{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T17:03:16Z","timestamp":1779901396937,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MIT Press","issue":"6","funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["32361143787"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["32361143787"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["82272114"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["82272114"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions","award":["2023SHIBS0003"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2023SHIBS0003"]}]},{"name":"Shenzhen Science and Technology Program","award":["ZDSYS20230626091203008"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ZDSYS20230626091203008"]}]},{"name":"Shenzhen's Sanming Project of Medicine","award":["SZSM202111009"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SZSM202111009"]}]},{"name":"Guangzhou Science and Technology Programme","award":["2024A03J1074"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2024A03J1074"]}]},{"name":"Guangzhou Science and Technology Programme","award":["2023A03J0286"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2023A03J0286"]}]},{"name":"Guangzhou Science and Technology Programme","award":["2024A03J0927"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2024A03J0927"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["direct.mit.edu"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Variability in visual contrast detection has been linked to prestimulus alpha oscillations, yet whether modulating alpha power can causally influence perception remains unclear. In this sham-controlled, single-blinded, within-participant study, we applied transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at individual alpha frequency over the occipital cortex while participants performed a near-threshold visual contrast detection task. Under sham conditions, correlation analyses indicated that higher prestimulus alpha power predicted elevated visual contrast thresholds (VCTs), particularly in the time intervals immediately preceding stimulus onset. When tACS was applied, we observed a modest and temporally selective enhancement of occipital prestimulus alpha power, primarily restricted to specific prestimulus intervals within one experimental block. Importantly, this localized alpha enhancement did not translate into corresponding improvements in visual contrast detection performance. Instead, participants' VCT remained statistically similar between sham and tACS conditions. These findings suggest that although tACS can reliably modulate alpha power, simply elevating occipital alpha amplitude may not be sufficient to alter perceptual outcomes. Factors such as the precise timing of alpha oscillations, the extent and duration of neural modulation, and the interaction with other neural or cognitive processes may be critical for producing measurable behavioral effects. Our findings underscore the nuanced relationship between alpha oscillations and perception, highlight the challenge of establishing direct causal links using neuromodulation, and emphasize the need for more comprehensive stimulation protocols, extended EEG recordings, and investigations into interactions with other confounding factors.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1162\/jocn.a.2432","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T14:43:07Z","timestamp":1767969787000},"page":"1112-1122","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1162\/mitpressjournals.corrections.policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Prestimulus Alpha Power Enhancement via Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Does Not Influence Visual Contrast Detection"],"prefix":"10.1162","volume":"38","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-2255-046X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Huiru","family":"Zou","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"The Affiliated Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China"},{"name":"Shenzhen University"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jinwen","family":"Wei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Shenzhen University"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ziqing","family":"Yao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The University of Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Haobin","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Affiliated Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Weibin","family":"Cheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Affiliated Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China"},{"name":"City University of Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhiguo","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, China"},{"name":"Shenzhen Loop Area Institute, Shenzhen, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"281","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5058","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1972-21.2022","article-title":"Spontaneous alpha-band oscillations bias subjective contrast perception","volume":"42","author":"Balestrieri","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"891","DOI":"10.1093\/cercor\/bhu247","article-title":"Prestimulus alpha power influences tactile temporal perceptual discrimination and confidence in decisions","volume":"26","author":"Baumgarten","year":"2016","journal-title":"Cerebral Cortex"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"94","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2013.05.007","article-title":"Interpreting EEG alpha activity","volume":"44","author":"Bazanova","year":"2014","journal-title":"Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2243","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-021-22468-7","article-title":"Toward integrative approaches to study the causal role of neural oscillations via transcranial electrical stimulation","volume":"12","author":"Beliaeva","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nature Communications"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"ENEURO.0182-17.2017","DOI":"10.1523\/ENEURO.0182-17.2017","article-title":"Prestimulus EEG power predicts conscious awareness but not objective visual