Visual evoked potentials may be recorded simultaneously with fMRI scanning: A validation study

When Is Simultaneous Recording Necessary? A Guide for Researchers Considering Combined EEG-fMRI

Electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provide non-invasive measures of brain activity at varying spatial and temporal scales, offering different views on brain function for both clinical and experimental applications. Simultaneous recording of these measures attempts to maximize the respective strengths of each method, while compensating for their weaknesses. However, combined recording is not necessary to address all research questions of interest, and experiments may have greater statistical power to detect effects by maximizing the signal-to-noise ratio in separate recording sessions. While several existing papers discuss the reasons for or against combined recording, this article aims to synthesize these arguments into a flow chart of questions that researchers can consider when deciding whether to record EEG and fMRI separately or simultaneously. Given the potential advantages of simultaneous EEG-fMRI, the aim is to provide an initial overview of the most important concepts and to direct readers to relevant literature that will aid them in this decision.

Prolongation of ERP latency and reaction time (RT) in simultaneous EEG/fMRI data acquisition

BACKGROUND

Recording EEG and fMRI data simultaneously inside a fully-operating scanner has been recognized as a novel approach in human brain research. Studies have demonstrated high concordance between the EEG signals and hemodynamic response. However, a few studies reported altered cognitive process inside the fMRI scanner such as delayed reaction time (RT) and reduced and/or delayed N100 and P300 event-related brain potential (ERP) components.

NEW METHOD

The present study investigated the influence of electromagnetic field (static magnetic field, radio frequency (RF) pulse, and gradient switching) and experimental environment on posterior N100 and P300 ERP components in four different settings with six healthy subjects using a visual oddball task: (1) classic fMRI acquisition inside the scanner (e.g., supine position, mirror glasses for stimulus presentation), (2) standard behavioral experiment outside the scanner (e.g., seated position, keyboard response), (3) controlled fMRI acquisition inside the scanner (e.g., organic light-emitting diode (OLED) goggles for stimulus presentation) inside; and (4) modified behavioral experiment outside the scanner (e.g., supine position, OLED goggles).

RESULTS

The study findings indicated that the experimental environment in simultaneous EEG/fMRI acquisition could substantially delay N1P, P300 latency, and RT inside the scanner, and was associated with a reduced N1P amplitude.

COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS

There was no effect of electromagnetic field in the prolongation of RT, N1P and P300 latency inside the scanner. N1P, but not P300, latency was sensitive to stimulus presentation method inside the scanner.

CONCLUSION

Future simultaneous EEG/fMRI data collection should consider experimental environment in both design and analysis.

Correlation between single-trial visual evoked potentials and the blood oxygenation level dependent response in simultaneously recorded electroencephalography-functional magnetic resonance imaging

To compare different electroencephalography (EEG)-based regressors and their ability to predict the simultaneously recorded blood oxygenation level dependent response during blocked visual stimulation, simultaneous EEG-functional magnetic resonance imaging in 10 healthy volunteers was performed. The performance of different single-trial EEG regressors was compared in terms of predicting the measured blood oxygenation level dependent response. The EEG-based regressors were the amplitude and latency of the primary positive (P1) and negative (N2) peaks of the visual evoked potential, the combined P1-N2 amplitude, and the alpha power. Apart from peak latencies, all regressors showed significant positive or negative correlation with the blood oxygenation level dependent response in visual cortex. In addition, several EEG-based regressors were found to predict blood oxygenation level dependent variations in different occipital and extraoccipital cortical areas not explained by the boxcar regressor. The results suggest that the P1-N2 regressor is the best EEG-based regressor to model the visual paradigm, but when looking for additional effects like habituation or attention modulation that cannot be modeled by the boxcar regressor, it is better to include regressors based on individual peaks or alpha power.

Reducing the gradient artefact in simultaneous EEG-fMRI by adjusting the subject's axial position

Large artefacts that compromise EEG data quality are generated when electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are carried out concurrently. The gradient artefact produced by the time-varying magnetic field gradients is the largest of these artefacts. Although average artefact correction (AAS) and related techniques can remove the majority of this artefact, the need to avoid amplifier saturation necessitates the use of a large dynamic range and strong low-pass filtering in EEG recording. Any intrinsic reduction in the gradient artefact amplitude would allow data with a higher bandwidth to be acquired without amplifier saturation, thus increasing the frequency range of neuronal activity that can be investigated using combined EEG-fMRI. Furthermore, gradient artefact correction methods assume a constant artefact morphology over time, so their performance is compromised by subject movement. Since the resulting, residual gradient artefacts can easily swamp signals from brain activity, any reduction in their amplitude would be highly advantageous for simultaneous EEG-fMRI studies. The aim of this work was to investigate whether adjustment of the subject's axial position in the MRI scanner can reduce the amplitude of the induced gradient artefact, before and after artefact correction using AAS. The variation in gradient artefact amplitude as a function of the subject's axial position was first investigated in six subjects by applying gradient pulses along the three Cartesian axes. The results of this study showed that a significant reduction in the gradient artefact magnitude can be achieved by shifting the subject axially by 4 cm towards the feet relative to the standard subject position (nasion at iso-centre). In a further study, the 4-cm shift was shown to produce a 40% reduction in the RMS amplitude (and a 31% reduction in the range) of the gradient artefact generated during the execution of a standard multi-slice, EPI sequence. By picking out signals occurring at harmonics of the slice acquisition frequency, it was also shown that the 4-cm shift led to a 36% reduction in the residual gradient artefact after AAS. Functional and anatomical MR data quality is not affected by the 4-cm shift, as the head remains in the homogeneous region of the static magnet field and gradients.

Effect of the static magnetic field of the MR-scanner on ERPs: evaluation of visual, cognitive and motor potentials

OBJECTIVE

This work investigates the influence of the static magnetic field of the MR-scanner on ERPs extracted from simultaneous EEG-fMRI recordings. The quality of the ERPs after BallistoCardioGraphic (BCG) artifact removal, as well as the reproducibility of the waveforms in different environments is investigated.

METHODS

We consider a Detection, a Go-Nogo and a Motor task, eliciting peaks that differ in amplitude, latency and scalp topography, repeated in two situations: outside the scanner room (0T) and inside the MR-scanner but without gradients (3T). The BCG artifact is removed by means of three techniques: the Average Artifact Subtraction (AAS) method, the Optimal Basis Set (OBS) method and the Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) approach.

RESULTS

The performance of the three methods depends on the amount of averaged trials. Moreover, differences are found on both amplitude and latency of ERP components recorded in two environments (0T vs 3T).

CONCLUSIONS

We showed that, while ERPs can be extracted from simultaneous EEG-fMRI data at 3T, the static magnetic field might affect the physiological processes under investigation.

SIGNIFICANCE

The reproducibility of the ERPs in different recording environments (0T vs 3T) is a relevant issue that deserves further investigation to clarify the equivalence of cognitive processes in both behavioral and imaging studies.

Real-time artifact filtering in continuous VEPs/fMRI recording

Continuous recording of Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) exploits the VEPs high temporal resolution and the fMRI high spatial resolution. In this work, we present a new method of continuous VEPs/fMRI recording to study visual function in seven normal subjects. Our real-time artifact filtering is characterized by a procedure based on an analytical study of echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequence parameters related electro-encephalogram (EEG)-artifact shapes. The magnetic field artifacts were minimized by using a dedicated amagnetic device and by a subtraction algorithm that takes into account the EPI sequence parameters. No significant decrease in signal-to-noise ratio was observed in case of EEG recording simultaneously with MR acquisition; similarly, transient and steady-state VEPs parameters were comparable during fMRI acquisition and in the off-phase of fMRI recording. We also applied this method to one patient with optic neuritis, and, compared with controls, found different results. We suggest that our technique can be reliably used to investigate the function of human visual cortex and properly correlate the electrophysiological and functional neuroimaging related changes.

Ultrahigh-frequency EEG during fMRI: pushing the limits of imaging-artifact correction

Although solutions for imaging-artifact correction in simultaneous EEG-fMRI are improving, residual artifacts after correction still considerably affect the EEG spectrum in the ultrafast frequency band above 100 Hz. Yet this band contains subtle but valuable physiological signatures such as fast gamma oscillations or evoked high-frequency (600 Hz) bursts related to spiking of thalamocortical and cortical neurons. Here we introduce a simultaneous EEG-fMRI approach that integrates hard and software modifications for continuous acquisition of ultrafast EEG oscillations during fMRI. Our approach is based upon and extends the established method of averaged artifact subtraction (AAS). Particularly for recovery of ultrahigh-frequency EEG signatures, AAS requires invariantly sampled and constant imaging-artifact waveforms to achieve optimal imaging-artifact correction. Consequently, we adjusted our acquisition setup such that both physiological ultrahigh-frequency EEG and invariantly sampled imaging artifacts were captured. In addition, we extended the AAS algorithm to cope with other, non-sampling related sources of imaging-artifact variations such as subject movements. A cascaded principal component analysis finally removed remaining imaging-artifact residuals. We provide a detailed evaluation of averaged ultrahigh-frequency signals and unaveraged broadband EEG spectra up to 1 kHz. Evoked nanovolt-sized high-frequency bursts were successfully recovered during periods of MR data acquisition afflicted by imaging artifacts in the millivolt range. Compared to periods without imaging artifacts they exhibited the same mean amplitudes, latencies and waveforms and a signal-to-noise ratio of 72%. Furthermore we identified consistent dipole sources. In conclusion, ultrafast EEG oscillations can be continuously monitored during fMRI using the proposed approach.

