Alpha-Frequency Stimulation Enhances Synchronization of Alpha Oscillations with Default Mode Network Connectivity
Yi-Jia Ma, Joshua A. Brown, Chao-Wen Chen, Ming-Zhou Ding, Wei Wu, Wen Li
eNeuro March 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0449-24.2025 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post experimental study using simultaneous EEG-fMRI Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | alpha-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation (α-tACS) |
| Measures | EEG, fMRI |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Key findings | Alpha-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation (α-tACS) tightened the dynamic coupling between spontaneous alpha power fluctuations and default mode network connectivity, especially in the posterior DMN between the posterior cingulate cortex and bilateral angular gyrus. No significant changes were observed for temporal correlations between other oscillatory frequencies and other major networks. The authors suggest an inherent coupling between alpha and DMN activity in humans and highlight α-tACS as a means to regulate the DMN. |
Abstract
Alpha (8–12 Hz) oscillations and default mode network (DMN) activity dominate the brain's intrinsic activity in the temporal and spatial domains, respectively. They are thought to play crucial roles in the spatiotemporal organization of the complex brain system. Relatedly, both have been implicated, often concurrently, in diverse neuropsychiatric disorders, with accruing electroencephalogram (EEG)/magnetoencephalogram and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data linking these two neural activities both at rest and during key cognitive operations. Prominent theories and extant findings thus converge to suggest a mechanistic relationship between alpha oscillations and the DMN. Here, we leveraged simultaneous EEG–fMRI data acquired before and after alpha-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation (α-tACS) and observed that α-tACS tightened the dynamic coupling between spontaneous fluctuations in alpha power and DMN connectivity (especially, in the posterior DMN, between the posterior cingulate cortex and the bilateral angular gyrus). In comparison, no significant changes were observed for temporal correlations between power in other oscillatory frequencies and connectivity in other major networks. These results thus suggest an inherent coupling between alpha and DMN activity in humans. Importantly, these findings highlight the efficacy of α-tACS in regulating the DMN, a clinically significant network that is challenging to target directly with noninvasive methods.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on default mode network, most cited first.
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- Electrocortical Indices of Default Mode Network-Related Activity in ADHD and Modulation Through Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. Brain Topography June 26, 2026
- Oscillatory dynamics as the coordination layer of the organism: waves, Markov blankets, and the virtual space of cognition. Frontiers in Neuroscience 2026
- Enhanced EEG-Based Tracking of DMN Activity Using ICA and EEG Source Localization for a VR Psychedelic Environment International IEEE/EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering November 11, 2025
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