Long-range synchrony

Long-range synchrony is the phase-locked coordination of neural activity between anatomically distant brain regions, typically separated by multiple synaptic hops. Unlike local synchrony, which can be explained by direct synaptic connectivity, long-range synchrony requires mechanisms that coordinate timing across regions without direct physical connections. The leading proposals involve neural synchrony mechanisms that exploit the brain's oscillatory dynamics: distant regions can become synchronized when their intrinsic oscillations are pulled into phase by shared inputs or by coupling through intermediate regions. Long-range synchrony is thought to be the mechanism of large-scale brain integration, binding together the distributed processing that underlies conscious perception and coherent behavior. Its disruption correlates with loss of consciousness, suggesting that integration requires not just local activity but the temporal coordination of the whole.