Gamma-band EEGs predict autonomic responses during mental arithmetic.
Relationship between gamma-band (20-80 Hz) EEGs and autonomic functions (heart rate, blood pressure, instantaneous lung flow) in a mental arithmetic task (MAT) were investigated. Subjects were instructed to add 2 integers after presentation of audio voices indicating the integers in the MAT, and to listen to the same voices without mental arithmetic in the control task. The gamma-EEGs and autonomic functions coherently changed in response to the voices before mental arithmetic in the MAT. Furthermore, an increase in gamma-EEGs went ahead of the autonomic fluctuation. The results suggest that the gamma-band activity modulates and adjusts peripheral autonomic functions in advance before actual mental activity. This is the first demonstration that cortical gamma-band activity triggers peripheral autonomic responses during mental activity.
Umeno
Katsumi
K
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
Hori
Etsuro
E
Tabuchi
Eiichi
E
Takakura
Hiromasa
H
Miyamoto
Keiichi
K
Ono
Taketoshi
T
Nishijo
Hisao
H
D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005544:Forecasting; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena