For a long time it was thought, that alpha oscillations apply gain control in visual areas, exerting inhibition to incoming sensory information. We challenge this notion, showing that increased alpha inhibition enhances downstream signal transfer with a RIFT (rapid-invisible frequency-tagging) paradigm. A replication using SQUID-MEG and fMRI scans to perform source analysis, confirmed our results. After many years of data collection and analysis in a big collaborative effort, I am proud and happy to finally see this work published.
Marion Brickwedde, Rupali Limachya, Roksana Markiewicz, Emma Sutton, Christopher Postzich, Kimron Shapiro, Ole Jensen, Ali Mazaheri (2026) Cross-modal interaction of human alpha activity does not reflect inhibition of early sensory processing in a frequency-tagging study using EEG and MEG eLife 14:RP106050
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.106050.4