脑电信息处理

脑电信息处理是脑功能研究重要组成部分。本文介绍了脑电信息处理的前沿领域,包括诱发电位、事件相关电位（ＥＲＰ）、正弦调制光（声）诱发脑电、４０ＨｚＥＲＰ和脑电非线笥动力学研究,并论及了认知活动与分形维数的关系。     

前庭刺激对兔听诱发电位和脑电功率谱的影响

本实验观察了正弦旋转方式的前庭刺激对兔听诱发电位和脑电功率谱的影响。结果表明该旋转刺激可导致中枢神经系统抑制.这与运动病时的一些表现十分吻合,提示运动病的发生可能与前庭刺激导致中枢神经系统抑制有关。     

具有共同感受野的外膝体神经元的反应相位互补特性

用微电极在猫外膝体进行记录时,有时同一支微电极能同时记录到两个神经元放电,通常是一个给光中心细胞和一个撤光中心细胞。这一对神经元具有共同的感受野,并且对光刺激的反应类型也相同(同属于瞬变型细胞,或者同属于持续型细胞)。当正弦调制的光点投射在它们的感受野中心时,在不同的刺激强度下,给光中心细胞和撤光中心细胞的反应相位彼此相差半个周期(180°)。在低的刺激频率(5Hz)下,给光中心和撤光中心细胞的反应峰值延迟时间(相对于光调制信号的最大和最小值)也相同,表明它们具有相同的反应潜伏期。这种相位互补特性使具有共同感受野的一对细胞工作于“推挽”方式。对于瞬变型细胞来说,尽管它们在单独活动时显示半波整流特性,然而组成互补对以后则能传递全周期光调制信号。     

猫外膝体神经元对正弦调制光刺激反应的线性和非线性特性

用不同频率正弦波调制发光二极管亮度,刺激猫外膝体细胞的感受野中心。用Apple-Ⅱplus 计算机将细胞放电频率的瞬时变化作成反应直方图(PSTH)。通过傅里叶变换,计算平均放电率、基波幅度和高次谐波幅度的变化,定量地研究了细胞反应的线性和非线性性质。 1.在恒定的平均亮度下,持续细胞的反应具有较好的线性特征,表现在PSTH可以重现正弦光刺激的频率和波形;与此相反,瞬变细胞的反应显示明显的非线性性质,PSTH出现半波整流波形,反应上升相交陡而下降相较平缓。 2.两类细胞对正弦刺激的反应具有不同的谐波成分:典型持续细胞的反应中主要包含基波成分,高次谐波的幅度接近噪声水平;但是,瞬变细胞的谐波可以延续到8次之多,二次和三次谐波的幅度可高达基波幅度的50％。 3.逐渐增加调制光刺激的平均亮度,持续细胞反应中二次谐波幅度始终保持在很低的水平上,而瞬变细胞的谐波幅度则随着增大。 4.增加光刺激的调制深度,持续细胞的反应特点是:(1)平均放电率保持不变或略有增加,(2)二次谐波增长很慢,(3)基频相位基本保持不变。与此相反,瞬变细胞的平均放电率和二次谐波幅度都随调制深度增加而明显地增大,并且基波相位也可见到较明显的前移。 以上结果表明,持续细胞与瞬变细胞在时间域方面也具有线性和非线性的差别。     

用于研究快速扫视对瞳孔光反射调制作用的新方法

瞳孔对光反射系统和快速扫视系统在解剖学和功能上都有着紧密的联系,但是快速扫视系统对瞳孔的光反射系统是否有调制作用尚无报道。研究这两个系统间的调制作用,必须了解光刺激不均匀和近反应对瞳孔直径变化是否有影响。该研究以人为被试,设计了一种全新的实验方法,研究光刺激不均匀和近反应对瞳孔直径变化的影响。实验方法：将被试的一只眼用密闭的眼罩罩住给予脉冲光刺激,刺激由位于眼罩内全视野范围水平排列的一排发光二极管(light emitting diodes,LEDs)给出,被试的另一只眼用来记录眼动和瞳孔直径的变化,研究水平方向的快速扫视对瞳孔对光反射时瞳孔直径变化的影响。实验结果：比较被试注视视野内不同位置的瞳孔对光反射相对收缩率无显著差异（P=0.148, 非配对样本t检验）。结论：本方法消除了光刺激不均匀和近反应对瞳孔直径变化的影响,可用于研究快速扫视系统对瞳孔光反射系统间的调制作用。     

