The role of alpha oscillations for neural plasticity in normal brain functioning and schizophrenia – an OPM-BCI study

• Applicant: Dr. Marion Brickwedde
• Subject Area: Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience ; Biological Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience ; Experimental and Theoretical Network Neuroscience
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 574607812

Neural plasticity represents the fundamental ability of our brain to facilitate structural changes, the neuronal correlate of learning and skill acquisition. Recently, alpha oscillations (8-12 Hz) have been shown to synchronize spiking activity and signal transmission through phasic modulation of neural excitability. Both processes are crucial for long-term potentiation (LTP), a key driver of neural plasticity. However, the relationship between alpha oscillations and neural plasticity has not been explored so far. In the proposed project, I will address this critical gap by investigating the causal role of alpha oscillations in neural plasticity using a state-of-the-art closed-loop brain-computer interface (BCI). This approach allows the precise timing of sensory stimulation based on the phase of individual alpha activity, thereby offering a powerful approach to explore how oscillations modulate perceptual learning and neural plasticity. The BCI will utilize optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs), a novel type of magnetoencephalography sensor with excellent signal-to-noise ratios. Moreover, I will investigate the relevance of alpha oscillations for neural plasticity in schizophrenia (ScZ), a debilitating psychiatric condition characterized by pronounced sensory and cognitive deficits. While impairments in both alpha oscillations and neural plasticity have been implicated in the pathophysiology of ScZ, their relationship has not been explored so far. Additionally, as patients with ScZ show aberrations in the volume of thalamic nuclei, which have been associated with the generation of alpha oscillations, I will investigate the relationship between thalamic nuclei, alpha oscillations and neural plasticity using an OPM-MEG-BCI and MRI analysis in patients with ScZ. The proposed project will provide a novel framework for the relationship between alpha oscillations and neural plasticity during normal brain functioning. Moreover, my results will shed light on pathophysiological mechanisms underlying sensory and cognitive deficits in ScZ. Together, my findings will have significant implications for the understanding of alpha oscillations and the principles underlying neural plasticity in general. Finally, the results could pave the way for non-invasive neuromodulation techniques and cognitive rehabilitation in ScZ and other psychiatric disorders.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr. Peter Krüger; Professor Dr. Peter Uhlhaas