performance","volume":"4","author":"Benwell","year":"2017","journal-title":"eNeuro"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"459","DOI":"10.1038\/s41583-022-00598-1","article-title":"State-dependent effects of neural stimulation on brain function and cognition","volume":"23","author":"Bradley","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nature Reviews Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.18637\/jss.v080.i01","article-title":"Brms: An R package for Bayesian multilevel models using Stan","volume":"80","author":"B\u00fcrkner","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of Statistical Software"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7869","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.0113-09.2009","article-title":"The phase of ongoing EEG oscillations predicts visual perception","volume":"29","author":"Busch","year":"2009","journal-title":"Journal of Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.18637\/jss.v076.i01","article-title":"Stan: A probabilistic programming language","volume":"76","author":"Carpenter","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of Statistical Software"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2110868119","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2110868119","article-title":"Transcranial stimulation of alpha oscillations up-regulates the default mode network","volume":"119","author":"Clancy","year":"2022","journal-title":"Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A."},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"203","DOI":"10.1037\/xge0000502","article-title":"Electrical stimulation of alpha oscillations stabilizes performance on visual attention tasks","volume":"148","author":"Clayton","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Experimental Psychology: General"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1638","DOI":"10.1037\/xlm0001077","article-title":"Exploring the use of phonological and semantic representations in working memory","volume":"48","author":"Cowan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jneumeth.2003.10.009","article-title":"EEGLAB: An open source toolbox for analysis of single-trial EEG dynamics including independent component analysis","volume":"134","author":"Delorme","year":"2004","journal-title":"Journal of Neuroscience Methods"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1002\/9781119945710.ch22","article-title":"Causal inference in time series analysis","volume-title":"Wiley series in probability and statistics","author":"Eichler","year":"2012","edition":"1st ed."},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"596","DOI":"10.1038\/s41596-021-00664-5","article-title":"A checklist for assessing the methodological quality of concurrent tES-fMRI studies (ContES checklist): A consensus study and statement","volume":"17","author":"Ekhtiari","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nature Protocols"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"376","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cogbrainres.2004.03.009","article-title":"Alpha rhythm of the EEG modulates visual detection performance in humans","volume":"20","author":"Ergenoglu","year":"2004","journal-title":"Cognitive Brain Research"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.31234\/osf.io\/cdxv3","volume-title":"Bayesian regression modeling (for factorial designs): A tutorial","author":"Franke","year":"2019"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-med-060619-022857","article-title":"Synchronizing brain rhythms to improve cognition","volume":"72","author":"Grover","year":"2021","journal-title":"Annual Review of Medicine"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1237","DOI":"10.1038\/s41593-022-01132-3","article-title":"Long-lasting, dissociable improvements in working memory and long-term memory in older adults with repetitive neuromodulation","volume":"25","author":"Grover","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nature Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"341","DOI":"10.3102\/1076998606298043","article-title":"Effect sizes in cluster-randomized designs","volume":"32","author":"Hedges","year":"2007","journal-title":"Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijpsycho.2004.07.008","article-title":"Comparison of the distributions of classical and adaptively aligned EEG power spectra","volume":"55","author":"Hooper","year":"2005","journal-title":"International Journal of Psychophysiology"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"056006","DOI":"10.1088\/1741-2552\/ab208d","article-title":"Realistic volumetric-approach to simulate transcranial electric stimulation\u2014ROAST\u2014A fully automated open-source pipeline","volume":"16","author":"Huang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Neural Engineering"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"ENEURO.0430-17.2018","DOI":"10.1523\/ENEURO.0430-17.2018","article-title":"Moment-to-moment fluctuations in neuronal excitability bias subjective perception rather than decision-making","volume":"5","author":"Iemi","year":"2018","journal-title":"eNeuro"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"807","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1432-16.2016","article-title":"Spontaneous neural oscillations bias perception by modulating baseline excitability","volume":"37","author":"Iemi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"118746","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2021.118746","article-title":"Ongoing neural oscillations influence behavior and sensory representations by suppressing neuronal excitability","volume":"247","author":"Iemi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Neuroimage"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5427","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-019-13417-6","article-title":"Integrating electric field modeling and neuroimaging to explain inter-individual variability of tACS effects","volume":"10","author":"Kasten","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nature Communications"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"764","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jesp.2013.03.013","article-title":"Detecting outliers: Do not use standard deviation around the mean, use absolute deviation around the median","volume":"49","author":"Leys","year":"2013","journal-title":"Journal