title: Spatial and temporal EEG dynamics of dual-task driving performance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Driver distraction is a significant cause of traffic accidents. The aim of this study is to investigate Electroencephalography (EEG) dynamics in relation to distraction during driving. To study human cognition under a specific driving task, simulated real driving using virtual reality (VR)-based simulation and designed dual-task events are built, which include unexpected car deviations and mathematics questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We designed five cases with different stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) to investigate the distraction effects between the deviations and equations. The EEG channel signals are first converted into separated brain sources by independent component analysis (ICA). Then, event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) changes of the EEG power spectrum are used to evaluate brain dynamics in time-frequency domains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Power increases in the theta and beta bands are observed in relation with distraction effects in the frontal cortex. In the motor area, alpha and beta power suppressions are also observed. All of the above results are consistently observed across 15 subjects. Additionally, further analysis demonstrates that response time and multiple cortical EEG power both changed significantly with different SOA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that theta power increases in the frontal area is related to driver distraction and represents the strength of distraction in real-life situations.
authors.affiliation: Brain Research Center, National Chiao-Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chin-Teng
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shi-An
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tien-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Hong-Zhang
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Li-Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001334:Automobile Driving; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult