EEG and FMRI coregistration to investigate the cortical oscillatory activities during finger movement

Brain Topogr. 2008 Dec;21(2):100-11. doi: 10.1007/s10548-008-0058-1. Epub 2008 Jul 22.

Abstract

Electroencephalography combined with functional magnetic resonance imaging (EEG-fMRI) may be used to identify blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal changes associated with physiological and pathological EEG event. In this study we used EEG-fMRI to determine the possible correlation between topographical movement-related EEG changes in brain oscillatory activity recorded from EEG electrodes over the scalp and fMRI-BOLD cortical responses in motor areas during finger movement. Thirty-two channels of EEG were recorded in 9 subjects during eyes-open condition inside a 1.5 T magnetic resonance (MR) scanner using a MR-compatible EEG recording system. Off-line MRI artifact subtraction software was applied to obtain continuous EEG data during fMRI acquisition. For EEG data analysis we used the event-related-synchronization/desynchronization (ERS/ERD) approach to investigate where movement-related decreases in alpha and beta power are located. For image statistical analysis we used a general linear model (GLM) approach. There was a significant correlation between the positive-negative ratio of BOLD signal peaks and ERD values in the electrodes over the region of activation. We conclude that combined EEG-fMRI may be used to investigate movement-related oscillations of the human brain inside an MRI scanner and the movement-related changes in the EMG or EEG signals are useful to identify the brain activation sources responsible for BOLD-signal changes.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Mapping / methods
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
  • Cortical Synchronization / methods
  • Electroencephalography / methods*
  • Female
  • Fingers / physiology*
  • Functional Laterality / physiology
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Male
  • Mathematical Computing
  • Middle Aged
  • Motor Cortex / physiology
  • Movement / physiology
  • Oxygen Consumption / physiology*
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Young Adult