title: A modified oddball paradigm for investigation of neural correlates of attention: a simultaneous ERP-fMRI study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of the presented study was to develop and evaluate a P300 experimental protocol for simultaneous registration of event-related potentials (ERPs) and functional MRI (fMRI) data with continuous imaging. It may be useful for investigating attention and working memory processes in specific populations, such as children and neuropsychiatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven children were investigated with simultaneous ERP-fMRI. To fulfill requirements of both BOLD and electroencephalographic signal registration, a modified oddball task was used. To verify the ERP-fMRI protocol we also performed a study outside the scanner using a typical two-stimuli oddball paradigm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Localization of the P300 component of ERPs partially corresponded with fMRI results in the frontal and parietal brain regions. FMRI activations were found in: middle frontal gyrus, insula, SMA, parietal lobule, thalamus, and cerebellum. Our modified oddball task provided ERP-fMRI results with high level of significance (EEG SNR=35, fMRI p<0.05-Bonf.). ERPs obtained in the scanner were comparable with those registered outside the scanner, although some differences in the amplitude were noticed, mainly in the N100 component.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our opinion the presented paradigm may be successfully applied for simultaneous ERP-fMRI registration of neural correlates of attention in vulnerable populations.
authors.affiliation: World Hearing Center of The Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Mokra 17 Str., 05-830, Nadarzyn, Poland, m.rusiniak@ifps.org.pl.
authors.forename: Mateusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rusiniak
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lewandowska
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wolak
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pluta
authors.forename: Rafał
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Milner
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ganc
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Włodarczyk
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Senderski
authors.forename: Lech
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sliwa
authors.forename: Henryk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Skarżyński
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000465:Algorithms; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001519:Behavior; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008959:Models, Neurological; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted