Role of Alpha-Theta Oscillations in Working Memory Prioritization (2023)
Undergraduate: Prima Gurjar
Faculty Advisor: Justin Riddle
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience
Psychiatric illnesses invisibly affect a multitude of people, which drives the search for better treatment options. TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is a growing area of research and there have already been clinical applications to assist with treatment-resistant depression. This example of TMS research bettering health outcomes, drives the consideration of other applications that are possible.
This poster examines communication between the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain that are connected in a prioritization-suppression mechanism of memory. These two areas of the brain communicate at the theta frequency (4-8 Hz) with the frontal guiding prioritization and the parietal focusing on suppression. TMS will be used to analyze the impact of stimulation on memory prioritization at two different frequencies (alpha and theta). The theta frequency should hypothetically improve memory prioritization as it is endogenous to the brain’s frequency of communication. Upon understanding this relationship, potential treatments can be developed for psychiatric illnesses that involve a detriment in cognitive control such as Schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, and other affective disorders.
Link to Poster