ArticleBrain sciences2026
Frontal Theta Oscillations in Perceptual Decision-Making Reflect Cognitive Control and Confidence.
Article in Brain sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundPerceptual decision-making requires transforming sensory inputs into goal-directed actions under uncertainty. Neural oscillations in the theta band (3-7 Hz), particularly within frontal regions, have been implicated in cognitive control and decision confidence. However, whether changes in theta oscillations reflect greater effort during ambiguous decisions or more efficient control during clear conditions remains debated, and theta's relationship to stimulus clarity is incompletely understood. PURPOSE: This study's purpose was to examine how task difficulty modulates theta activity and how theta dynamics evolve across the decision-making process using two complementary analytical approaches.
methodsElectroencephalography (EEG) data were acquired from 26 healthy adults performing a face/house categorization task with images containing three levels of scrambled phase and Gaussian noise: clear (0%), moderate (40%), and high (55%). Theta dynamics were assessed from current source density (CSD) time courses of event-related potentials (ERPs) and single-trials. Statistical comparisons used Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with false discovery rate (FDR) correction for multiple comparisons.
resultsFrontal theta power was greater for clear than noisy face stimuli (corrected
conclusionsTheta oscillations support perceptual decision-making through stimulus clarity modulation of both phase-locked and ongoing synchronization, with evoked component dominating. These findings underscore the importance of methodological choices in EEG-based connectivity research, as different analytical approaches capture different aspects of the same neural dynamics. The pattern of stronger theta activity for clear stimuli is consistent with neural processes related to decision confidence, though confidence was not measured behaviorally.
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