Beta oscillations reflect supramodal information during perceptual judgment

Significance When a perceptual judgment has to be made comparing inputs from different sensory modalities (here, tactile and auditory), the relevant information needs to be coded in a supramodal way. We studied the role of beta oscillations in the premotor system, which had previously been linked to tactile working memory and decision making. We report that beta-band power reflects the to-be-remembered stimulus properties, and the subsequent decision outcome. This information is coded in a supramodal, context-dependent manner—modality information is retained only when relevant for the task at hand. We interpret these results in light of a recently proposed framework in which beta-band synchronization reflects the dynamic recruiting of task-relevant neuronal circuits.