- #1
nobahar
- 497
- 2
Hello!
I have a neuroscience question about local field potenitals (LFPs).
I was reading a jounral article where the LFP in a given location was recorded overtime, and then the LFP at ecah time point was divided into different frequency groups: i.e. the LFP at a given point in space oscillates at different frequencies simultaneously (or at least a number of different frquencies can be obtained from an LFP at a given pint in space at a given point in time). This is what I need help understanding.
My understanding of the LFP is that it is a measure of the electric potential at a given point in space. It can oscillate over time, but it has a single value at any given point in time.If this is true, how can it be separated out into different simultaneous frequencies (i.e. it has a low frequency component over the duration of the recording, and a high frequency component over the duration of the recording, etc)? I though that it might have a variable frequency over time, but it nonetheless has only a single frequency value (at time t).
I was wondering if it is perhaps analogous to superposition of sound waves: sound waves from different sources can interact with constructive and destructive interference to produce a 'total' sound wave, the properties of which are determined by the contributing sound waves; properties being such things as amplitude, frequency, etc. I am guessing it is possible (to some extent) to look at a sound wave that is composed of sound waves from a number of sources, and determine the properties of the contributing waves. For an electric field, the frequency of oscillation in the potential at some point is then determined by local sources that influence the potential at that point; sources such as neurons. Their different contribution combine to produce the LFP variation over time, and the contributing sources can be determined by some process.
Is this in anyway accurate? I don't understand how a recording of a LFP at a given point can oscillate at different frequencies.
Any help much appreciated.
I have a neuroscience question about local field potenitals (LFPs).
I was reading a jounral article where the LFP in a given location was recorded overtime, and then the LFP at ecah time point was divided into different frequency groups: i.e. the LFP at a given point in space oscillates at different frequencies simultaneously (or at least a number of different frquencies can be obtained from an LFP at a given pint in space at a given point in time). This is what I need help understanding.
My understanding of the LFP is that it is a measure of the electric potential at a given point in space. It can oscillate over time, but it has a single value at any given point in time.If this is true, how can it be separated out into different simultaneous frequencies (i.e. it has a low frequency component over the duration of the recording, and a high frequency component over the duration of the recording, etc)? I though that it might have a variable frequency over time, but it nonetheless has only a single frequency value (at time t).
I was wondering if it is perhaps analogous to superposition of sound waves: sound waves from different sources can interact with constructive and destructive interference to produce a 'total' sound wave, the properties of which are determined by the contributing sound waves; properties being such things as amplitude, frequency, etc. I am guessing it is possible (to some extent) to look at a sound wave that is composed of sound waves from a number of sources, and determine the properties of the contributing waves. For an electric field, the frequency of oscillation in the potential at some point is then determined by local sources that influence the potential at that point; sources such as neurons. Their different contribution combine to produce the LFP variation over time, and the contributing sources can be determined by some process.
Is this in anyway accurate? I don't understand how a recording of a LFP at a given point can oscillate at different frequencies.
Any help much appreciated.