Theta episodes observed in human scalp EEG during virtual navigation-spatial distribution and task dependence

We investigated the theta oscillation in human scalp EEG during virtual spatial navigation task in order to elucidate the functional role of theta oscillation and contributory cortical areas. It was found that prominent theta activity appears over the frontal midline (Fm). The significant change of the theta amplitude is found not only around the Fm region but also over the centro-parietal region during teaming the route to a goal in a novel maze. It is concluded that both the frontal cortex and the centro-parietal conical areas contribute to teaming during spatial navigation. These results suggest that the development of the brain network during spatial teaming is managed by the cooperation between the frontal cortex and the hippocampus, possibly by synchronization.