{"id":878087,"date":"2026-06-19T11:14:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T11:14:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/878087\/"},"modified":"2026-06-19T11:14:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T11:14:18","slug":"rotating-spiral-brain-waves-act-as-a-space-and-time-clock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/878087\/","title":{"rendered":"Rotating Spiral Brain Waves Act as a Space-and-Time Clock"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Summary: <\/strong>Researchers identified a new class of traveling brain waves that rotate over space and time. The study reveals that these vortex-like waves are driven by a unique, circular \u201cmerry-go-round\u201d architectural layout of neurons in the sensory cortex.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Operating globally, these spiral waves synchronize activity across hemispheres, between sensory and motor networks, and down into deep subcortical structures\u2014acting as a spatiotemporal clock to coordinate sensation, predict sequences, and guide voluntary physical action.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Facts<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Discovery of Spiral Waves:<\/strong> Scientists discovered a new category of traveling brain waves that physically rotate over space and time across the cerebral cortex.<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cMerry-Go-Round\u201d Wiring:<\/strong> The wave\u2019s circular motion is driven by a unique, fixed architectural layout of neurons in the somatosensory cortex whose axons point in a physical circle.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cross-Network Coordination:<\/strong> These vortex-like waves travel across boundaries, mirroring perfectly in both hemispheres and linking the sensory cortex to the motor cortex and deep subcortical structures.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Behaviorally Triggered:<\/strong> A slight puff of air to a mouse\u2019s facial whiskers instantly evoked a sequence of clockwise rotating waves, shifting in shape based on the animal\u2019s task performance and arousal levels.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Spatiotemporal Clock Function:<\/strong> Researchers hypothesize that these streaming waves act as a neural clock to sequence sensation followed by action, helping the brain predict sensory sequences and entrench motor skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Source: <\/strong>Washington University<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Spiraling\u00a0waves of neural activity\u00a0appear and\u00a0travel in the brain. Scientists\u00a0hope to\u00a0learn if these rotating waves\u00a0on-the-move\u00a0play a\u00a0global\u00a0role in\u00a0sensing\u00a0and interpreting\u00a0internal and external\u00a0stimuli, in\u00a0laying down memory, and in managing motor performance.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe discovered a new kind of brain wave\u00a0that specifically\u202frotates\u202fover space and time,\u00a0relies on a circular anatomical circuit in\u00a0the\u00a0sensory cortex, and impacts activity across the brain,\u201d\u00a0noted\u00a0Nick Steinmetz,\u00a0associate professor of neurobiology and biophysics at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.\u00a0His\u00a0team led the research.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>  <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/brain-waves-space-time-neuroscience.jpg\" alt=\"This shows a brain surrounded by swirling lines.\"  \/> Traveling brain waves form rotating spiral patterns guided by a circular anatomical arrangement of neurons, coordinating global sensory and motor networks. Credit: Neuroscience News<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Details on these\u00a0traveling,\u00a0whirling\u00a0brain waves, as well\u00a0as data on\u00a0their activity\u00a0during certain\u00a0behaviors in mice, are\u00a0reported this week in\u00a0Science.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The\u00a0findings\u00a0on these vortex-like waves are, as they say, head-spinning.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The scientists\u00a0examined how\u00a0a mouse\u00a0brain\u2019s\u00a0anatomical wiring\u00a0coordinates the structure and propagation of\u00a0the\u00a0waves, which\u00a0most\u00a0commonly\u00a0originate\u00a0in the\u00a0somatosensory region.\u00a0This area\u00a0processes\u00a0sensations\u00a0felt by the skin and muscles\u00a0and\u00a0cues about the\u00a0body\u2019s position, posture and\u00a0parts,\u00a0as well as\u00a0other stimuli.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The neurons that generate\u00a0these\u00a0rotating\u00a0waves\u00a0form a\u00a0merry-go-round-like\u00a0pattern\u00a0in the\u00a0brain\u2019s\u00a0sensory cortex.\u00a0Their\u00a0axons,\u00a0which produce electrical signals,\u00a0point\u00a0in\u00a0a circle.\u00a0This\u00a0fixed\u00a0architectural arrangement,\u00a0almost like\u00a0rail cars along a\u00a0round track,\u00a0coincides\u00a0with the\u00a0brain\u00a0wave\u2019s spiral\u00a0motion.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The waves were mirrored\u00a0on both sides of the\u00a0mouse\u00a0brain and\u00a0coordinated between both sensory and motor parts of the brain.\u00a0The scientists\u00a0observed\u00a0that the spiral waves\u00a0also\u00a0timed\u00a0with spiking\u00a0detected\u00a0in\u00a0deeper\u00a0areas\u00a0of the brain\u00a0associated more with\u00a0low-level\u00a0functions.\u00a0These include the thalamus,\u00a0striatum\u00a0and midbrain.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because\u00a0these rotating waves travel\u00a0to different\u00a0brain regions,\u00a0they\u00a0may play a role in sharing information across parts of the brain responsible for different\u00a0but interdependent\u00a0functions.