瞳孔控制系统非线性的频率特性与固有频率

本文用实验方法从时域和频域上揭示了瞳孔对光反应的非线性特性.在亮度以正弦变化的光刺激下,瞳孔反应波形呈同步倍频现象;描述函数的频率-振幅特性曲线呈多峰的锯齿形;具有1.2Hz左右的系统固有频率和极限环现象.     

视觉反差阈值检测的定量模型

一、引言从50年代起,就有人用一维正弦条纹作刺激来研究人的视觉系统的性质。之所以采用条纹刺激,一方面是由于当时设计电视机的实际需要,另一方面则是人们期望用线性系统理论来分析各种视觉现象。例如,Schade把人的视觉系统看成是一个空间滤波器,并测量了它的调制传递函数。 Campbell和Robson曾指出:在人的视觉系统中存在若干空间频率通道,每道的通频带都相当窄,各道在功能上服从线性叠加原理。     

精准定位脑刺激对运动功能调控研究进展

脑刺激是神经科学研究的重要手段,传统的经颅磁刺激和经颅电刺激等脑刺激方法尽管能调控运动功能(包括减轻运动性障碍疾病的运动障碍、提高运动能力等),但存在空间分辨率低且无法刺激深部脑组织的局限性.近年来迅速发展的深部脑刺激(deep brain stimulation,DBS)、光遗传学、经颅超声刺激(transcranial ultrasound stimulation,TUS)、时间干涉(temporal interference,TI)等精准定位脑刺激方法,具有空间分辨率高、可聚焦深部脑组织等优点.本文综述了上述几种脑刺激方法的原理、特点,对运动功能调控的研究进展,以及面临的挑战和发展前景,从而为神经科学研究提供更好的研究工具,为临床实践提供更多的干预治疗手段.     

光刺激移植视网膜诱导大鼠上丘FOS的表达

目的 用光反复刺激移植视网膜,观察脑内上丘c-fos的表达情况,检测移植视网膜能否对光刺激作出反应。方法 设实验组与对照组,用免疫组化方法显示脑内上丘c—fos的表达。结果 实验组移植视网膜与非移植视网膜大鼠在光反复刺激后1小时,脑内上丘出现明显的c-fos免疫反应阳性神经元,停止光刺激后2～3小时阳性神经元数量达到高峰。结论 光刺激移植视网膜能诱导脑内上丘c—fos的表达,提示移植视网膜具有对光刺激作出反应的能力。     

大鼠下丘脑弓状核区在唇针镇痛中的作用

下丘脑弓状核区和脑内参与痛觉调制的结构有复杂的纤维联系,脑内β-脂肪激素-β-内啡肽-ACTH 神经元系统的胞体亦主要集中于下丘脑弓状核区。本实验用电解损毁、H 刀游离和电刺激大白鼠弓状核区的方法,研究该区在痛觉调制和唇针镇痛中的作用。(1)电解损毁或 H 刀游离弓状核区后基础痛阈未见明显改变,但唇针镇痛效应均明显降低。(2)单纯电刺激弓状核区能明显升高基础痛阈;唇针和电刺激弓状核区同时进行时的镇痛效应比单纯唇针时的镇痛效应有明显提高。根据这些结果,讨论了下丘脑弓状核区在大白鼠唇针镇痛中的作用。     

Real-time change detection of steady-state evoked potentials

Steady-state evoked potentials (SSEP) are the electrical activity recorded from the scalp in response to high-rate sensory stimulation. SSEP consist of a constituent frequency component matching the stimulation rate, whose amplitude and phase remain constant with time and are sensitive to functional changes in the stimulated sensory system. Monitoring SSEP during neurosurgical procedures allows identification of an emerging impairment early enough before the damage becomes permanent. In routine practice, SSEP are extracted by averaging of the EEG recordings, allowing detection of neurological changes within approximately a minute. As an alternative to the relatively slow-responding empirical averaging, we present an algorithm that detects changes in the SSEP within seconds. Our system alerts when changes in the SSEP are detected by applying a two-step Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test (GLRT) on the unaveraged EEG recordings. This approach outperforms conventional detection and provides the monitor with a statistical measure of the likelihood that a change occurred, thus enhancing its sensitivity and reliability. The system’s performance is analyzed using Monte Carlo simulations and tested on real EEG data recorded under coma.     

