MIT researchers tested their theory of spatial computing, which holds that the brain recruits and controls ad hoc groups of neurons for cognitive tasks by applying brain waves to patches of the cortex.

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MIT researchers validated their "spatial computing" theory, which explains how the brain organizes neurons for cognitive tasks. The theory proposes that alpha and beta brain waves (10-30Hz) act as control signals to recruit and organize ad hoc groups of neurons in the prefrontal cortex, rather than requiring physical rewiring. Testing five predictions across working memory and categorization tasks, researchers found that brain waves carry task rules while neural spikes carry sensory information, with spatial patterns of wave power correlating with task performance. The findings align with similar observations in human studies using EEG and MEG.

To flexibly organize thought, the brain makes use of space