Event-related brain potentials as indicators of visual recognition and detection of criminals by their use

Brain fingerprinting field study on major, terrorist crimes supports the brain fingerprinting scientific standards hypothesis: classification concealed information test with P300 and P300-MERMER succeeds; comparison CIT fails

We conducted (I) 18 event-related potential (ERP) field tests to detect concealed information regarding major terrorist crimes and other real-world crimes and (II) 5 ERP tests regarding participation in a classified counterterrorism operation. This study is a test of the brain fingerprinting scientific standards hypothesis: that a specific set of methods for event-related potential (ERP) concealed information tests (CIT) known as the brain fingerprinting scientific standards provide the sufficient conditions to produce less than 1% error rate and greater than 95% median statistical confidence for individual determinations of whether the tested information is stored in each subject's brain. All previous published results in all laboratories are compatible with this hypothesis. We recorded P300 and P300-MERMER ERP responses to visual text stimuli of three types: targets contain known information, irrelevants contain unknown/irrelevant information, and probes contain the situation-relevant information to be tested, known only to the perpetrator and investigators. Classification CIT produced significantly better results than comparison CIT, independent of classification criteria. Classification CIT had 0% error rate; comparison CIT had 6% error rate. As in previous studies, classification-CIT median statistical confidences were approximately 99%, whereas comparison CIT statistical confidences were no better than chance for information-absent (IA) subjects (who did not know the tested information). Over half of the comparison-CIT IA determinations were invalid due to a less-than-chance computed probability of being correct. Experiment (I) results for median statistical confidence: Classification CIT, IA subjects: 98.6%; information-present (IP) subjects (who know the tested information): 99.9%; comparison CIT, IA subjects: 48.7%; IP subjects: 99.5%. Experiment (II) results (Classification CIT): error rate 0%, median statistical confidence 96.6%. Countermeasures had no effect on the classification CIT. These results, like all previous results in our laboratory and all others, support the brain fingerprinting scientific standards hypothesis and indicate that the classification CIT is a necessary condition for a reliable, accurate, and valid brainwave-based CIT. The comparison CIT, by contrast, produces high error rates and IA statistical confidences no better than chance.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11571-022-09795-1.

Polygraphic Examinations in Japan: Application of the Guilty Knowledge Test in Forensic Investigations

There are two main types of psychophysiological detection of deception in Held practice: the guilty knowledge test (GKT) and the control question test (CQT). A survey carried out for members of the American Psychological Association and the Society for Psychophysiological Research proved that many of the members consider that the GKT is superior to the CQT in its validity. Moreover, several experimental studies reported that the GKT produces fewer false positive errors (classifying an innocent suspect as guilty) than the CQT. In spite of these issues, the GKT is used less in North America and there are several researchers who insist that it is inapplicable in real-life criminal investigations. In Japan, however, the GKT has been extensively and successfully used in criminal investigations since the 1950s. Moreover, basic studies of the GKT, such as visual presentations of evidence, an automated diagnostic method by a computer and detecting guilty knowledge by using event-related brain potentials, are actively carried out in many Japanese laboratories to improve the method's reliability. In an effort to encourage the application of the GKT as an effective and scientific method in criminal investigations, this paper describes the status of the GKT in Japan.

Brain fingerprinting field studies comparing P300-MERMER and P300 brainwave responses in the detection of concealed information

Brain fingerprinting detects concealed information stored in the brain by measuring brainwave responses. We compared P300 and P300-MERMER event-related brain potentials for error rate/accuracy and statistical confidence in four field/real-life studies. 76 tests detected presence or absence of information regarding (1) real-life events including felony crimes; (2) real crimes with substantial consequences (either a judicial outcome, i.e., evidence admitted in court, or a $100,000 reward for beating the test); (3) knowledge unique to FBI agents; and (4) knowledge unique to explosives (EOD/IED) experts. With both P300 and P300-MERMER, error rate was 0 %: determinations were 100 % accurate, no false negatives or false positives; also no indeterminates. Countermeasures had no effect. Median statistical confidence for determinations was 99.9 % with P300-MERMER and 99.6 % with P300. Brain fingerprinting methods and scientific standards for laboratory and field applications are discussed. Major differences in methods that produce different results are identified. Markedly different methods in other studies have produced over 10 times higher error rates and markedly lower statistical confidences than those of these, our previous studies, and independent replications. Data support the hypothesis that accuracy, reliability, and validity depend on following the brain fingerprinting scientific standards outlined herein.

