Very high frequency oscillations (VHFO) as a predictor of movement intentions

Gamma band (30–80 Hz) oscillations arising in neuronal ensembles are thought to be a crucial component of the neural code. Recent studies in animals suggest a similar functional role for very high frequency oscillations (VHFO) in the range 80–200 Hz. Since some intracerebral studies in humans link VHFO to epileptogenesis, it remains unclear if VHFO appear in the healthy human brain and if so which is their role. This study uses EEG recordings from twelve healthy volunteers, engaged in a visuo-motor reaction time task, to show that VHFO are not necessarily pathological but rather code information about upcoming movements. Oscillations within the range (30–200 Hz) occurring in the period between stimuli presentation and the fastest hand responses allow highly accurate (>96%) prediction of the laterality of the responding hand in single trials. Our results suggest that VHFO belong in functional terms to the gamma band that must be considerably enlarged to better understand the role of oscillatory activity in brain functioning. This study has therefore important implications for the recording and analysis of electrophysiological data in normal subjects and patients.