Synonyms
Alpha waves; Berger’s waves
Definition
Normal electromagnetic oscillations produced by the brain when in a state of relaxation. They are in the frequency range of 8–12 Hz and arise from synchronous and coherent electrical activity of the thalamic pacemaker cells in the human brain. Also called Berger’s waves.
Current Knowledge
Alpha waves are believed to arise from the white matter of the occipital lobes. They increase during periods of relaxation with eyes closed. Alpha waves are thought to represent activity in the visual cortex and are associated with feelings of calmness and relaxation. Alpha waves increase when eyes are closed and during meditation and are associated with creativity and mental coordination.
After sustained wakefulness and during the transition from waking to sleeping when the ability to respond to external stimuli ceases, upper alpha power decreases, whereas theta increases.
It is suggested that the encoding of new information is reflected by theta...
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Ivanhoe, C.B., Durand Sanchez, A. (2018). Alpha Rhythm. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_4
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