A method for identifying short-latency human cognitive potentials in single trials by scalp mapping.
Studies of scalp-recorded brain event-related potentials in humans currently depend on the electronic averaging of many responses to the stimulus. In non-averaged single responses, it is sometimes possible to see late components such as the so-called P300, but not the shorter latency components that are much smaller and masked in background noise. We tried to identify short-latency cognitive potentials evoked by finger stimulation by comparing single trial responses that are concomitantly recorded at the contralateral and ipsilateral parietal scalp respectively. We developed a single trial topographic mapping method that proved important for assessing whether any left-right difference at short latency indeed reflected genuine cognitive electrogeneses. These results make it possible to analyze on a trial-by-trial basis the short latency cognitive processing in somatic perception.
Tomberg
C
C
Brain Research Unit, University of Brussels Faculty of Medicine, Belgium.
Desmedt
J E
JE
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003071:Cognition; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D012535:Scalp / Q000294:innervation*; D013997:Time Factors