Non-invasive single-trial monitoring of human movement-related brain activation based on DC-magnetoencephalography.
Neuroimaging techniques, such as fMRI, PET and near-infrared spectroscopy, monitor task-related neuronal activations in the brain indirectly through the associated neurovascular/metabolic responses. To assess the primary neuronal activations directly, magnetoencephalography was combined here with a mechanical modulation of the head-to-sensor position and signal separation via independent component analysis. In all of five subjects this approach allowed to monitor the time evolution of DC fields (<0.1 Hz) over the left hemisphere related to complex finger movements of the right hand alternating with rest periods (30 s each). Throughout the recording period of 30 min, stable task-related DC fields were recordable in a single-trial mode, i.e. without any averaging. DC-MEG opens up the possibility of analysing non-invasively cortical DC-activity also in stroke, migraine or epilepsy patients.
Mackert
B M
BM
Department of Neurology, Klinikum Benjamin Franklin, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany.
Wübbeler
G
G
Leistner
S
S
Trahms
L
L
Curio
G
G
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000502:physiology