Dynamics of the electroencephalogram during performance of a mental task

Dynamics of the EEG activity — during the performance of a mental task — was investigated by the nonstationary power spectrum method. The performance of the mental arithmetic is associated with suppression of the alpha wave. The suppression of the alpha wave is not as marked as the alpha blocking accompanying opening of the eyes. Alpha wave suppression during the mental task was nonsymmetric around the center frequency of the alpha wave, and lower frequency components were suppressed more than high frequency components. An explanation of these observations is proposed in terms of decrease in the periods of alpha prevalence during performance of mental tasks.     

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Feedback in a Stressed Population Exposed to a Brief Stressor Demonstrated by Quantitative EEG and sLORETA

Previous investigations of electroencephalograms during relaxation have identified increases in slow wave band power, correlations between increased levels of alpha activity with lower levels of anxiety, and autonomic changes characterized by otherwise documented decreased sympathetic activity. This study was carried out to determine the overall changes in quantitative electroencephalographic activity and the current source as a result of an acute session of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) biofeedback in a population of subjects experiencing stress. This study’s findings provide physiological evidence of RSA feedback effect and suggest that RSA training may decrease arousal by promoting an increase of alpha band frequencies and decrease in beta frequencies overall and in areas critical to the regulation of stress. It was of interest that novices could achieve these objective alterations in EEG activity after minimal training and intervention periods considering that the previous literature on EEG and meditative states involve experienced meditators or participants who had been given extensive training. Additionally, these effects were present immediately following the training suggesting that the intervention may have effects beyond the actual practice.     

Suppression of gamma EEG activity as an index of a spreading depression wave in the neocortex of a waking rabbit

A spreading depression (SD) can spontaneously develop in seizures, attacks of migraine, vascular disorders and other pathological states of the brain. However, problems in technique of recording the DC-potential in the neocortex of humans and waking animals substantially restrict the possibilities of studying functional consequences of the SD. In this article, the EEG pattern was studied in detail at the moment of the SD development. Specific features were revealed, which make it possible to detect the SD without recording shifts of the DC-potential. At the moment of the SD arrival, the interhemispheric balance drastically disturbs because of a strong decrease in the high-frequency activity. By the time indices, the course of the suppression of the gammal and gamma2 EEG frequencies is the most reliable symptom of the SD wave development. The EEG spectral power in the delta band increases with a certain delay in reference to the deep depression of the high-frequency activity and is, in essence, an SD aftereffect. The found EEG signs of an SD wave can substantially simplify the identification of this phenomenon both in experiment and clinical conditions in certain pathological states of the brain.     

Does EEG activity during painful stimulation mirror more closely the noxious stimulus intensity or the subjective pain sensation?

Abstract

Background: Many researchers have tried to investigate pain by studying brain responses. One method used to investigate pain-related brain responses is continuous electroencephalography (EEG). The objective of the current study is to add on to our understanding of EEG responses during pain, by differentiation between EEG patterns indicative of (i) the noxious stimulus intensity and (ii) the subjective pain sensation.

Methods: EEG was recorded during the administration of tonic experimental pain, consisting of six minutes of contact heat applied to the leg via a thermode. Two stimuli above pain threshold, one at pain threshold and two non-painful stimuli were administered. Thirty-six healthy participants provided a subjective pain rating during thermal stimulation. Relative EEG power was calculated for the frequency bands alpha1, alpha2, beta1, beta2, delta, and theta.

Results: Whereas EEG activity could not be predicted by stimulus intensity (except in one frequency band), subjective pain sensation could significantly predict differences in EEG activity in several frequency bands. An increase in the subjective pain sensation was associated with a decrease in alpha2, beta1, beta2 as well as in theta activity across the midline electrodes.

Conclusion: The subjective experience of pain seems to capture unique variance in EEG activity above and beyond what is captured by noxious stimulus intensity.     

Aging-related changes of EEG synchronization during a visual working memory task

Differences of EEG synchronization between normal old and young people during a working memory (WM) task were investigated. The synchronization likelihood (SL) is a novel method to assessed synchronization in multivariate time series for non-stationary systems. To evaluate this method to study the mechanisms of WM, we calculated the SL values in brain electrical activity for both resting state and task state. EEG signals were recorded from 14 young adults and 12 old adults during two different states, respectively. SL was used to measure EEG synchronization between 19 electrodes in delta, theta, alpha1, alpha2 and beta frequency bands. Bad task performance and significantly decreased EEG synchronization were found in old group compared to young group in alpha1, alpha2 and beta frequency bands during the WM task. Moreover, significantly decreased EEG synchronization in beta band in the elder was also detected during the resting state. The findings suggested that reduced EEG synchronization may be one of causes for WM capacity decline along with healthy aging.     