Attenuation of artifacts in EEG signals measured inside an MRI scanner using constrained independent component analysis

Integration of electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) resonance will allow analysis of the brain activities at superior temporal and spatial resolution. However simultaneous acquisition of EEG and fMRI is hindered by the enhancement of artifacts in EEG, the most prominent of which are ballistocardiogram (BCG) and electro-oculogram (EOG) artifacts. The situation gets even worse if the evoked potentials are measured inside MRI for their minute responses in comparison to the spontaneous brain responses. In this study, we propose a new method of attenuating these artifacts from the spontaneous and evoked EEG data acquired inside an MRI scanner using constrained independent component analysis with a priori information about the artifacts as constraints. With the proposed techniques of reference function generation for the BCG and EOG artifacts as constraints, our new approach performs significantly better than the averaged artifact subtraction (AAS) method. The proposed method could be an alternative to the conventional ICA method for artifact attenuation, with some advantages. As a performance measure we have achieved much improved normalized power spectrum ratios (INPS) for continuous EEG and correlation coefficient (cc) values with outside MRI visual evoked potentials for visual evoked EEG, as compared to those obtained with the AAS method. The results show that our new approach is more effective than the conventional methods, almost fully automatic, and no extra ECG signal measurements are involved.

Contact Heat Evoked Potentials Using Simultaneous Eeg And Fmri And Their Correlation With Evoked Pain

BACKGROUND

The Contact Heat Evoked Potential Stimulator (CHEPS) utilises rapidly delivered heat pulses with adjustable peak temperatures to stimulate the differential warm/heat thresholds of receptors expressed by Adelta and C fibres. The resulting evoked potentials can be recorded and measured, providing a useful clinical tool for the study of thermal and nociceptive pathways. Concurrent recording of contact heat evoked potentials using electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has not previously been reported with CHEPS. Developing simultaneous EEG and fMRI with CHEPS is highly desirable, as it provides an opportunity to exploit the high temporal resolution of EEG and the high spatial resolution of fMRI to study the reaction of the human brain to thermal and nociceptive stimuli.

METHODS

In this study we have recorded evoked potentials stimulated by 51° C contact heat pulses from CHEPS using EEG, under normal conditions (baseline), and during continuous and simultaneous acquisition of fMRI images in ten healthy volunteers, during two sessions. The pain evoked by CHEPS was recorded on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

RESULTS

Analysis of EEG data revealed that the latencies and amplitudes of evoked potentials recorded during continuous fMRI did not differ significantly from baseline recordings. fMRI results were consistent with previous thermal pain studies, and showed Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) changes in the insula, post-central gyrus, supplementary motor area (SMA), middle cingulate cortex and pre-central gyrus. There was a significant positive correlation between the evoked potential amplitude (EEG) and the psychophysical perception of pain on the VAS.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of recording contact heat evoked potentials with EEG during continuous and simultaneous fMRI. The combined use of the two methods can lead to identification of distinct patterns of brain activity indicative of pain and pro-nociceptive sensitisation in healthy subjects and chronic pain patients. Further studies are required for the technique to progress as a useful tool in clinical trials of novel analgesics.

Synchronized measurement of simultaneous EEG-fMRI: a simulation study

OBJECTIVE

The quality of averaged gradient artifact subtraction from EEG recorded during fMRI is highly dependent on the accuracy of gradient artifact sampling. Even small sampling shifts (e.g. a single datapoint at 5kHz) increase the variance of the sampled gradient artifacts because of very steep slopes in the signal time course. Hence, although principally gradient artifacts are invariant signals because of their technical origin, variance attributed to sampling errors attenuates the effect of artifact removal. Recently, it has been shown that synchronizing the EEG-amplifier clock to the MR-scanner control-device clock improves artifact reduction by subtraction.

METHODS

In order to investigate the synchronized measurement of combined EEG-fMRI, we used simulated EEG by measuring function generator signals in the MR-scanner. Only the usage of known signals allows an assessment of the improvement in accuracy of artifact recording by synchronized compared to non-synchronized measurement, since the signal is identical in both conditions.

RESULTS

After averaged gradient artifact subtraction synchronized recorded signals were apparently less distorted than non-synchronized recorded signals. Spectral analyses revealed that especially artifact frequencies above 50Hz had less power in restored synchronized compared to restored non-synchronized recorded signals. Computed total signal variances were not always less in restored synchronized compared to restored non-synchronized recorded signals.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, synchronizing simultaneous EEG-fMRI measurement is a useful enhancement for averaged gradient artifact subtraction although post-correction filtering is still necessary.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our results support the recent finding that synchronization improves the quality of averaged gradient artifact subtraction. However, quantitatively we could not verify a systematic benefit of recording electrical signals during fMRI synchronously rather than non-synchronously to the MR-scanner control-device clock.

The validity of the face-selective ERP N170 component during simultaneous recording with functional MRI

Despite the wide interest in the neural mechanisms of face processing and numerous event-related potential (ERP) and functional MRI (fMRI) studies of face-selective neural responses, no study, to date, has collected these two measures simultaneously. The main reason for the absence of such an investigation is that MRI data acquisition generates major artifacts, which completely conceals the EEG signal. Recently, artifact removal algorithms have been developed. Our goal was to examine the validity of the face-selective ERP component N170 and its functional effects such as category selectivity and hemispherical laterality, when recorded simultaneously with functional MRI. In our experiment, half of the scans were collected during fMRI acquisition and half without fMRI acquisition. The validity of the N170 was then measured for its amplitude, latency, face selectivity (the difference between the amplitude to faces and objects), laterality (the difference between the amplitude to faces over the right and the left hemispheres) and the laterality of the face selectivity effect, by correlating these measures across subjects between data collected without fMRI and with fMRI data acquisition, after applying artifact removal procedures. We found high validity coefficients for all N170 measures. Furthermore, ERP data collected outside the scanner on a different day were highly correlated with data collected during MR acquisition for the N170 amplitude, latency, and selectivity index but moderate for laterality indices. Our study demonstrates that face-selective ERP effects are preserved in simultaneous recording with fMRI. These findings will hopefully encourage researchers to combine the two complementary neuroimaging techniques in future research.

Scanning strategies for simultaneous EEG–fMRI evoked potential studies at 3 T

There are two basic strategies for applying simultaneous EEG-fMRI: either the fMRI data are acquired continuously, or the stimulus is presented during a brief gap in scanning when the EEG data is clear of gradient artefact. The former has the advantage that the protocol for the fMRI data acquisition is not affected by the presence of EEG. This study investigated the effect of these different strategies and the subsequent ballistocardiogram artefact removal methods (Average Artefact Subtraction (AAS) and Optimal Basis Set (OBS)) on EEG data quality recorded in response to a visual stimulus. Continuous scanning generally resulted in VEPs that were no worse, and in some cases were better, than those measured during a gap in scanning. The AAS and OBS methods lead to comparable results at the level of the grand average visual evoked potential (VEP), although when examined at the level of the single trial the OBS method was more effective. The spectral quality of the data was similar across scanning protocols, as demonstrated by the proportion of spectral power in each frequency band, although there was an effect of the artefact removal method on the overall spectral power. Some differences in the VEPs were also noted when a TR of 1.5 s was used relative to a TR of 3 s. The results indicate improved EEG quality when fMRI scanning is continuous and BCG artefacts are removed using the OBS method, confirming that EEG can be added to an fMRI experiment with minimal change to the experimental protocol.

Sound level dependence of auditory evoked potentials: Simultaneous EEG recording and low-noise fMRI

The simultaneous recording of EEG and fMRI offers the advantage of combining precise spatial information about neuronal processing obtained by fMRI data with the high temporal resolution of EEG data. One problem for the analysis of auditory processing, however, is the noisy environment during fMRI measurements, especially when EPI sequences are employed. While EEG studies outside an MRI scanner repeatedly demonstrated a clear sound level-dependent increase of N1 amplitude, this finding was less obvious in simultaneous recordings inside a scanner. Based on the assumption that this inconsistency might be due to the confounding effect of the rather loud EPI noise, we employed a low-noise fMRI protocol. This method was previously used to reveal level-dependent fMRI activation in auditory cortex areas. We combined this method with simultaneous EEG recordings to investigate the effect of different sound intensities on the auditory evoked potentials. Eight participants without hearing deficits took part in our experiment. Frequency modulated tones (FM) were presented monaurally with two sound intensities (60 and 80 dB HL). The task of the participants was to categorize the FM-direction (rising vs. falling). Our results inside the scanner replicate the sound level dependence of AEPs from previous EEG studies outside the scanner. The data analysis revealed a significant shortening of N1 latency and an increase in the N1-P2 peak-to-peak amplitude for the higher sound intensity. On a descriptive level, the 80 dB HL stimulation yielded more activated voxels in fMRI and stronger activations. This effect was pronounced over the right hemisphere. Our results suggest that low-noise sequences might be advantageous for the examination of auditory processing in simultaneous EEG and fMRI recordings.

