title: Linking a neural mass model with a 3D model of the human brain to reproduce EEG signals.
abstract: Electroencephalography (EEG) is often employed to measure electrical activity in the living human brain. Simulation studies can help unravel how the brain electrical activity pattern generates the EEG signal, still a widely unresolved question. This article describes a method to simulate brain electrical activity by using neuronal populations of a neural mass model. Implementing these populations in a finite element model of the head offers the opportunity to investigate the influence of each group of neurons to the scalp potential. This model is based on structural magnetic resonance imaging data to specify tissue composition, and diffusion tensor imaging data to model local anisotropy. We simulated the EEG signals of five neuronal populations generating α waves in the visual cortex. Our results indicate that radially oriented sources dominate over tangential sources in the generation of the scalp signal. Investigating the influence of anisotropic conductivity, we found small differences in topography and phase and larger ones for the potential amplitude compared with an isotropic conductivity distribution. The outcome of this article is a fast method based on superposition of sources for simulating time-dependent EEG signals, which can be used for further studies of neurodegenerative diseases.
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Petersen
authors: Ulf
authors: U
authors: Zimmermann
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Schmidt
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Schwabe
authors: Mareike
authors: M
authors: Warkentin
authors: Stefan J
authors: SJ
authors: Teipel
mesh_terms: D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*