Timing Prediction Changes the Signatures of Alpha-Band Functional and Effective Connectivity.

Timing prediction plays a key role in optimizing sensory perception and guiding adaptive behaviors. It is critical to study the neural signatures of timing prediction. Comparing to numerous studies focusing on the local brain area, less is known about how the timing prediction influences the functional and effective connectivity of the whole brain network. This study designed a double-tap task, in which the period before the first tap had no timing prediction (NTP), while that of the second tap was influenced by timing prediction (TP). Twelve subjects participated in this study. The functional connectivity was measured by an undirected network constructed by phase-lag index (PLI), while the effective connectivity was measured by a directed network constructed by partial directed coherence (PDC). By comparing the connection strength and modes between NTP and TP, it's found that in alpha-band, timing prediction could improve the global efficiency and transitivity of PLI networks, and shift the in-degree center of PDC networks from frontal area to parieto-occipital area. These results could provide neural evidence for the modeling of timing prediction.