Short and long-term effects of alpha-band sensory entrainment on neural oscillations and perceptual performance

Alpha-band neural oscillations (~7-13 Hz) play a crucial role in encoding and integrating sensory information, organizing both uni- and multi-sensory perceptual experiences. Fluctuations in alpha activity have been linked to changes in sensory cortices excitability, leading to rhythmic modulations of perception, thus suggesting that the alpha rhythm may reflects a reliable electrophysiological index of sensory information processing. Interestingly, alpha activity is not a fixed neural feature but is highly plastic and dynamically shaped by neurocognitive states. A recent framework proposes modulating endogenous alpha oscillations through neural entrainment, where neural oscillations synchronize with external rhythms, inducing resonance phenomena in neural and perceptual activity. This approach allows for the direct investigation of the relationship between alpha activity and perceptual performance, as well as the functional modelling of alpha oscillations. The present thesis investigates how alpha-band sensory entrainment, administered via uni- and multi-sensory modalities, affects alpha oscillatory activity and leads to both short- and long-term changes in perceptual performance. Chapter 2 outlines the role of alpha oscillations in shaping perception, while Chapter 3 addresses their malleability following neural entrainment. Empirical studies will then be presented, demonstrating alpha-band sensory entrainment's potential to modulate oscillatory activity and induce functional changes in perceptual performance. Chapter 4 focuses on the effects of alpha-band entrainment on audiovisual temporal binding mechanisms, while Chapter 5 will explore how individual differences in cognitive-perceptual and socio-communicative styles, particularly in neurotypical individuals with varying levels of autistic and schizotypal traits, may influence the effects of alpha-band entrainment on audiovisual temporal binding processes. Finally, Chapters 6 and 7 present EEG and psychophysical studies on whether alpha-band visual stimulation can induce long-lasting changes in alpha oscillatory activity and visual detection performance. Lastly, Chapter 8 integrates these findings and suggests future applications of alpha-band entrainment for enhancing perceptual performance in both general and clinical populations.