Neural gain control measured through cortical gamma oscillations is associated with sensory sensitivity
Journal article, 2019
Gamma oscillations facilitate information processing by shaping the excitatory input/output of neuronal populations. Recent studies in humans and nonhuman primates have shown that strong excitatory drive to the visual cortex leads to suppression of induced gamma oscillations, which may reflect inhibitory-based gain control of network excitation. The efficiency of the gain control measured through gamma oscillations may in turn affect sensory sensitivity in everyday life. To test this prediction, we assessed the link between self-reported sensitivity and changes in magneto-encephalographic gamma oscillations as a function of motion velocity of high-contrast visual gratings. The induced gamma oscillations increased in frequency and decreased in power with increasing stimulation intensity. As expected, weaker suppression of the gamma response correlated with sensory hypersensitivity. Robustness of this result was confirmed by its replication in the two samples: neurotypical subjects and people with autism, who had generally elevated sensory sensitivity. We conclude that intensity-related suppression of gamma response is a promising biomarker of homeostatic control of the excitation-inhibition balance in the visual cortex.
response gain control
magneto-encephalography
autism spectrum disorders
visual motion
sensory sensitivity
gamma oscillations
Author
Elena V. Orekhova
University of Gothenburg
Moscow State University of Psychology and Education
Tatiana A. Stroganova
Moscow State University of Psychology and Education
Justin Schneiderman
MedTech West
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Device Physics
Sebastian Lundstrom
University of Gothenburg
Bushra Riaz
University of Gothenburg
Darko Sarovic
University of Gothenburg
Olga V. Sysoeva
Moscow State University of Psychology and Education
Georg Brant
MedTech West
Christopher Gillberg
University of Gothenburg
Nouchine Hadjikhani
Harvard Medical School
University of Gothenburg
Human Brain Mapping
1065-9471 (ISSN) 1097-0193 (eISSN)
Vol. 40 5 1583-1593Subject Categories
Psychology (excluding Applied Psychology)
Neurosciences
Bioinformatics (Computational Biology)
DOI
10.1002/hbm.24469
PubMed
30549144