Electrophysiological correlates of phosphene perception induced by stimulation of human occipital and parietal cortex

Abstract

Magnetic stimulation (TMS) of human occipital and posterior parietal cortex can give rise to visual sensations called phosphenes, but neural correlates of phosphene perception preceding and succeeding stimulation of both areas are unknown. Using near-threshold TMS with concurrent electroencephalography (EEG) recordings, we uncover oscillatory brain dynamics that covary, on single trials, with the perception of phosphenes following occipital and parietal TMS. Prestimulus power and phase predominantly in the alpha-band (8-13 Hz) predicted occipital TMS phosphenes, whereas higher frequency beta-band (13-20 Hz) power (but not phase) predicted parietal TMS phosphenes. TMS evoked responses related to phosphene perception were similar across stimulation sites and were characterized by an early (200 ms) posterior negativity and a later (>300 ms) parietal positivity in the time domain and an increase in low-frequency (~5-7 Hz) power followed by a broadband decrease in alpha/beta power in the time-frequency domain. These correlates of phosphene perception closely resemble known electrophysiological correlates of conscious perception using near-threshold visual stimuli and speak to the possible early onset of visual consciousness. The differential pattern of prestimulus predictors of phosphene perception suggest that distinct frequencies reflect cortical excitability within different cortical regions, and that the alpha-band rhythm, long thought of as a general index of cortical inhibition, may not reflect excitability of posterior parietal cortex.\n\nSignificance statementAlpha-band oscillations are thought to reflect cortical excitability and are therefor suggested to play an important role in gating information transmission across cortex. We directly probe cortical excitability in human occipital and parietal cortex and observed that whereas alpha-band dynamics indeed reflect excitability of occipital areas, beta-band activity was most predictive of parietal cortex excitability. Differences in the state of cortical excitability predicted perceptual outcomes, which were manifest in both early and late patterns of evoked activity, shedding light on the neural correlates of consciousness. Our findings prompt revision of the notion that alpha activity reflects inhibition across all of cortex and suggests instead that excitability in different regions is reflected in distinct frequency bands.