The Influence of Perceived Stress on Cortical Reactivity: A Proof-Of-Principle Study

The aim of this study was to investigate how perceived stress may affect electroencephalographical (EEG) activity in a stress paradigm in a sample of 76 healthy participants. EEG activity was analyzed using multilevel modeling, allowing estimation of nested effects (EEG time segments within subjects). The stress paradigm consisted of a 3-minute pre-stimulus stress period and a 2-minute post-stimulus phase. At t=3 minutes, a single electrical stimulus was delivered. Participants were unaware of the precise moment of stimulus delivery and its intensity level. In the EEG time course of alpha activity, a stronger increase was observed during the post-stimulus period as compared to the pre-stimulus period. An opposite time course effect was apparent for gamma activity. Both effects were in line with a priori expectations and support the validity of this experimental EEG-stress paradigm. Secondly, we investigated whether interaction effects of stress and coping, as measured with the Perceived Stress Scale-10 questionnaire (PSS-10), could be demonstrated. A higher perceived stress score was accompanied by a greater increase in delta- and theta-activity during the post-stimulus phase, compared to low scores. In contrast, low coping capacity was associated with a stronger decrease in slow beta, fast beta and gamma activity during the post-stimulus phase. The results of the present article may be interpreted as proof-of-principle that EEG stress-related activity depends on the level of subjectively reported perceived stress. The inclusion of psychosocial variables measuring coping styles as well as stress-related personality aspects permits further examination of the interconnection between mind and body and may inform on the process of transformation from acute to chronic stress.     

Nonstationary power spectrum analysis of the photic alpha blocking

The dynamics of the EEG activity under light stimulation was investigated in terms of the nonstationary power spectrum method. The alpha wave was blocked by light stimulation, however the blocking was temporary, and the alpha activity recovered to that of the resting state even though under light. Moreover the alpha rhythm was also blocked by light off. The frequencies of the preand post-blocked activity were different. The frequency of the post-blocked wave shifted gradually downward and became stable after 3–4 sec.     

A genetic study of the human low-voltage electroencephalogram

Summary The studied phenotype, the low-voltage electroencephalogram (LVEEG), is characterized by the absence of an alpha rhythm from the resting EEG. In previous studies, evidence was found for a simple autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance of the LVEEG. Such a polymorphism in brain function can be used as a research model for the stepwise elucidation of the molecular mechanism involved in those aspects of neuronal activity that are reflected in the EEG. Linkage with the variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) marker CMM6 (D20S19) and localization of an LVEEG (EEGV1) gene on 20q have previously been reported, and genetic heterogeneity has been demonstrated. This latter result has been corroborated by studing new marker (MS214). The phenotype of the LVEEG is described here in greater detail. Its main characteristic is the absence of rhythmic alpha activity, especially in occipital leads, whereas other wave forms such as beta or theta waves may be present. Analysis of 17 new families (some of them large), together with 60 previously described nuclear families, supports the genetic hypothesis of an autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance. Problems connected with the analysis of linkage heterogeneity, exclusion mapping, and the study of multipoint linkage are discussed. A possible explanation of the localization of LVEEG in the close vicinity of another gene influencing synchronization of the normal EEG, the gene for benign neonatal epilepsie, is given.     

Effect of bright light on EEG activities and subjective sleepiness to mental task during nocturnal sleep deprivation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the exposure to bright light on EEG activity and subjective sleepiness at rest and at the mental task during nocturnal sleep deprivation. Eight male subjects lay awake in semi-supine in a reclining seat from 21:00 to 04:30 under the bright (BL; >2500 lux) or the dim (DL; <150 lux) light conditions. During the sleep deprivation, the mental task (Stroop color-word conflict test: CWT) was performed each 15 min in one hour. EEG, subjective sleepiness, rectal and mean skin temperatures and urinary melatonin concentrations were measured. The subjective sleepiness increased with time of sleep deprivation during both rest and CWT under the DL condition. The exposure to bright light delayed for 2 hours the increase in subjective sleepiness at rest and suppressed the increase in that during CWT. The bright light exposure also delayed the increase in the theta and alpha wave activities in EEG at rest. In contrast, the effect of the bright light exposure on the theta and alpha wave activities disappeared by CWT. Additionally, under the BL condition, the entire theta activity during CWT throughout nocturnal sleep deprivation increased significantly from that in a rest condition. Our results suggest that the exposure to bright light throughout nocturnal sleep deprivation influences the subjective sleepiness during the mental task and the EEG activity, as well as the subjective sleepiness at rest. However, the effect of the bright light exposure on the EEG activity at the mental task diminishes throughout nocturnal sleep deprivation.     

Effect of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on EEG topography

EEG topography by a microcomputer system (ATAC-3700 Nihon-Kohden) was performed in the rabbit in order to investigate the mechanism of TRH action on the brain wave. Power spectral analysis was carried out using a fast Fourier transform algorithm. The square root of the power spectra was defined as the equivalent potential over each frequency band by Ueno & Matsuoka's method. Potential fields of EEG frequency band were printed out on the topographic maps. The potentials of the electrocortical delta and theta waves were high, while the potentials of the alpha, beta 1 and beta 2 waves were low. Stimulation of the nucleus ventralis anterior (VA) by 3 Hz and 8 Hz resulted in a decrease in these potentials, especially, those of the alpha, beta 1 and beta 2 waves. The potentials of the alpha and fast waves were increased following unilateral destruction of VA. In the rabbit, in which TRH 0.5 mg/kg had been administered beforehand, there was no decrease in the potential of each wave induced by stimulation of VA with frequencies of 3 Hz and 8 Hz. The findings suggest involvement of the diffuse thalamocortical projection system in the activation of EEG by TRH.     

Improving spatial and temporal resolution in evoked EEG responses using surface Laplacians

Spline generated surface Laplacian temporal wave forms are presented as a method to improve both spatial and temporal resolution of evoked EEG responses. Middle latency and the N1 components of the auditory evoked response were used to compare potential-based methods with surface Laplacian methods in the time domain. Results indicate that surface Laplacians provide better estimates of underlying cortical activity than do potential wave forms. Spatial discrimination among electrode sites was markedly better with surface Laplacian than with potential wave forms. Differences in the number and latencies of peaks, and their topographic distributions, were observed for surface Laplacian, particularly during the time period encompassing the middle latency responses. Focal activities were observed in surface Laplacian wave forms and topographic maps which were in agreement with previous findings from auditory evoked response studies. Methodological issues surrounding the application of spline methods to the time domain are also discussed. Surface Laplacian methods in the time domain appear to provide an improved way for studying evoked EEG responses by increasing temporal and spatial resolution of component characteristics.     

Spreading depression in a waking rabbit with the spectral EEG analysis

It was shown that the manifestation of the SD phenomenon in dynamics of the cortical high-frequency gamma activity is rather prominent after bipolar interpretation of the common reference electrode derivations, i.e. when the modeling of the bipolar signal on the base of monopolar EEG recordings is used. The SD wave was accompanied by significant decrease in the power of the EEG gamma band (37-47 Hz) in all observed cortical areas. A curve of decline of gamma activity power had distinct fore and back fronts, so the time of SD appearance in different cortex areas and it's spread succession could be well determined. In the long-term experiments SD waves were characterized by normal (i.e. successive) spread through the cortex mainly in initial three-four experiments. In the subsequent tests latency of SD waves in different cortex areas changed and disturbance of propagation became obvious. Sometimes SD arose rapidly (due 0.5-2 min) on the whole dorsal neocortical surface, when the standard injection of the KCI was done. In the most of experiments the delay of the SD wave appearance was prolonged till 6-9 min or no SD wave occur at some cortical regions. Week epileptiform activity could conduct abnormalities in the SD. In many instances electrophysiological signs of the cortical excitability changes were absent. However the modified spatial SD characteristic and spontaneous occurrence of the repeated. SD waves indicated the increased functional inhomogeneities of the neighboring cortical areas. So, spectral EEG analysis in awake rabbits made it possible to characterize the SD wave both in case of its normal propagation through the cortex and in unusual forms of this reaction.     

