<p>Alpha is a freuqency generated by the gating of the thalamus (it is received at the cortex and is thus, “thalamo-cortical”). When the EEG goes electro-positive, the thalamus closes.&nbsp; As the idling rhythm of the brain, alpha orchestrates (regulates) cortical function. Alpha often acts as a carrier wave that allows the content of gamma to be processed. The wave morphology of alpha is usually typified by a sinusoidal wave, although it may be more sharp than rounded in a few people, especially children and young adults.&nbsp; Current belief (Niedermeyer, 1999a; Steriade, Gloor, Llinas, Lopes da Silva, &amp; Musulam, 1990) is that there are cortico-cortico and thalamo-cortical generators of alpha which interact with one another, although there is no validation of a synchronizing mechanism at a cortical level.<br></p>