Brain fingerprinting: a comprehensive tutorial review of detection of concealed information with event-related brain potentials

Brain fingerprinting (BF) detects concealed information stored in the brain by measuring brainwaves. A specific EEG event-related potential, a P300-MERMER, is elicited by stimuli that are significant in the present context. BF detects P300-MERMER responses to words/pictures relevant to a crime scene, terrorist training, bomb-making knowledge, etc. BF detects information by measuring cognitive information processing. BF does not detect lies, stress, or emotion. BF computes a determination of "information present" or "information absent" and a statistical confidence for each individual determination. Laboratory and field tests at the FBI, CIA, US Navy and elsewhere have resulted in 0% errors: no false positives and no false negatives. 100% of determinations made were correct. 3% of results have been "indeterminate." BF has been applied in criminal cases and ruled admissible in court. Scientific standards for BF tests are discussed. Meeting the BF scientific standards is necessary for accuracy and validity. Alternative techniques that failed to meet the BF scientific standards produced low accuracy and susceptibility to countermeasures. BF is highly resistant to countermeasures. No one has beaten a BF test with countermeasures, despite a $100,000 reward for doing so. Principles of applying BF in the laboratory and the field are discussed.

Communication aid device utilizing event-related potentials for patients with severe motor impairment

The purpose of the present study was to develop a communication aid device utilizing event-related potentials (ERPs) for patients with severe motor disabilities. Preliminary experiments were performed on eight healthy volunteers to determine the optimal methods of presentation of visual stimuli and an off-line analysis of electroencephalography signals. Three clinical experiments were performed online on 17 healthy volunteers, 5 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and 1 patient with olivopontocerebellar atrophy. First, one of four vertically aligned short expressions ("yes definitely," "yes," "no," and "don't know") was presented in a random sequence to determine the target. Second, a systematic table of 50 Japanese syllables, and third, 16 pictorial symbols in four columns were presented, with each column presented at random. The target was identified by the maximum sum of the 2-5 Hz power spectrum after fast Fourier transform of averaged ERPs. A high correct response rate was obtained in the clinical experiments of almost 100% in "yes or no" and pictorial symbol paradigms using seven averaged samples. These results indicate that such devices may be used to communicate with patients who have lost all ability to interact other than directly via the brain.

Reward deficiency syndrome: a biogenetic model for the diagnosis and treatment of impulsive, addictive, and compulsive behaviors

The dopaminergic system, and in particular the dopamine D2 receptor, has been implicated in reward mechanisms. The net effect of neurotransmitter interaction at the mesolimbic brain region induces "reward" when dopamine (DA) is released from the neuron at the nucleus accumbens and interacts with a dopamine D2 receptor. "The reward cascade" involves the release of serotonin, which in turn at the hypothalmus stimulates enkephalin, which in turn inhibits GABA at the substania nigra, which in turn fine tunes the amount of DA released at the nucleus accumbens or "reward site." It is well known that under normal conditions in the reward site DA works to maintain our normal drives. In fact, DA has become to be known as the "pleasure molecule" and/or the "antistress molecule." When DA is released into the synapse, it stimulates a number a DA receptors (D1-D5) which results in increased feelings of well-being and stress reduction. A consensus of the literature suggests that when there is a dysfunction in the brain reward cascade, which could be caused by certain genetic variants (polygenic), especially in the DA system causing a hypodopaminergic trait, the brain of that person requires a DA fix to feel good. This trait leads to multiple drug-seeking behavior. This is so because alcohol, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, nicotine, and glucose all cause activation and neuronal release of brain DA, which could heal the abnormal cravings. Certainly after ten years of study we could say with confidence that carriers of the DAD2 receptor A1 allele have compromised D2 receptors. Therefore lack of D2 receptors causes individuals to have a high risk for multiple addictive, impulsive and compulsive behavioral propensities, such as severe alcoholism, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and nicotine use, glucose bingeing, pathological gambling, sex addiction, ADHD, Tourette's Syndrome, autism, chronic violence, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizoid/avoidant cluster, conduct disorder and antisocial behavior. In order to explain the breakdown of the reward cascade due to both multiple genes and environmental stimuli (pleiotropism) and resultant aberrant behaviors, Blum united this hypodopaminergic trait under the rubric of a reward deficiency syndrome.

