Load dependence of β and α oscillations predicts individual capacity of visual attention

Abstract

Human capability to concurrently attend and perceive multiple visual objects has a limited and individual capacity of 2- 4 objects. Neuronal mechanisms that support the perception of multiple objects and underlie these attentional capacity limits have remained unclear.Weinvestigated the role of neuronal oscillations in multiobject visual perception and in limiting the attentional capacity. To this end, we used parametric multiobject tracking tasks, MEG and EEG recordings, and data-driven source-space analyses to localize the neuronal substrates of task performance. Three lines of evidence suggested a mechanistic role for neuronal oscillations in multiobject attention. First, oscillation amplitudes preceding target events were distinct for subsequently detected and undetected targets and also predicted reaction times to the target events. Second, suppression of θ to low-β (