NEURONAL OSCILLATIONS AND SYNCHRONIZED ACTIVITY
IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: FUNCTIONAL ASPECTS
Commentary on Pulvermueller et al. on Brain-Rhythms

Abstract

Quite a number of experimental findings are consistent with the idea that gamma wave oscillations and synchronized activity in the central nervous system are the basis of higher functions of the nervous system (cell assembly theory). However, there is as yet no direct proof that this theory is correct. Here an alternative hypothesis is presented, which provides a different interpretation of many of the observed phenomena. In this view, oscillations in the nervous system are the consequence of a mechanism for gain control that establishes an optimal compromise between the response time and the stability of the system.

Keywords

References

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