Using computer modelling and animal studies researchers in Germany have found that rhythmic patterns in brain cell circuits play a pivotal role in information processing, challenging traditional views of brain function. ​

While it has been known that the brain exhibits rhythmic patterns, or oscillations, their function has been unclear. This study now gives evidence that these oscillations are crucial to how the brain processes information and are not just a side-effect of regular brain activity. 

Researchers at EARA member the Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience, in Frankfurt, used computer modelling to simulate brain networks with oscillating patterns. These oscillating networks learned faster, handled distractions better, and required fewer adjustments to work effectively compared to networks without these rhythms. The study also found that making small changes in speed or timing of the oscillations made the system even more efficient and adaptable in processing information.

While the primary focus of this study was on computer modelling, the findings align with previous observations in mice and monkeys, that showed that these patterns exist in other species as well.

Felix Effenberger, lead author of the study published in PNAS, said: “This is a major step forward in our understanding of how the brain computes.”

The researchers will now test how these oscillatory network principles align in animal models and see how they affect memory, learning, and decision-making. Additionally, they aim to collaborate with AI researchers to incorporate these principles into machine learning algorithms.