Substance use disorder exacerbates brain electrophysiological abnormalities in a psychiatrically-ill population

OBJECTIVE

To assess by brain electrical activity mapping whether cocaine and alcohol abuse and dependence would exacerbate electro-physiological abnormalities in a psychiatrically-ill population.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Utilizing a brain mapping system, we assessed EEG, Spectral Analysis (Quantitative EEG[QEEG]). Evoked Potentials (Auditory and Visual), and P300 (cognitive evoked potential), in a total of 111 probands divided into three groups: controls (N = 16), psychiatrically-ill without comorbid substance use disorder (N = 34), and psychiatrically-ill with comorbid substance use disorder (cocaine and alcohol abuse and dependence) (N = 61), at an outpatient neuropsychiatric clinic. With regard to demographic data, the group participating in this study did not differ significantly. A comparison was made among the groups to assist in differentiating the effects of substance use disorder compared to psychiatric disease on brain electrical activity.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

An assessment of electrophysiological abnormalities and their brain location in psychiatric and substance use disorder patients was done with a brain electrical activity mapping test.

MAIN RESULTS

Among the non-substance use disorder, psychiatrically-ill (PI) and substance use disorder, psychiatrically-ill (PI/SD) groups, significantly different brain map abnormalities were observed relative to an assessed normal population MANOVA (P = .017). Moreover, with regard to Spectral Analysis, ANOVA was significant at a P = .038, and we found a weighted linear trend of increased abnormal total spectral analysis (P = .0113), whereby substance use was significantly worse than controls. Moreover among the PI and PI/SD groups, significantly greater total evoked potential (EP) brain trap abnormalities were observed when compared with a characterized normal population (P = .0023) with increasing abnormalities as a function of substance use disorder as measured by a weighted linear trend (P = .0022). In order to determine the site of the EPS abnormalities, we evaluated these abnormalities by location. In this regard, we found all temporal abnormalities (AVBITA, see Table 2) among the PI and PI/SD groups to be significantly greater relative to an assessed normal population (P = .0026). Furthermore, we observed a linear trend of increased temporal abnormalities with increasing substance use disorder (P < .0008). In terms of bitemporal abnormalities (AVBIT) among the PI and PI/SD groups, we also found significantly more bitemporal lobe abnormalities in the PI/SD group compared to our control population (P = .009). Additionally, a weighted linear trend of increased abnormal bitemporal lobe abnormalities was observed with increasing substance use disorder (P = .0022). In the frontal lobe similar findings were observed. With AVBIFA the ANOVA was P < .011, with a weighted linear trend of P < .005 and the PI/SD group were significantly more abnormal than PI or CS on a Duncan Range test. It is noteworthy that in a selected group of depressed (Major Depressive Disorder Recurrent, 296.3) patients, we found profound abnormalities in the various brain map parameters tested. MANOVA and Univariate ANOVA's revealed significantly greater abnormalities in the PI and PI/SD groups compared to assessed controls. A MANOVA for total brain abnormalities was significant at P = .043 and univariate ANOVA's for composite measurements of TSA (P = .017), EPS (P = .0002), AVBITA (P = .000015), and AVBIT (P < .00002) are also significant. With regard to EPS and AVBITA a weighted linear trend was observed where there were increasing abnormalities with increasing substance use disorder, P = .0001 and P = .000003, respectively. Most importantly we found that in addition to increased abnormalities with increasing substance use disorder the PI/SD group had significantly more abnormalities compared to the PI group with regard to both the TSA (P < .05) and AVBIT (P < .05) composite parameters as meas

Do patients with Down's syndrome recognize Mickey Mouse?

In 47 patients with Down's syndrome who were too retarded to understand a conventional oddball paradigm, we studied event-related potentials (ERPs) by using task-irrelevant visual stimuli. As the patients had expressed interest in Disney cartoons and books, five pictures of Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse or Peter Pan were employed as the rare stimuli, and nine ordinary scenes such as mountains as the frequent stimuli. Five sets were constructed by intermingling each rare picture with nine frequent pictures, and each picture was presented on a TV screen. ERPs to the rare stimuli (N270-P380), which were different from the averaged waveforms to frequent stimuli and electrooculograms (EOGs), were clearly recorded in 35 out of 47 patients. Only 24 of these patients had ERPs using a conventional auditory oddball paradigm. The peak latencies in patients were significantly prolonged relative to age-matched normal controls, probably due to a slowed neural processing. The amplitude in patients was slightly larger than normal controls, probably due to the patients' greater interest or surprise when confronted with the Disney characters.

Recent advances in non-invasive studies of higher brain functions

Recent advances in modern technologies have enabled us to investigate higher brain functions non-invasively in human subjects. These techniques include topographic analysis of the scalp-recorded electric potentials, recording of the magnetic field generated from the brain, measurement of regional cerebral blood flow changes in association with various forms of activation (activation study), measurement of regional cerebral glucose metabolism, transcranial magnetic stimulation of cortical areas, measurement of chemical change in the brain in association with functional conditions by the use of magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy, and dynamic functional MR imaging.