Reflection of mental exercise in the dynamic quantitative topographical EEG.
The aim of this study was to investigate the activation process of the central nervous system during mental demand in a complex psychophysiological situation. A 17-channel quantitative topographical EEG was recorded in 48 healthy volunteers (male and female, aged 49 +/- 6 years), using the CATEEM system, during four different psychometric tests (simple reaction time measurement, concentration performance, figure detection and word recall test). The mental load varied with each test, producing a graduated increase in spectral power density in delta and theta frequency range on the EEG in the fronto-temporal, parietal and occipital regions of the cortex and a generalized decrease in alpha power. During the rest periods after each test a graduated increase in alpha 1 power was seen as a possible expression of change in vigilance level. With this method we were able to differentiate two effects of psychometric tests on brain activity: the actual mental demand itself and the influence on the vigilance level.
Schober
F
F
Pro Science Private Research Institute, Linden, Germany.
Schellenberg
R
R
Dimpfel
W
W
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000295:instrumentation; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010153:Paired-Associate Learning / Q000502:physiology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*