Transient oscillations as computations for cognition: Analysis, modeling and function

Our view of neural oscillations is currently changing. The dominant picture of sustained oscillations is now often replaced by transient oscillations occurring in bursts. This phenomenon seems to be quite comprehensive, as it has been reported for different oscillation frequencies, including the theta, beta, and gamma bands, as well as cortical and subcortical regions in a variety of cognitive tasks and species. Here we review recent developments in their analysis, computational modeling, and functional roles. For the analysis of transient oscillations methods using lagged coherence and Hidden Markov Models have been developed and applied in recent studies to ascertain their transient nature and study their contribution to cognitive functions. Furthermore, computational models have been developed that account for their stochastic nature, which poses interesting functional constraints. Finally, as transient oscillations have been observed across many species, they are likely of functional significance and we consider challenges in characterizing their function.