title: Discussion on "Towards a quantitative characterization of functional states of the brain: from the non-linear methodology to the global linear description" by J. Wackermann.
abstract: Wackermann (1999) [Wackermann, J., 1999. Towards a quantitative characterization of functional states of the brain: from the non-linear methodology to the global linear description. Int. J. Psychophysiol. 34, 65-80] proposed Sigma-phi-Omega system for describing the global brain macro-state, in which Omega complexity was used to quantify the degree of synchrony between spatially distributed EEG processes. In this paper the effect of signal power on Omega complexity is discussed, which was not considered in Wackermann's paper (1999). Then an improved method for eliminating the effect of signal power on Omega complexity is proposed. Finally a case study on the degree of synchrony between two-channel EEG signals over different brain regions during hand motor imagery is given. The results show that the improved Omega complexity measure would characterize the true degree of synchrony among the EEG signals by eliminating the influence of signal power.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710049 Shaanxi, China. pei@zy165.com
authors.forename: Xiao-mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Chong-xun
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ai-hua
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fu-jian
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Guang-yu
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Bin
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008959:Models, Neurological; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics