Slow potentials in the brain: still little understood but gradually getting analytical attention

Abstract

Two classes of electrical activity in the central nervous system have been known for a long time: spikes with synaptic potentials and "slow" fluctuations (components mainly below ca. 100 Hz). Their relations to each other are still little known and an unfortunate schism persists in mutual disparagement by investigators who chiefly study one class or the other. The news I wish to highlight is that this schism is waning and this essay will be outmoded as more workers study both. I focus here on the class of slow potentials which in certain respects is the more neglected. This class should extend down into the less-known "infraslow" domain (power mainly below 0.1 Hz) - omnipresent, higher in amplitude and clearly significant functionally.