\u00a0For example,\u00a0the\u00a0interplay between the\u00a0sensory cortex\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0motor cortex\u00a0of\u00a0the brain\u00a0is\u00a0likely\u00a0crucial\u00a0to\u00a0navigating\u00a0one\u2019s\u00a0surroundings\u00a0and other voluntary physical\u00a0movements.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The\u00a0scientists conducted their studies using\u00a0cortex-wide brain imaging and\u00a0large-scale electrophysiology\u00a0measurements.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among their approaches were to see the\u00a0effects of a tiny puff of air on mouse\u2019s\u00a0left\u00a0facial\u00a0whiskers.\u00a0This\u00a0stimulus evoked\u00a0a sequence of\u00a0clockwise\u00a0rotating waves\u00a0of neural activity\u00a0in the right sensory cortex\u00a0with corresponding waves in the motor cortex.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The\u00a0scientists\u00a0also\u00a0encouraged\u00a0mice\u00a0with a reward\u00a0for an\u00a0object-detection\u00a0game\u00a0that\u00a0required\u00a0paw and eye\u00a0coordination.\u00a0The scientists\u00a0noticed\u00a0rotating brain wave\u00a0differences\u00a0that\u00a0varied depending on the mouse\u2019s arousal state\u00a0and\u00a0its\u00a0success\u00a0at\u00a0performing\u00a0the task.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The researchers have yet to\u00a0determine\u00a0if rotating traveling waves are coordinated globally to the same\u00a0extent\u00a0in other species, including humans,\u00a0as\u00a0they are in mice.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As to the function of\u00a0rotating wave dynamics,\u00a0the scientists surmise that they might be\u00a0serving\u00a0as space-and-time clocks to\u00a0set\u00a0the chain of events\u00a0of sensation followed by\u00a0action.\u00a0The\u00a0waves\u00a0could also help\u00a0pave\u00a0connections\u00a0that\u00a0become\u00a0more entrenched\u00a0with practicing a\u00a0visual-motor task.\u00a0By\u00a0streaming\u00a0across several\u00a0brain areas,\u00a0such waves\u00a0might\u00a0provide\u00a0a way for the brain to\u00a0begin to\u00a0predict\u00a0sensory sequences\u00a0and coordinate motor responses.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first author of the paper, Zhiwen Ye,\u00a0will next set up his own research lab as a\u00a0junior\u00a0principal\u00a0investigator in the Institute of Neuromodulation and Cognition, part of the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation, a newly established biomedical research institute\u00a0in\u00a0China.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Funding: <\/strong>The research was supported by a National Science Foundation CAREER\u00a0award (2142911), with additional support from\u00a0the Pew Biomedical Scholars Program, Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship\u00a0Award\u00a0in Neuroscience,\u00a0National Institutes of Health BRAIN Initiative (U19MH114830), a postdoctoral fellowship from the Washington Research Foundation,\u00a0and postdoctoral support from National Eye Institute\u00a0(EY07031).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Key Questions Answered:<strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Q: How do these newly discovered spiral brain waves physically move through the cortex?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A: The waves travel by following a highly specific, circular architectural layout of neurons within the brain\u2019s somatosensory region. The axons of these neurons are physically arranged in a continuous round pattern, very much like a merry-go-round or rail cars sitting on a circular track. This fixed structural pathway naturally guides the electrical propagation of neural signals into a distinct, rotating vortex pattern that sweeps across space and time.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Q: What major role do these rotating waves play in linking different parts of the brain together?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A: These waves act as a master communications bridge. While they most frequently start in the sensory cortex (the region processing touch, body position, and muscle feedback), they rapidly stream across functional boundaries into the motor cortex. They also mirror perfectly across both hemispheres and align their timing with neural activity deep down in subcortical hubs like the thalamus and striatum, allowing separate but interdependent brain systems to seamlessly share information.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Q: Why do scientists believe these vortex-like waves behave like a \u201cspace-and-time clock\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A: Researchers observed that the waves change characteristics based on an animal\u2019s internal arousal state and its success during coordination tasks. Because they stream fluidly across multiple brain regions, these waves are thought to serve as a spatiotemporal clock that sets the precise sequence of events from sensation to physical action. This constant streaming helps the brain predict upcoming sensory inputs and time its motor responses perfectly.<\/p>\n<p>Editorial Notes:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\" class=\"wp-block-list has-background\">\n<li>This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.<\/li>\n<li>Journal paper reviewed in full.<\/li>\n<li>Additional context added by our staff.