Alpha Frequency Shapes Perceptual Sensitivity by Modulating Optimal Phase Likelihood

Alpha Frequency Shapes Perceptual Sensitivity by Modulating Optimal Phase Likelihood | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Alpha Frequency Shapes Perceptual Sensitivity by Modulating Optimal Phase Likelihood Vincenzo Romei, Luca Tarasi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3918195/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Nature Communications → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Whether alpha frequency oscillations orchestrate the pace of sensory sampling is current matter of debate. We tested this hypothesis by investigating whether pre-stimulus instantaneous alpha frequency (IAF) accounted for perceptual sensitivity. Our results strongly support the pivotal role of IAF in shaping the accuracy of sensory acquisition. Spontaneous IAF inter-trial fluctuations emerged as a robust predictor of perceptual decision-making sensitivity and accuracy, with higher pace accounting for higher sensory precision, a finding robustly validated through large-scale analyses, Bayesian statistics, and advanced computational models. Crucially, we provide unprecedented insights into the neural mechanisms through which IAF influences perceptual decisions. Specifically, IAF determines the extent of phase angles covered within the stimulus timeframe. Higher probability for covering optimal alpha phases during same stimulus presentation, crucial for accurate perception, is intrinsic to higher rather than lower IAF. Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive neuroscience/Consciousness Biological sciences/Psychology/Human behaviour Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementaryMaterials.docx Supplementary Data Analyses Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Nature Communications → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3918195","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":448329535,"identity":"f37b166c-63e2-4438-b9e8-80ad7b5e0843","order_by":0,"name":"Vincenzo Romei","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA2klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACZhSegQ1QhAfEIF5LGkwLPj2o4DAQ8zDgtcbgOO/BDx931MkxSB8+uuFDwfnE7ey8Bx8wFPzBreUwX7LkzDNsxgx8aWk3ZxjcTtzZzJdsgM9hks08Zsy8bTyJDTw8Zrd5gFo2HOYxkyCo5W+bBETLH4NzhLXwMwO1MLYZQLQwGBwgSouxZG9bgjEbD1vazR6DZOMNQN8ZJBgY49TCxn/G8MPPtjo5fh7mYzd+/LGT3XD+7MEHH/7I4dSC0IvCSyCsYRSMglEwCkYBHgAAVABGYoDRJakAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1214-2316","institution":"Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, 47521 Cesena","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vincenzo","middleName":"","lastName":"Romei","suffix":""},{"id":448329536,"identity":"ce4f2e44-f114-4e62-98af-2080d59b110a","order_by":1,"name":"Luca Tarasi","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4977-3173","institution":"Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum - Universit\u0026#x00E0","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Luca","middleName":"","lastName":"Tarasi","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-02-01 17:30:08","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3918195/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3918195/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70124-9","type":"published","date":"2026-03-03T05:00:00+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":106583824,"identity":"231b13cd-4e3b-48e6-8352-1b924a5ec515","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-10 07:12:36","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1344747,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"MainText.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3918195/v1_covered_8710a3f9-d45c-4c6b-ad35-72d0da22dd30.pdf"},{"id":85000536,"identity":"423c4db3-1b34-4c65-8e1b-a699ebb81eef","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-19 17:36:06","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":692343,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Supplementary Data Analyses","description":"","filename":"SupplementaryMaterials.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3918195/v1/bd585bb429484d403de9a22d.docx"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"Alpha Frequency Shapes Perceptual Sensitivity by Modulating Optimal Phase Likelihood","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3918195/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3918195/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eWhether alpha frequency oscillations orchestrate the pace of sensory sampling is current matter of debate. 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