Oscillatory multiplexing indexes precision

Oscillatory coupling has been implicated in the representation and in the processing of information in the brain. Specific hypotheses suggest that oscillatory coupling may be relevant for the temporal coding of information but to which extent this may translate to conscious timing is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the temporal precision of self-generated timed actions may be controlled by phase-amplitude coupling (PAC). Using a timing task, we show the existence of significant alpha-beta (-{beta}) PAC, robust at the individual level, and specific to temporal production. Second, an increase in the strength of -{beta} PAC was associated with a smaller variance in time production, i.e. an increased precision in timing, but there was no correlation with the duration of the produced interval. Our results suggest an active role for -{beta} coupling in maintaining the precision of the endogenous temporal goal during time production: specifically, oscillations may maintain the content of current cognitive states, thus securing the endogenous temporal code for duration estimation instantiated in {beta} band. Oscillatory multiplexing may thus index the variance of neuronal computations, which translates into the precision of behavioral performance.