Variance and discriminatory analyses for the classification of wakefulness-dependent EEG patterns]

1. To describe 8 alertness-dependent EEG activity patterns to be observed during wakefulness with eyes closed, mean values and standard deviations of the frequencies 4, ..., 13, 14 to 17, 18 to 22 and 23 to 40 c/sec, of the percentage activity in the theta, alpha and beta bands as well as of the theta and alpha amplitudes were calculated. 2. On the basis of 18 variables significant differences between 7 activity patterns were ascertained by means of univariate and multivariate analyses of variance. 3. In the course of stepwise reduction of variables within the framework of a linear discriminatory analysis, an optimal set of variables was determined for the separation of the patterns comprising the following variables: mean value and standard deviation of the alpha amplitudes and mean value of the theta amplitudes as well as the percent quantity of the frequencies 3, ..., 7, 10, 14 to 17 and 23 to 40 c/sec. 4. By means of a linear regression analysis it was shown that the EEG scoring system can be reflected on an interval scale. In connection with results on the reliability of the methods used the results were discussed.     

Comment on feedback training of parietal-occipital alpha asymmetry in normal human subjects

Experiments with feedback regulation of normal subjects' parietal-occipital alpha electroencephalographic asymmetry have shown that subjects learned to optimize the conditions under which symmetry and asymmetry occurred. Asymmetry was defined as the difference in the occurrence of the two hemispheres' alpha EEG activity. The results of this experiment can be interpreted to mean that the subjects did not learn alpha asymmetry per se, but instead learned to increase then percent time of alpha and increase the alternations between alpha and no alpha. This condition is optimized when the subject has his eyes closed and is not performing a visual search. On the other hand, symmetry is optimized when the subject performs a visual task. Methodological problems in feedback training are discussed.     

Spindle activity during sleep in subjects with a deficit in pallesthetic sensibility

Sleep spindle activity was studied on four subjects affected by pallesthesic deficit due to injury the posterior funiculi of the cord. The spindle activity was studied as density (number of spindles min.), duration and percent of sleep time utilized in spindle activity. The polygraph sleep records included EOG, EMG and 6 monopolar EEG recordings, 3 for each side, on the frontal, parietal and occipital regions. The records showed a spindle activity which was similar in different subjects and that was significantly higher than the physiological values. In fact, the spindle density was about 250%, the duration was about 130% and the spindle percent was about 280%, with respect to the physiological values assumed to be 100%.     

卡马西平与丙戊酸钠对儿童癫痫部分性发作脑电图的临床对照研究

目的:探究卡马西平与丙戊酸钠对儿童癫痫部分发作患儿发作脑电图影响,并实施组间对照研究。方法:选择2017年1月至2020年1月于我院接受治疗的81例癫痫部分性发作患儿为研究对象,按照其接受治疗的差异将其分为卡马西平组(40例)和丙戊酸钠组(41例),对比两组患儿接受药物治疗后脑电图以及脑电地形图变化情况。结果:(1)卡马西平组患儿接受治疗后脑电图检测显示间歇期痫样活动减少≥50%者占比高达67.50%(27/40),而丙戊酸钠组占比仅为43.90%(18/41),两组比较差异明显(P<0.05);(2)脑电背景活动变化比较显示,治疗后卡马西平组患儿α波无影响者占比65.00%,明显高于丙戊酸钠组36.59%,同时丙戊酸钠组患儿δ波数(20 s内)药物治疗后变化较卡马西平组更为明显;(3)脑电功率比较显示,卡马西平组患儿治疗后仅θ频段相对功率出现明显变化(P<0.05),但丙戊酸钠组患儿α频段相对功率、θ频段相对功率和θ频段绝对功率均出现明显变化(P<0.05)。结论:丙戊酸钠应用于儿童癫痫部分性发作时患儿脑电背景活动会明显变慢,甚至有出现间歇期痫样放电的风险,而卡马西平相对更为稳定,对患儿脑电图的影响更小,安全性更高。     

Auditory deprivation modifies biological rhythms in the golden hamster

To assess to what extent auditory sensory deprivation affects biological rhythmicity, sleep/wakefulness cycle and 24 h rhythm in locomotor activity were examined in golden hamsters after bilateral cochlear lesion. An increase in total sleep time as well as a decrease in wakefulness (W) were associated to an augmented number of W episodes, as well as of slow wave sleep (SWS) and paradoxical sleep (PS) episodes in deaf hamsters. The number of episodes of the three behavioural states and the percent duration of W and SWS increased significantly during the light phase of daily photoperiod only. Lower amplitudes of locomotor activity rhythm and a different phase angle as far as light off were found in deaf hamsters kept either under light-dark photoperiod or in constant darkness. Period of locomotor activity remained unchanged after cochlear lesions. The results indicate that auditory deprivation disturbs photic synchronization of rhythms with little effect on the clock timing mechanism itself.     

