Theta oscillatory power decreases in humans are associated with spatial learning in a virtual water maze task

Resumen

Theta oscillations (4–8 Hz) in humans play a role in navigation processes, including encoding, retrieval, and sensorimotor integration. Increased theta power at frontal and parietal midline is known to contribute to successful navigation. However, the dynamics of cortical theta and its role in spatial learning are not fully understood. We investigate theta oscillations via EEG during spatial learning in a virtual water maze. Participants were separated into a learning group (n = 25) who learned the location of a hidden goal across twelve trials, or a time-matched non-learning group (n = 25) who were required to simply navigate the same arena, but without a goal. Focusing only on the frontal and parietal midlines, we compared theta oscillations between both groups across all trials, at two phases of the task, the trial start, and the goal approach. We also conducted a within-group analysis comparing the first six trials to the last six trials for both groups. The learning group showed reduced low-frequency theta power at the parietal midline during the start phase, and largely reduced theta during the goal-approach phase. These patterns were not found in the non-learning group, who instead displayed increased low-frequency oscillations during the trial start, and no variations at either midline during goal approach. We suggest our findings provide novel evidence for a link between efficient learning and reduced parietal theta oscillations in humans. Our results also support the theory that theta plays a crucial role in spatial encoding during exploration, as opposed to sensorimotor integration.

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Cómo citar (APA 7)

Thornberry, C., Caffrey, M., & Commins, S. (2023). Theta oscillatory power decreases in humans are associated with spatial learning in a virtual water maze task. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/7j43x