The capacity-limited human brain is constantly confronted with a huge amount of sensory information. Selective attention is needed for biasing neural processing towards relevant information and consequently allows meaningful interaction with the environment. Activity in the alpha-band has been proposed to be related to top-down modulation of neural inhibition and could thus represent a viable candidate to control the priority of stimulus processing. It is, however, unknown whether modulations in the alpha-band directly relate to changes in the sensory gain control of the early visual cortex. Here, we used a spatial cueing paradigm while simultaneously measuring ongoing alpha-band oscillations and steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) as a marker of continuous early sensory processing in the human visual cortex. Thereby, the effects of spatial attention for both of these signals and their potential interactions were assessed. As expected, spatial attention modulated both alpha-band and SSVEP responses. However, their modulations were independent of each other and the corresponding activity profiles differed across task demands. Thus, our results challenge the view that modulations of alpha-band activity represent a mechanism that directly alters or controls sensory gain. The potential role of alpha-band oscillations beyond sensory processing will be discussed in light of the present results.

中文翻译：

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空间注意选择独立于视觉阿尔法调制调制早期视觉刺激处理。

容量有限的人类大脑不断地面临着大量的感官信息。需要选择性注意来使神经处理偏向相关信息，从而允许与环境进行有意义的交互。已提出 alpha 波段的活动与神经抑制的自上而下调制有关，因此可以代表控制刺激处理优先级的可行候选者。然而，尚不清楚 alpha 波段中的调制是否与早期视觉皮层的感觉增益控制的变化直接相关。在这里，我们使用空间提示范式，同时测量正在进行的 alpha 波段振荡和稳态视觉诱发电位 (SSVEP)，作为人类视觉皮层中连续早期感觉处理的标记。从而，评估了空间注意力对这两种信号及其潜在相互作用的影响。正如预期的那样，空间注意力调节了 alpha 波段和 SSVEP 响应。然而，它们的调制是相互独立的，相应的活动配置文件因任务需求而异。因此，我们的结果挑战了 alpha 波段活动的调制代表一种直接改变或控制感官增益的机制的观点。将根据目前的结果讨论 alpha 波段振荡超出感官处理的潜在作用。它们的调制相互独立，相应的活动配置文件因任务需求而异。因此，我们的结果挑战了 alpha 波段活动的调制代表一种直接改变或控制感官增益的机制的观点。将根据目前的结果讨论 alpha 波段振荡超出感官处理的潜在作用。它们的调制相互独立，相应的活动配置文件因任务需求而异。因此，我们的结果挑战了 alpha 波段活动的调制代表一种直接改变或控制感官增益的机制的观点。将根据目前的结果讨论 alpha 波段振荡超出感官处理的潜在作用。