of Experimental Social Psychology"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2725","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.3963-08.2009","article-title":"To see or not to see: Prestimulus \u03b1 phase predicts visual awareness","volume":"29","author":"Mathewson","year":"2009","journal-title":"Journal of Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1225","DOI":"10.1044\/2018_JSLHR-S-18-0006","article-title":"An Introduction to Bayesian multilevel models using brms: A case study of gender effects on vowel variability in standard Indonesian","volume":"62","author":"Nalborczyk","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1354671","DOI":"10.3389\/fnhum.2024.1354671","article-title":"No effects of the theta-frequency transcranial electrical stimulation for recall, attention control, and relation integration in working memory","volume":"18","author":"Ociepka","year":"2024","journal-title":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1944232024","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1944-23.2024","article-title":"Double dissociation of spontaneous alpha-band activity and pupil-linked arousal on additive and multiplicative perceptual gain","volume":"44","author":"Pilipenko","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"820","DOI":"10.1038\/s41593-019-0371-x","article-title":"Working memory revived in older adults by synchronizing rhythmic brain circuits","volume":"22","author":"Reinhart","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nature Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"639","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tics.2020.05.004","article-title":"Spontaneous brain oscillations and perceptual decision-making","volume":"24","author":"Samaha","year":"2020","journal-title":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103337","DOI":"10.1016\/j.concog.2022.103337","article-title":"Spontaneous alpha-band amplitude predicts subjective visibility but not discrimination accuracy during high-level perception","volume":"102","author":"Samaha","year":"2022","journal-title":"Consciousness and Cognition"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"361","DOI":"10.1038\/s41583-022-00583-8","article-title":"Causal mapping of human brain function","volume":"23","author":"Siddiqi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nature Reviews Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e3000898","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pbio.3000898","article-title":"Visual detection is locked to the internal dynamics of cortico-motor control","volume":"18","author":"Tomassini","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS Biology"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1816","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1853-07.2008","article-title":"Prestimulus oscillatory activity in the alpha band predicts visual discrimination ability","volume":"28","author":"Van Dijk","year":"2008","journal-title":"Journal of Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"299","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cortex.2022.05.017","article-title":"Benchmarking the effects of transcranial temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) in humans","volume":"154","author":"Von Conta","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cortex"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"499","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brs.2014.12.004","article-title":"Alpha power increase after transcranial alternating current stimulation at alpha frequency (a-tACS) reflects plastic changes rather than entrainment","volume":"8","author":"Vossen","year":"2015","journal-title":"Brain Stimulation"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113","DOI":"10.3758\/BF03202828","article-title":"Quest: A Bayesian adaptive psychometric method","volume":"33","author":"Watson","year":"1983","journal-title":"Perception & Psychophysics"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2023232024","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.2023-23.2024","article-title":"State-dependent tACS effects reveal the potential causal role of prestimulus alpha traveling waves in visual contrast detection","volume":"44","author":"Wei","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of Neuroscience"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"815","DOI":"10.1007\/s11571-022-09862-7","article-title":"Frontal\u2013occipital phase synchronization predicts occipital alpha power in perceptual decision-making","volume":"17","author":"Wei","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cognitive Neurodynamics"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tics.2022.11.013","article-title":"Neurocognitive, physiological, and biophysical effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation","volume":"27","author":"Wischnewski","year":"2023","journal-title":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences"},{"key":"2026052712112054300_bib44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9581","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1114-21.2021","article-title":"Alpha oscillations shape sensory representation and perceptual sensitivity","volume":"41","author":"Zhou","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Neuroscience"}],"container-title":["Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/direct.mit.edu\/jocn\/article-pdf\/38\/6\/1112\/2575173\/jocn.a.2432.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/direct.mit.edu\/jocn\/article-pdf\/38\/6\/1112\/2575173\/jocn.a.2432.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T16:11:27Z","timestamp":1779898287000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/direct.mit.edu\/jocn\/article\/38\/6\/1112\/134848\/Prestimulus-Alpha-Power-Enhancement-via"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"references-count":44,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,1]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1162\/jocn.a.2432","relation":{},"ISSN":["0898-929X","1530-8898"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0898-929X","type":"print"},{"value":"1530-8898","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published-other":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"published":{"date-parts":[[2026]]}}}