MIT neuroscientists have found distinct patterns of electrical activity across different brain layers. In the deeper layers, neurons dominate slower oscillations called alpha and beta waves, and in the topmost layers, they are dominated by rapid oscillations known as gamma waves. This pattern is consistent across many different brain regions and several animal species, including humans. They believe these oscillations cells or neurons allow external sensory information to be represented in faster frequencies in the top layers, and on the other hand, to represent internal cognitive states in slower frequencies in the deeper layers. They also suspect that imbalances of these oscillations could give place to brain disorders. This understanding could someday open the path for treating attention deficits or other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Study reveals a universal pattern of brain wave frequencies across mammalian species
