Attentional tracking reduces cortical alpha oscillations

The premotor theory of attention suggests that both overt and covert attentional orienting are governed by similar mechanisms and neural structures, a concept extensively investigated in paradigms involving shifts in attention and gaze towards peripheral targets. Previous studies have found a strong link between cortical alpha oscillations and overt smooth pursuit of a target. However, the relationship between alpha oscillations and covert tracking of peripheral moving stimuli remains unclear. To address this, we asked 16 observers to maintain fixation while covertly attending to a visual stimulus moving along the horizontal meridian at varying speeds (2, 6, or 12 °/s), within either the left or right hemifield. We simultaneously recorded both eye movements and EEG data. Our results revealed that alpha power was significantly reduced when observers tracked a target that moved further in the periphery, independent of its speed. These findings confirm that the distribution of alpha power is sensitive to the allocation of covert attention during tracking. This suggests a tight link between the attentional processes involved in covert tracking and overt pursuit of a moving target, supporting the premotor theory of attention.