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Comparsion of Real EEG References with and Without Zero Potential According Resulting Topograthy Differencies

Received: 23 January 2017     Accepted: 8 February 2017     Published: 1 March 2017
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Abstract

The problem to find an optimal EEG reference is the actual topic for discussion over 60 years. We have studied topographical differences in averaged EEG amplitudes of alpha domain recorded in 10–20 system during “eyes closed” test. These differences appeared due to the use of 13 reference schemes: top and bottom of the chin (Ch1, Ch2); nose (N); top and bottom of the neck (Nc1, Nc2); upper back (Bc); united electrodes at the base of the neck anteriorly and posteriorly (2Nc); united, ipsilateral, and individual ear electrodes (A12, Sym, A1, A2); vertex (Cz); and averaged reference (AR). Six experiments for each of the ten subjects were carried out with grounded and ungrounded states of three distant basic references Ch2, Bc, 2Nc. Pairwise comparisons of topographic consistency of 13 reference schemes were carried out on the proposed complex of three independent indicators with the evaluative criterion, followed by centroid-based clustering of the reference schemes and its discriminant verification. As a result, we have established: (1) that most coordinated topography is provided by the following reference electrodes —A12, Ch1, Ch2, Sym; (2) reference electrodes A1, Nc2, A2, Sh1, AR, Cz are characterized by individually varying topography, which may lead to contradictory conclusions obtained when they are used; (3) no significant reasons have been found for preferring the grounded (neutral) states of reference electrodes, that makes less important the search for or mathematical construct of an infinitely remote neutral reference electrode; (4) numerous distortions of EEG topography by reference electrode standardization technique (REST) raise serious doubts about its proclaimed advantages in EEG studies.

Published in International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences (Volume 2, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20170201.13
Page(s) 18-27
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

EEG, Reference Electrode, Reference at Infinity, Neutral Reference, REST Reference Electrode Standardization Technique

References
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    Alexey Pavlovich Kulaichev. (2017). Comparsion of Real EEG References with and Without Zero Potential According Resulting Topograthy Differencies. International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 2(1), 18-27. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20170201.13

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    ACS Style

    Alexey Pavlovich Kulaichev. Comparsion of Real EEG References with and Without Zero Potential According Resulting Topograthy Differencies. Int. J. Psychol. Brain Sci. 2017, 2(1), 18-27. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20170201.13

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    AMA Style

    Alexey Pavlovich Kulaichev. Comparsion of Real EEG References with and Without Zero Potential According Resulting Topograthy Differencies. Int J Psychol Brain Sci. 2017;2(1):18-27. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20170201.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijpbs.20170201.13,
      author = {Alexey Pavlovich Kulaichev},
      title = {Comparsion of Real EEG References with and Without Zero Potential According Resulting Topograthy Differencies},
      journal = {International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences},
      volume = {2},
      number = {1},
      pages = {18-27},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijpbs.20170201.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20170201.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijpbs.20170201.13},
      abstract = {The problem to find an optimal EEG reference is the actual topic for discussion over 60 years. We have studied topographical differences in averaged EEG amplitudes of alpha domain recorded in 10–20 system during “eyes closed” test. These differences appeared due to the use of 13 reference schemes: top and bottom of the chin (Ch1, Ch2); nose (N); top and bottom of the neck (Nc1, Nc2); upper back (Bc); united electrodes at the base of the neck anteriorly and posteriorly (2Nc); united, ipsilateral, and individual ear electrodes (A12, Sym, A1, A2); vertex (Cz); and averaged reference (AR). Six experiments for each of the ten subjects were carried out with grounded and ungrounded states of three distant basic references Ch2, Bc, 2Nc. Pairwise comparisons of topographic consistency of 13 reference schemes were carried out on the proposed complex of three independent indicators with the evaluative criterion, followed by centroid-based clustering of the reference schemes and its discriminant verification. As a result, we have established: (1) that most coordinated topography is provided by the following reference electrodes —A12, Ch1, Ch2, Sym; (2) reference electrodes A1, Nc2, A2, Sh1, AR, Cz are characterized by individually varying topography, which may lead to contradictory conclusions obtained when they are used; (3) no significant reasons have been found for preferring the grounded (neutral) states of reference electrodes, that makes less important the search for or mathematical construct of an infinitely remote neutral reference electrode; (4) numerous distortions of EEG topography by reference electrode standardization technique (REST) raise serious doubts about its proclaimed advantages in EEG studies.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Comparsion of Real EEG References with and Without Zero Potential According Resulting Topograthy Differencies
    AU  - Alexey Pavlovich Kulaichev
    Y1  - 2017/03/01
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    AB  - The problem to find an optimal EEG reference is the actual topic for discussion over 60 years. We have studied topographical differences in averaged EEG amplitudes of alpha domain recorded in 10–20 system during “eyes closed” test. These differences appeared due to the use of 13 reference schemes: top and bottom of the chin (Ch1, Ch2); nose (N); top and bottom of the neck (Nc1, Nc2); upper back (Bc); united electrodes at the base of the neck anteriorly and posteriorly (2Nc); united, ipsilateral, and individual ear electrodes (A12, Sym, A1, A2); vertex (Cz); and averaged reference (AR). Six experiments for each of the ten subjects were carried out with grounded and ungrounded states of three distant basic references Ch2, Bc, 2Nc. Pairwise comparisons of topographic consistency of 13 reference schemes were carried out on the proposed complex of three independent indicators with the evaluative criterion, followed by centroid-based clustering of the reference schemes and its discriminant verification. As a result, we have established: (1) that most coordinated topography is provided by the following reference electrodes —A12, Ch1, Ch2, Sym; (2) reference electrodes A1, Nc2, A2, Sh1, AR, Cz are characterized by individually varying topography, which may lead to contradictory conclusions obtained when they are used; (3) no significant reasons have been found for preferring the grounded (neutral) states of reference electrodes, that makes less important the search for or mathematical construct of an infinitely remote neutral reference electrode; (4) numerous distortions of EEG topography by reference electrode standardization technique (REST) raise serious doubts about its proclaimed advantages in EEG studies.
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Author Information
  • Department of Biological Science, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

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