Author(s)

Wilfried Dimpfel¹, Gwladys Nina Chiegoua Dipah², Nigel Gericke³

¹Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
²NeuroCode AG, Wetzlar, Germany.
³HG & H Pharmaceuticals (PTY) Ltd., Bryanston, South Africa.

Anatomical functionality is a major topic in brain research. Numerous investigations have shown task dependent activation of focal brain areas, with most information based on time-averaged data due to methodological limitations. Ultra-fast quantitative EEG, especially in the newly developed combination with eye tracking (EnkephaloVision), is very suitable to follow activities of local electric circuits. This investigation in 57 subjects revealed transient focal frequency changes reaching up to more than 6000% of global median spectra power during cognitive and emotional challenges at frontal electrode positions. Recording epochs of 364 ms uncovered coherences with respect to focal brain areas and single frequencies, which are typically lost during averaged calculations. When averaging data over a whole scene, a least demanding challenge like viewing a boring animal video only activated the lateral frontal lobe, whereas solving brain-teasers and performance of mathematical calculations led to delta (modulated by acetylcholine) and theta (modulated by norepinephrine) increases in all brain regions in a statistically significant manner. In addition to delta and theta increases, performance of the Stroop test led to beta2 (related to GABA-ergic transmission) increases in the temporal lobe. The higher the mental demand the more brain regions were involved during 10 different challenges. There was no challenge which did not activate the lateral frontal brain in terms of increases of delta and theta spectral power. The results are in line with the view that the lateral frontal lobe is involved primarily during cognitive and emotional behavior related to activity changes of acetylcholine and norepinephrine.

EnkephaloVision, Quantitative EEG, Spectral Power, Eye-Tracking, Cognition, Emotion, CATEEM

Dimpfel, W. , Dipah, G. and Gericke, N. (2016) EnkephaloVision: Anatomical Functionality Indicated by Ultrashort Transient Regional EEG Spectral Power Changes during Cognitive and Emotional Challenges. World Journal of Neuroscience, 6, 90-108. doi: 10.4236/wjns.2016.62012.