Resting EEG is affected by exposure to a pulsed ELF magnetic field

An increasing number of reports have demonstrated a significant effect of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF MFs) on aspects of animal and human behavior. Recent studies suggest that exposure to ELF MFs affects human brain electrical activity as measured by electroencephalography (EEG), specifically within the alpha frequency (8-13 Hz). Here we report that exposure to a pulsed ELF MF with most power at frequencies between 0 and 500 Hz, known to affect aspects of analgesia and standing balance, also affects the human EEG. Twenty subjects (10 males; 10 females) received both a magnetic field (MF) and a sham session in a counterbalanced design for 15 min. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that alpha activity was significantly higher over the occipital electrodes (O1, Oz, O2) [F(1,16) = 6.858; P =.019, eta2 = 0.30] and marginally higher over the parietal electrodes (P3, Pz, P4) [F(1,16) = 4.251; P =.056, eta2 = 0.21] post MF exposure. This enhancement of alpha activity was transient, as it marginally decreased over occipital [F(1,16) = 4.417; P =.052; eta2 = 0.216] and parietal electrodes [F(1,16) = 4.244; P =.056; eta2 = 0.21] approximately 7 min after MF exposure compared to the sham exposure. Significantly higher occipital alpha activity is consistent with other experiments examining EEG responses to ELF MFs and ELF modulated radiofrequency fields associated with mobile phones. Hence, we suggest that this result may be a nonspecific physiological response to the pulsed MFs.     

Gender differences in resting EEG related to Eysenk's Personality Traits

EEG mapping was used to study gender differences in hemispheric organization related to personality (40 male and 42 female subjects, the students 17-20 ages). The results showed, that each clearly defined personality trait (neuroticism, extraversion, psychoticizm and social conformity) characterized by special EEG pattern differenced on men and women groups. At the same time, more close interaction of gender and neuroticism was observed, but gender and extraversion were less connected. Neuroticism related patterns of coherence in the alpha2- and beta2-bands were associated with an activity changes in anterior cortex in men but posterior--in women, at that the positive correlations were observed in the beta2-band in the former case and negative ones in the second. There are two opposing tendencies of the interaction between extraversion and gender in a modulation of the resting theta-rhythm: an increase of cortex connections in men and decrease ones in women. The specificity of spatial-temporal EEG patterns in men associated mostly with a psychoticizm value but in women--with a social conformism. In either case these personality traits related to activity of frontal cortex in the left hemisphere.     

Effect of PGF2 alpha and 15(S)-15-methyl PGE2 methyl ester on feline generalized penicillin epilepsy.

The effect of PGF2alpha and 15(S)-15-methyl PGE2 methyl ester on transient generalized epilepsy in the cat induced by penicillin was examined. Epileptic activity before and after administration of the prostaglandins by several routes was determined from continuous EEG recordings and expressed in epileptic bursts per min. The PGE2 analogue given in single non-toxic doses (1.6-3 mug/kg) by intramuscular or intravenous routes at the peak of epileptic activity significantly reduced epileptic activity for up to four hours. Subcutaneous administration was less effective. PG2alpha given by the intramuscular route (0.3 mg/kg) also markedly reduced the number of epileptic bursts. Increasing the dosage 4-fold almost completely suppressed epileptic activity. Intracarotid infusion of PGF2alpha for one hour (10 mug/min) almost abolished all epileptic activity. Neither prostaglandin given in non-toxic doses induced EEG abnormalities in non-epileptic cats. Toxic doses of the E2 analogue (greater than 16 mug/kg) caused bilaterally synchronous high voltage slow wave activity. It is concluded that these prostaglandins reduce penicillin epilepsy in the cat. The findings are consistent with either a direct excitatory action on neurones of the medial reticular formation or anatagonism of the depressant action of norepinephrine on Purkinje cells.