Overcoming harmonic hurdles: genuine beta-band rhythms vs. contributions of alpha-band waveform shape

The diversity of beta-band activity in the human cortex as recorded with non-invasive electrophysiology is discussed in this article. It is argued that in analysis of higher frequency rhythms the relationship to lower frequency rhythms needs to be clarified. This is necessary, because there are numerous non-sinusoidal rhythms present in the human brain, which will result in harmonic beta-band peaks, which will have different temporal and response dynamics than genuine beta-rhythms. Only in that way we can arrive at strong, methodologically valid interpretations of potential functional roles and generative mechanisms of neural oscillations.