Mu wave

Mu wave The sensorimotor mu rhythm, also known as mu wave, comb or wicket rhythms or arciform rhythms, are synchronized patterns of electrical activity involving large numbers of neurons, probably of the pyramidal type, in the part of the brain that controls voluntary movement. These patterns as measured by electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), or electrocorticography (ECoG), repeat at a frequency of 7.5-12.5 (and primarily 9-11) Hz, and are most prominent when the body is physically at rest. Unlike the alpha wave, which occurs at a similar frequency over the resting visual cortex at the back of the scalp, the mu rhythm is found over the motor cortex, in a band approximately from ear to ear.

Mu Waves

• The sensorimotor mu rhythm, also known as mu waves, comb or wicket rhythms, or arciform rhythms, are synchronized patterns of electrical activity involving large numbers of neurons in the part of the brain that controls voluntary movement. These patterns can be measured using electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), or electrocorticography (ECoG) and occur at a frequency of 7.5-12.5 Hz, primarily 9-11 Hz. Mu waves are most prominent when the body is physically at rest and are found over the motor cortex, in a band approximately from ear to ear.

Overview

• Mu waves are a type of brainwave pattern associated with the motor cortex and sensorimotor integration. They are distinct from alpha waves, which occur at a similar frequency but are located over the resting visual cortex at the back of the scalp.

Characteristics

• Mu waves exhibit several key features:
• Frequency: Mu waves oscillate at a frequency between 7.5 and 12.5 Hz, primarily between 9 and 11 Hz.
• Location: Unlike alpha waves, mu waves are found over the motor cortex, which is responsible for controlling voluntary movements.
• Resting state: Mu waves are most prominent when the body is physically at rest and the motor cortex is not actively engaged in controlling movement.

Functions

• The precise functions of mu waves are still a topic of research, but they are thought to be involved in:
• Sensorimotor integration: Mu waves may play a role in the integration of sensory and motor information, enabling the brain to coordinate and execute movements effectively.
• Motor imagery and action observation: Mu wave activity has been shown to decrease, or "desynchronize," during motor imagery (i.e., imagining performing a movement) and action observation (i.e., watching someone else perform a movement). This desynchronization is thought to reflect the activation of the motor cortex in the absence of actual movement.
• Mirror neuron system: The desynchronization of mu waves during action observation has led some researchers to propose a relationship between mu wave activity and the mirror neuron system, a network of neurons that fire both when performing an action and when observing someone else performing the same action. This system is thought to be involved in understanding the intentions of others, imitation, and empathy.

Summary

The sensorimotor mu rhythm, also known as mu wave, comb or wicket rhythms or arciform rhythms, are synchronized patterns of electrical activity involving large numbers of neurons, probably of the pyramidal type, in the part of the brain that controls voluntary movement. These patterns as measured by electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), or electrocorticography (ECoG), repeat at a frequency of 7.5-12.5 (and primarily 9-11) Hz, and are most prominent when the body is physically at rest. Unlike the alpha wave, which occurs at a similar frequency over the resting visual cortex at the back of the scalp, the mu rhythm is found over the motor cortex, in a band approximately from ear to ear.

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