Beta oscillations as scaffolding of brain operations

Our environment is full of periodicities: the earth cycles around itself every day and rent is due every month. Our behavior can be periodic too: we sleep and wake, play music, dance, and even walk to a rhythm. Brain activity is no different. When many brain cells fire together, they form periodic brain waves. We can read these brain waves to find out how each of them relates to brain functions. In this project we are trying to find out how one group of brain waves called beta support brain operations. Imagine you are crossing the road. You have to look left and right to make sure there are no cars driving, and then decide to cross. If your phone rings you have to ignore it otherwise it will distract you. Your brain is tracking the cars, ignoring the phone, and deciding to cross the road at the same time, and it does it in a fast way. We think these brain operations are being coordinated by brain waves. In particular, we think beta waves coordinate the decision to cross the street at the right moment. Beta waves do this by activating the brain cells which are tracking the cars, and also activating the brain cells that will help you to decide to cross the street at the right moment. Beta waves are very flexible. They do not only help you cross the street. When you are awake, you are always making decisions in your daily life, and beta waves are always there to help your brain do this.

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