Effect of deafferentation of the lateral geniculate body on its background activity

Elimination of reticular inputs to the lateral geniculate body (LGB) by sectioning of one half of the midbrain operculum, did not affect significantly the characteristics of the LGB evoked potential to light stimulus. At the same time LGB response to stimulation of the reticular formation by a single current impulse, though did not disappear completely, but changed greatly: its latency became twice as long, the negative component of the response was no more recorded. In conditions of LGB deafferentation, the characteristics of all rhythms of its electrical activity, besides the alpha-like one, considerably changed. At the same time, exactly this last rhythm underwent the greatest changes on the EEG of the visual cortex. On the basis of the obtained data it is suggested that the reticular formation takes a considerable and multiple part in generation of LGB rhythmic activity and that changes in its characteristics are clearly reflected in the ECoG rhythms formation. Retention of the LGB visual evoked potential and of the response to stimulation of the reticular formation after the section of one half of the midbrain operculum testifies to the presence of several reticular inputs to LGB.     

Ontogenetic patterns of frequency-power spectra elicited by flickering light in children: a comparative study of evoked and background EEGs.

Frequency-power spectra of the EEG evoked by repeptitive photic stimulation and of the background EEG were studied during childhood in 43 awake subjects aged between 2 months and 14 years. EEG activity was recorded from the middle parieto-occipital region with the aid of a 1-channel analyzer Lysograf-Alvar, analysing 16 frequencies in the range from 2 to 28 c/sec. The responsiveness of the central nervous system to flickering light improved in the course of childhood in parallel with the significant decline of delta activity and with the prominent increase of alpha intensity in the resting EEG. The 4th month of life appeared to be a marked turning point in the development of evoked and background EEGs. From that age, the bioelectric power at the flash rate corresponding to photic "driving" began to increase together with the highest and optimal driving frequencies. The flash rate, at which evoked potentials changed into the "driven" rhythm, also shifted towards higher frequencies. Subsequently, the amount of energy in the resting EEG increased significantly within the theta, alpha and beta bands and, on the contrary, a prominent decline was observed in the delta range. Marked ontogenetic changes at this age closely coincided with the rapid development of exogenous fibres in the occipital cortex, including the thalamo-cortical conncetions, and fibres of the neuropil in cortical layer I, which might play an important role in the genesis of background and "driven" in the occipital region.     

Interhemispheric EEG asymmetries during unilateral bright-light exposure and subsequent sleep in humans

We tested whether evening exposure to unilateral photic stimulation has repercussions on interhemispheric EEG asymmetries during wakefulness and later sleep. Because light exerts an alerting response in humans, which correlates with a decrease in waking EEG theta/alpha-activity and a reduction in sleep EEG delta activity, we hypothesized that EEG activity in these frequency bands show interhemispheric asymmetries after unilateral bright light (1,500 lux) exposure. A 2-h hemi-field light exposure acutely suppressed occipital EEG alpha activity in the ipsilateral hemisphere activated by light. Subjects felt more alert during bright light than dim light, an effect that was significantly more pronounced during activation of the right than the left visual cortex. During subsequent sleep, occipital EEG activity in the delta and theta range was significantly reduced after activation of the right visual cortex but not after stimulation of the left visual cortex. Furthermore, hemivisual field light exposure was able to shift the left predominance in occipital spindle EEG activity toward the stimulated hemisphere. Time course analysis revealed that this spindle shift remained significant during the first two sleep cycles. Our results reflect rather a hemispheric asymmetry in the alerting action of light than a use-dependent recovery function of sleep in response to the visual stimulation during prior waking. However, the observed shift in the spindle hemispheric dominance in the occipital cortex may still represent subtle local use-dependent recovery functions during sleep in a frequency range different from the delta range.     

Motor effects of electrical and cholinergic stimulation of the cat's dorsal hippocampus

The effect of electrical stimulation of the dorsal hippocampus was studied in 17 adult cats with implanted electrodes and those effects of carbachol and dioxolane in a group of ten adult cats with a cannula and electrodes implanted in the above cited structure. Electrical stimulation induced a contralateral head-eye-body turning response in 3 cats (17.6%), only when it was associated with afterdischarge. On the other hand the cholinergic agonists evoked contralateral head-eye-body turning in nine out of ten cats in whom the injections were administered into the hippocampus. The fact that dioxolane, an exclusive muscarinic agonist evoked this behavior and that atropine sulfate blocked this response, favours the postulation that turning is due to activation of muscarinic receptors inside the dorsal hippocampus. Comparison was done between the hippocampal group with a group similarly studied with electrodes implanted in the pulvinar-lateralis posterior nucleus complex (P-LP), and in the caudate nucleus, in which the electrical stimulation evoked contralateral head-eye-body turning response without any EEG activation.     

Habituation and dishabituation mediated by the peripheral and central neural circuits of the siphon of aplysia

The siphon withdrawal response evoked by a weak tactile (water drop) or light stimulus is mediated primarily by neurons in the siphon. Central neurons (abdominal ganglion) contribute very little since the response amplitude and latency are not changed following removal of the abdominal ganglion. Similarly, habituation and dishabituation of this withdrawal response are not different after removal of the abdominal ganglion, indicating that the peripheral neural circuit in the isolated siphon can mediate habituation itself, and thus has many of the properties attributed to central neurons. Responses evoked by electrical stimulation of the siphon nerve habituate, depending upon the stimulus intensity and interval. These habituated responses may be dishabituated by tactile or light stimulation of the siphon. These results show that each neural system, peripheral and central, has an excitatory modulatory influence on the other. Normally adaptive siphon responses must be shaped by the integrated activity of both of these neural systems.     

Habituation and dishabituation mediated by the peripheral and central neural circuits of the siphon of Aplysia.

The siphon withdrawal response evoked by a weak tactile (water drop) or light stimulus is mediated primarily by neurons in the siphon. Central neurons (abdominal ganglion) contribute very little since the response amplitude and latency are not changed following removal of the abdominal ganglion. Similarly, habituation and dishabituation of this withdrawal response are not different after removal of the abdominal ganglion, indicating that the peripheral neural circuit in the isolated siphon can mediate habituation itself, and thus has many of the properties attributed to central neurons. Response evoked by electrical stimulation of the siphon nerve habituate, depending upon the stimulus intensity and interval. These habituated responses may be dishabituated by tactile or light stimulation of the siphon. These results show that each neural system, peripheral and central, has an excitatory modulatory influence on the other. Normally adaptive siphon responses must be shaped by the integrated activity of both of these neural systems.     

Dynamic EEG topography and analysis of epileptic spikes and evoked potentials following thalamic stimulation

Dynamic EEG topography is used to study evoked potentials following thalamic stimulation as well as epileptic spikes and spike-wave complexes during stereotactic operations. Dynamic EEG topography is an effective method for displaying the distribution pattern of evoked potentials following thalamic stimulation. This technique makes it possible to observe successive increases in augmenting responses and to define the localization of epileptic foci.     

A quantitative description of the dynamics of excitation and inhibition in the eye of Limulus

By means of intracellular microelectrode techniques, we have measured the dynamics of the several processes which translate light stimulation into spike activity in the Limulus eye. The transductions from light to voltage and from voltage to spike rate, and the lateral inhibitory transduction from spike rate to voltage, we have characterized by transfer functions. We have checked the appropriateness of treating the eye as a system of linear transducers under our experimental conditions. The response of the eye to a large spot of light undergoing sine flicker has been correctly predicted.