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Selective modulation of interhemispheric connectivity by transcranial alternating current stimulation influences binaural integration

Type of publication Peer-reviewed
Publikationsform Original article (peer-reviewed)
Author Preisig Basil C., Riecke Lars, Sjerps Matthias J., Kösem Anne, Kop Benjamin R., Bramson Bob, Hagoort Peter, Hervais-Adelman Alexis,
Project Exploring audio-motor integration: a novel approach to overcoming hearing impairment
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Original article (peer-reviewed)

Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Volume (Issue) 118(7)
Page(s) e201548811 - e201548811
Title of proceedings Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
DOI 10.1073/pnas.2015488118

Open Access

URL https://www.pnas.org/content/118/7/e2015488118
Type of Open Access Green OA Embargo (Freely available via Repository after an embargo)

Abstract

Brain connectivity plays a major role in the encoding, transfer, and integration of sensory information. Interregional synchronization of neural oscillations in the γ-frequency band has been suggested as a key mechanism underlying perceptual integration. In a recent study, we found evidence for this hypothesis showing that the modulation of interhemispheric oscillatory synchrony by means of bihemispheric high-density transcranial alternating current stimulation (HD-TACS) affects binaural integration of dichotic acoustic features. Here, we aimed to establish a direct link between oscillatory synchrony, effective brain connectivity, and binaural integration. We experimentally manipulated oscillatory synchrony (using bihemispheric γ-TACS with different interhemispheric phase lags) and assessed the effect on effective brain connectivity and binaural integration (as measured with functional MRI and a dichotic listening task, respectively). We found that TACS reduced intrahemispheric connectivity within the auditory cortices and antiphase (interhemispheric phase lag 180°) TACS modulated connectivity between the two auditory cortices. Importantly, the changes in intra- and interhemispheric connectivity induced by TACS were correlated with changes in perceptual integration. Our results indicate that γ-band synchronization between the two auditory cortices plays a functional role in binaural integration, supporting the proposed role of interregional oscillatory synchrony in perceptual integration.
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