128
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 35894437
ORCID /0000-0002-7155-1067/work/143957970
ORCID /0000-0002-9069-7803/work/144279748
ORCID /0000-0002-2989-9561/work/146788769
ORCID /0009-0009-1430-3030/work/147708730

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • beta, beta oscillations, cognitive control, EEG, motor binding, motor functions, theory of event coding, theta, theta oscillations