The Effect of the Peristimulus α Phase on Visual Perception through Real-Time Phase-Locked Stimulus Presentation.

The α phase has been theorized to reflect fluctuations in cortical excitability and thereby impose a cyclic influence on visual perception. Despite its appeal, this notion is not fully substantiated, as both supporting and opposing evidence has been recently reported. In contrast to previous research, this study examined the effect of the peristimulus instead of prestimulus phase on visual detection through a real-time phase-locked stimulus presentation (PLSP) approach.

Slow-paced inspiration regularizes alpha phase dynamics in the human brain.

The phase of low-frequency, rhythmic cortical activity is essential for organizing brain processes because it provides a recurrent temporal frame for information coding. However, the low-frequency cortical phase exhibits great flexibility in response to external influences. Given that brain rhythms have been found to track respiratory inputs, we hypothesized that slow breathing, commonly associated with mental regulation, could reorganize the relationship between these two rhythmic systems through the adjustment of the cortical phase to such a slow train of inputs.