Abstract #
Cognition and consciousness may arise from bidirectional interactions between neuronal spiking and rhythmic electric field activity (brain waves). Goal-directed behavior relies on top-down control to coordinate large neural populations into low-dimensional, task-oriented dynamics. Brain waves are well suited for this role, exerting mesoscale influence over neural excitability. They can also support analog computation, shaping activity patterns according to underlying computational principles. Brain waves can flexibly route and organize neural signals, enabling multifunctional neurons to assume context-dependent roles, a hallmark of cognition. In this view, goal-directed thought, action, and unified consciousness emerge from cortex-wide wave dynamics that both reflect and transform spiking into coherent brain states.
Footnotes #
This work was supported by the Freedom Together Foundation, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Army Research Office W911NF2410228, Office of Naval Research N00014-22-1-2453, MURI N00014-23-1-2768, NIMH 1R01MH131715-01, The Simons Center for the Social Brain.
The authors declare no competing financial interests.
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