Exploring Local Field Potential Power Across Primate Neocortex

Mendoza-Halliday and collaborators advocate for a local field potential-based approach to functional identification of cortical layers during laminar multielectrode recordings in nonhuman primates. They describe a ubiquitous spectrolaminar motif in the primate neocortex, which includes power peaks of 75-150 Hz in the supragranular layers and 10-19 Hz power peaks in the infragranular layers.

The crossing point of these laminar power gradients identifies layer four, or L4, which is crucial for understanding brain function. The authors analyzed laminar data from 14 cortical areas in two prior macaque studies and compared these findings to data from marmosets, mice, and humans to strengthen the argument for the canonical nature of the motif.

Their central hypothesis suggests that gamma activity originates in the supragranular layers, reflecting feedforward activity, while alpha-beta activity arises in the infragranular layers, indicating feedback activity.

The establishment of a reliable online method for identifying L4 holds significant scientific value, particularly as laminar recordings become increasingly prevalent with advancing technologies. Research into local field potential power across the primate neocortex provides critical insights into brain function and connectivity, which may enhance our understanding of cognitive processes and neurological disorders.

This work is documented in the Nature Neuroscience journal.