The overall goal of this project is to understand the neuronal mechanisms supporting communication between and within frontal and posterior brain regions. Such communication is required when we operate in complex environments where attention has to be selectively allocated to the relevant sensory information while interfering input needs to be inhibited. While this sounds incredibly tricky, it is in fact what our brain does seemingly effortlessly at all times; for instance while driving a car or cooking dinner, remembering a phone number to call a friend, reading a book or simply having a conversation. We need to prioritise what is being processed at all times and thus allocate attention to relevant information and away from distracting or irrelevant input. Here the ability to maintain information that has been relayed to us but is no longer available in the environment plays a crucial role; this ability is called working memory. However, while we have come a long way in understanding how the human brain processes information, we are still far from truly understanding the basic underlying mechanisms. The present project was thus developed to investigate and draft a framework for dynamical information processing in working memory. Based on recent theories and empirical findings the focus was especially placed on rhythmic brain activity, spanning a vast range of frequencies, that allows the human brain to co-ordinate processes and different brain areas.
Knowledge gain from this research will not only inform our theoretical and mechanistic understanding of neuronal oscillations (rhythms) in the human brain. It will also lead to a better understanding of dysfunctional communication patterns in the brain. This is for instance the case in many psychiatric disorders like Schizophrenia or in pathological ageing, developmental disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease or spontaneously acquired disorders like Burnout syndrome. Understanding the mechanisms enabling effective information processing in the human brain will invariantly inform us what breaks down if something goes wrong; and ultimately lead to ways to protect these mechanisms and improve patient outcome in developing measures for prevention and treatment of mental and neurological disorders.
