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Intracranial high-γ connectivity distinguishes wakefulness from sleep.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Mikulan, Ezequiel 
Hesse, Eugenia 
Sedeño, Lucas 
Bekinschtein, Tristán 
Sigman, Mariano 

Abstract

Neural synchrony in the γ-band is considered a fundamental process in cortical computation and communication and it has also been proposed as a crucial correlate of consciousness. However, the latter claim remains inconclusive, mainly due to methodological limitations, such as the spectral constraints of scalp-level electroencephalographic recordings or volume-conduction confounds. Here, we circumvented these caveats by comparing γ-band connectivity between two global states of consciousness via intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG), which provides the most reliable measurements of high-frequency activity in the human brain. Non-REM Sleep recordings were compared to passive-wakefulness recordings of the same duration in three subjects with surgically implanted electrodes. Signals were analyzed through the weighted Phase Lag Index connectivity measure and relevant graph theory metrics. We found that connectivity in the high-γ range (90-120 Hz), as well as relevant graph theory properties, were higher during wakefulness than during sleep and discriminated between conditions better than any other canonical frequency band. Our results constitute the first report of iEEG differences between wakefulness and sleep in the high-γ range at both local and distant sites, highlighting the utility of this technique in the search for the neural correlates of global states of consciousness.

Description

Keywords

Adolescent, Adult, Cerebral Cortex, Electrocorticography, Epilepsy, Female, Functional Neuroimaging, Gamma Rhythm, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Sleep Stages, Wakefulness, Young Adult

Journal Title

Neuroimage

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1053-8119
1095-9572

Volume Title

169

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (unknown)