Right-lateralized alpha desynchronization during regularity discrimination: Hemispheric specialization or directed spatial attention?



Wright, Damien, Makin, Alexis DJ ORCID: 0000-0002-4490-7400 and Bertamini, Marco ORCID: 0000-0001-8617-6864
(2015) Right-lateralized alpha desynchronization during regularity discrimination: Hemispheric specialization or directed spatial attention? PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY, 52 (5). pp. 638-647. ISSN 0048-5772, 1469-8986

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Abstract

When actively classifying abstract patterns according to their regularity, alpha desynchronization (ERD) becomes right lateralized over posterior brain areas. This could reflect temporary enhancement of contralateral visual inputs and specifically a shift of attention to the left, or right hemisphere specialization for regularity discrimination. This study tested these competing hypotheses. Twenty-four participants discriminated between dot patterns containing a reflection or a translation. The direction of the transformation, which matched one half onto the other half, was either vertical or horizontal. The strategy of shifting attention to one side of the patterns would not produce lateralized ERD in the horizontal condition. However, right-lateralized ERD was found in all conditions, regardless of orientation. We conclude that right hemisphere networks that incorporate the early posterior regions are specialized for regularity discrimination.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Symmetry, Alpha, Sustained posterior negativity, Event-related desynchronization, Lateralization
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 23 Apr 2015 08:42
Last Modified: 07 Dec 2024 15:03
DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12399
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/2010403