Abstract
Keywords: Alpha rhythm, Individual alpha peak frequency, Neural oscillations, Neural fingerprint Resting-state brain activity is dominated by oscillations in the alpha band (8–13 Hz). The dominant25 frequency within this band, the individual alpha peak frequency (IAPF), has been widely used as a26 global marker of inter-individual variability in perceptual and cognitive functions, as well as clinical27 phenotypes. However, the traditional approach implicitly assumes a single oscillatory rhythm varying28 along a parametric continuum. Here, we analyzed resting-state EEG data from more than 200029 participants across multiple independent datasets. We identify three distinct and highly stable alpha30 components, or archetypes, that jointly and compositionally determine the IAPF. These components31 exhibit dissociable age-related trajectories as well as distinct scalp topographies and cortical sources.32 Together, these findings indicate that individual differences in alpha activity do not reflect variation33 along a single frequency dimension, but rather differences in the relative contribution of discrete alpha34 generators. This calls for a reevaluation of many reported associations between alpha frequency, brain35 function, and clinical phenotypes.