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Title: Your Brain Has a Hidden Beat -- and Smarter Minds Sync To It

Link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/06/17/0...

alternative_right shares a report from ScienceDaily: When the brain is under
pressure, certain neural signals begin to move in sync -- much like a well-
rehearsed orchestra. A new study from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
(JGU) is the first to show how flexibly this neural synchrony adjusts to
different situations and that this dynamic coordination is closely linked to
cognitive abilities. "Specific signals in the midfrontal brain region are
better synchronized in people with higher cognitive ability -- especially
during demanding phases of reasoning," explained Professor Anna-Lena Schubert
from JGU's Institute of Psychology, lead author of the study recently
published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. The researchers
focused on the midfrontal area of the brain and the measurable coordination
of the so-called theta waves. These brainwaves oscillate between four and
eight hertz and belong to the group of slower neural frequencies. "They tend
to appear when the brain is particularly challenged such as during focused
thinking or when we need to consciously control our behavior," said Schubert,
who heads the Analysis and Modeling of Complex Data Lab at JGU. The 148
participants in the study, aged between 18 and 60, first completed tests
assessing memory and intelligence before their brain activity was recorded
using electroencephalography (EEG). [...] As a result, individuals with
higher cognitive abilities showed especially strong synchronization of theta
waves during crucial moments, particularly when making decisions. Their
brains were better at sustaining purposeful thought when it mattered most.
"People with stronger midfrontal theta connectivity are often better at
maintaining focus and tuning out distractions, be it that your phone buzzes
while you're working or that you intend to read a book in a busy train
station," explained Schubert. The findings have been published in the Journal
of Experimental Psychology.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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