TY - JOUR T1 - Functionally distinct high and low theta oscillations in the human hippocampus JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/498055 SP - 498055 AU - Abhinav Goyal AU - Jonathan Miller AU - Salman E. Qasim AU - Andrew J. Watrous AU - Joel M. Stein AU - Cory S. Inman AU - Robert E. Gross AU - Jon T. Willie AU - Bradley Lega AU - Jui-Jui Lin AU - Ashwini Sharan AU - Chengyuan Wu AU - Michael R. Sperling AU - Sameer A. Sheth AU - Guy M. McKhann AU - Elliot H. Smith AU - Catherine Schevon AU - Joshua Jacobs Y1 - 2020/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/01/05/498055.abstract N2 - Based on rodent models, researchers have theorized that the hippocampus supports episodic memory and navigation via the theta oscillation, a ~4–10-Hz rhythm that coordinates brain-wide neural activity. However, recordings from humans have indicated that hippocampal theta oscillations are lower in frequency and less prevalent than in rodents, suggesting interspecies differences in theta’s function. To characterize human hippocampal theta, we examined the properties of theta oscillations throughout the anterior–posterior length of the hippocampus as neurosurgical subjects performed a virtual spatial navigation task. During virtual movement, we observed hippocampal oscillations at multiple frequencies from 2 to 14 Hz. The posterior hippocampus prominently displayed oscillations at ~8-Hz and the precise frequency of these oscillations correlated with the speed of movement, implicating these signals in spatial navigation. We also observed slower ~3-Hz oscillations, but these signals were more prevalent in the anterior hippocampus and their frequency did not vary with movement speed. Our results converge with recent findings to suggest an updated view of human hippocampal electrophysiology. Rather than one hippocampal theta oscillation with a single general role, high-and low-theta oscillations, respectively, may reflect spatial and non-spatial cognitive processes. ER -