Affiliation:
1. Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Via Rasi e Spinelli 176, 47521 Cesena, Italy
2. Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40121 Bologna, Italy
Abstract
Alpha-band (7–13 Hz) activity has been linked to visuo-attentional performance in healthy participants and to impaired functionality of the visual system in a variety of clinical populations including patients with acquired posterior brain lesion and neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Crucially, several studies suggested that short uni- and multi-sensory rhythmic stimulation (i.e., visual, auditory and audio-visual) administered in the alpha-band effectively induces transient changes in alpha oscillatory activity and improvements in visuo-attentional performance by synchronizing the intrinsic brain oscillations to the external stimulation (neural entrainment). The present review aims to address the current state of the art on the alpha-band sensory entrainment, outlining its potential functional effects and current limitations. Indeed, the results of the alpha-band entrainment studies are currently mixed, possibly due to the different stimulation modalities, task features and behavioral and physiological measures employed in the various paradigms. Furthermore, it is still unknown whether prolonged alpha-band sensory entrainment might lead to long-lasting effects at a neural and behavioral level. Overall, despite the limitations emerging from the current literature, alpha-band sensory entrainment may represent a promising and valuable tool, inducing functionally relevant changes in oscillatory activity, with potential rehabilitative applications in individuals characterized by impaired alpha activity.
Funder
MUR—Ministero Università e Ricerca
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades
Subject
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,Medicine (miscellaneous)
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