title: The graph theoretical analysis of the SSVEP harmonic response networks.
abstract: Steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEP) have been widely used in the neural engineering and cognitive neuroscience researches. Previous studies have indicated that the SSVEP fundamental frequency responses are correlated with the topological properties of the functional networks entrained by the periodic stimuli. Given the different spatial and functional roles of the fundamental frequency and harmonic responses, in this study we further investigated the relation between the harmonic responses and the corresponding functional networks, using the graph theoretical analysis. We found that the second harmonic responses were positively correlated to the mean functional connectivity, clustering coefficient, and global and local efficiencies, while negatively correlated with the characteristic path lengths of the corresponding networks. In addition, similar pattern occurred with the lowest stimulus frequency (6.25 Hz) at the third harmonic responses. These findings demonstrate that more efficient brain networks are related to larger SSVEP responses. Furthermore, we showed that the main connection pattern of the SSVEP harmonic response networks originates from the interactions between the frontal and parietal-occipital regions. Overall, this study may bring new insights into the understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying SSVEP.
authors.affiliation: School of Computer Science and Technology, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China ; Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Robot Technology Used for Special Environment, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China.
authors.forename: Yangsong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, #4, Section 2, North JianShe Road, Chengdu, 610054 Sichuan China.
authors.forename: Daqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, #4, Section 2, North JianShe Road, Chengdu, 610054 Sichuan China ; School of Foreign Languages, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Kaiwen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, #4, Section 2, North JianShe Road, Chengdu, 610054 Sichuan China.
authors.forename: Dezhong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, #4, Section 2, North JianShe Road, Chengdu, 610054 Sichuan China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xu
keywords: Brain network; Functional connectivity; Graph theoretical analysis; Harmonic response; Steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP)