Brain states as wave-like motifs

• Published in: Trends in cognitive sciences 2024-06, Vol.28 (6), p.492-503
• Main Authors: Foster, Maya, Scheinost, Dustin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Brain - physiology; brain dynamics; brain state; Brain Waves - physiology; framework; functional brain imaging; Humans; spatiotemporal; wave
• ISSN: 1364-6613; 1879-307X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.03.004

Relating brain activity to cognition and behavior is the primary goal of cognitive neuroscience.Neuroscientists are increasingly summarizing the brain dynamics that underlie cognition and behavior in terms of brain states.Brain states have traditionally been defined as specific spatial patterns of activity or functional connectivity.We propose that brain states should be conceptualized as waves – recurring patterns of activity that sequentially propagate with different delay times. This definition emphasizes both the spatial and temporal patterns of brain activity. There is ample evidence of wave-like activity in the brain at multiple scales and levels. This emerging literature supports the broader adoption of a wave perspective of brain activity. Specifically, a brain state can be described as a set of recurring, sequential patterns of propagating brain activity, namely a wave. We examine a collective body of experimental work investigating wave-like properties. Based on these works, we consider brain states as waves using a scale-agnostic framework across time and space. Emphasis is placed on the sequentiality and periodicity associated with brain activity. We conclude by discussing the implications, prospects, and experimental opportunities of this framework. There is ample evidence of wave-like activity in the brain at multiple scales and levels. This emerging literature supports the broader adoption of a wave perspective of brain activity. Specifically, a brain state can be described as a set of recurring, sequential patterns of propagating brain activity, namely a wave. We examine a collective body of experimental work investigating wave-like properties. Based on these works, we consider brain states as waves using a scale-agnostic framework across time and space. Emphasis is placed on the sequentiality and periodicity associated with brain activity. We conclude by discussing the implications, prospects, and experimental opportunities of this framework.