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>About this neuroscience disease research news<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\"><strong>Author:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.utoronto.ca\/news\/authors-reporters\/don-campbell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/nathalie-andre-2607569\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><a href=\"http:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#a5c9c0ccc9c4c2e5d0d28bc0c1d0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Leila Gray<\/a><br \/><strong>Source:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/uw.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">University of Washington<\/a><br \/><strong>Contact:\u00a0<\/strong>Leila Gray \u2013 University of Washington<br \/><strong>Image:\u00a0<\/strong>The image is credited to Neuroscience News<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\"><strong>Original Research:\u00a0<\/strong>Open access.<br \/>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.adx1369\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Brainwide topographic coordination of rotating waves<\/a>\u201d by Ye Z, Ladd AE, MacKenzie N, Kolich L, Li AJ, Birman D, Bull MS, Daigle TL, Tasic B, Zeng H, Steinmetz NA.\u00a0Science<br \/><strong>DOI:10.1126\/science.adx1369<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Brainwide topographic coordination of rotating waves<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>INTRODUCTION<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Electrical activity in the brain often travels in waves, propagating across networks of neurons in patterns that have been linked to sensory perception, memory, and movement. However, the spatial organization of these waves across the brain, the anatomical circuits that give rise to them, and their brain-wide distribution have remained unclear. Understanding these properties is essential for determining the roles that traveling waves may play in behavior and cognition.<\/p>\n<p>RATIONALE<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We combined fast, large-scale imaging of neural activity across the mouse cortical surface with high-density electrode recordings in deeper brain structures. This allowed us to track the propagation of traveling waves across the entire cortex while simultaneously measuring the spiking activity of neurons in subcortical regions including the thalamus, striatum, and midbrain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We also examined the axonal architecture of cortical neurons using three-dimensional reconstructions of their axonal projections, tested the causal role of these circuits within the somatosensory cortex, and measured wave occurrence in different brain states and behavioral contexts.<\/p>\n<p>RESULTS<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We discovered that rotating waves, which propagate along a circular trajectory, were a prominent and frequently occurring feature of cortical activity, predominantly centered on the somatosensory cortex. These waves therefore swept sequentially across the maps of the mouse body surface.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The local wiring of neurons in this region displayed a matching circular arrangement, and a computational model confirmed that this architecture supports rotating wave formation. Across the cortex, rotating waves were mirrored between the left and right hemispheres and between sensory and motor areas, reflecting the pattern of long-range connections between these regions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Severing local circuits within the somatosensory cortex reduced rotating waves in the motor cortex, establishing a mechanistic basis. Subcortical neurons in the thalamus, striatum, and midbrain tracked cortical rotating waves on a moment-to-moment basis in their spiking patterns. Rotating waves were modulated by arousal, evoked by sensory stimulation, and selectively recruited during correct performance of a visual-motor task.<\/p>\n<p>CONCLUSION<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These findings reveal that brain activity is shaped by the physical architecture of neural wiring into coordinated rotating waves that span cortical and subcortical regions. Rather than being confined to isolated brain areas, these waves represent a distributed organizational principle in which the direction and timing of activity propagation are dictated by the geometry of axonal connections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> The recruitment of rotating waves during different behavioral contexts suggests that they may serve as a mechanism for coordinating information flow across sensory and motor systems during perception and action.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Summary: Researchers identified a new class of traveling brain waves that rotate over space and time. The study&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":878088,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[8],"tags":[827,167188,829,831,159,356834,356835,197413,67,132,49729,68],"class_list":["post-878087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-science","tag-brain-research","tag-brain-waves","tag-neurobiology","tag-neuroscience","tag-science","tag-sensory-cortex","tag-spacial-perception","tag-time-perception","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-university-of-washington","tag-us"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116776487368198783","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/878087","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=878087"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/878087\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/878088"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=878087"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=878087"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=878087"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}