Optimisation of a post-processing method to remove the pulse artifact from EEG data recorded during fMRI: An application to P300 recordings during e-fMRI

In functional cerebral studies, it has been established that co-registered electroencephalography (EEG) measurements and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were complementary. However, EEG data recorded inside an MRI scanner are heavily distorted, mainly by the most prominent artifact, the cardiac pulse artifact (PA). We describe an original algorithm which yields a high-quality PA filter and demonstrates how this tool can be used to improve the quality of P300 ERP measurements during event-related fMRI (e-fMRI) experiments. EEG data were acquired in interleaved mode during e-fMRI while six healthy volunteers performed a visual odd-ball task, involving Distractors, Target and Novel stimuli, to elicit P300 components. The PA was corrected with the original algorithm. The temporal variations in the PA were evidenced using a principal component analysis (PCA), on each EEG channel. The procedure yielded several PA templates, which were regressed from the EEG data. The PA removal procedure was optimised, and then implemented to improve the measured P300 components. Regressing the most adequate PA template resulted in a high-quality reduction in spectral power at frequencies associated with the cardiac PA. More reliable P300 component measurements were obtained, evidencing higher amplitudes for Novels (9.76-11.20 microV) than for to Targets (6.3-9.09 microV) in centro-parietal and prefrontal areas. The improvement of the processing of EEG data acquired simultaneously with fMRI data provides a new tool and casts perspectives to study the functional organisation of the brain.

Single-trial analysis of oddball event-related potentials in simultaneous EEG-fMRI

There has recently been a growing interest in the use of simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and functional MRI (fMRI) for evoked activity in cognitive paradigms, thereby obtaining functional datasets with both high spatial and temporal resolution. The simultaneous recording permits obtaining event-related potentials (ERPs) and MR images in the same environment, conditions of stimulation, and subject state; it also enables tracing the joint fluctuations of EEG and fMRI signals. The goal of this study was to investigate the possibility of tracking the trial-to-trial changes in event-related EEG activity, and of using this information as a parameter in fMRI analysis. We used an auditory oddball paradigm and obtained single-trial amplitude and latency features from the EEG acquired during fMRI scanning. The single-trial P300 latency presented significant correlation with parameters external to the EEG (target-to-target interval and reaction time). Moreover, we obtained significant fMRI activations for the modulation by P300 amplitude and latency, both at the single-subject and at the group level. Our results indicate that, in line with other studies, the EEG can bring a new dimension to the field of fMRI analysis by providing fine temporal information on the fluctuations in brain activity.

EEG/(f)MRI measurements at 7 Tesla using a new EEG cap (“InkCap”)

We aimed at improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of electroencephalography (EEG) during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by introducing a new EEG cap ("InkCap") based on conductive ink technology. The InkCap was tested with temperature measurements on an electrically conductive phantom head and during structural and functional MRI (fMRI) recordings in 11 healthy human volunteers at 7 T. Combined EEG/fMRI measurements were conducted to study the interaction between the two modalities. The EEG recordings with the InkCap demonstrated up to a five-fold average decrease in signal variance during echo-planar imaging, with respect to a cap made of standard carbon fiber leads. During concurrent EEG/fMRI measurements in human volunteers, alpha oscillations were clearly detected at 7 T. Minimal artifacts were present in the T2* and high-resolution structural MR images of the brain parenchyma. Our results show that the InkCap technology considerably improves the quality of both EEG and (f)MRI during concurrent measurements even at 7 T.

Complete artifact removal for EEG recorded during continuous fMRI using independent component analysis

The simultaneous recording of EEG and fMRI is a promising method for combining the electrophysiological and hemodynamic information on cerebral dynamics. However, EEG recordings performed in the MRI scanner are contaminated by imaging, ballistocardiographic (BCG) and ocular artifacts. A number of processing techniques for the cancellation of fMRI environment disturbances exist: the most popular is averaged artifact subtraction (AAS), which performs well for the imaging artifact, but has some limitations in removing the BCG artifact, due to the variability in cardiac wave duration and shape; furthermore, no processing method to attenuate ocular artifact is currently used in EEG/fMRI, and contaminated epochs are simply rejected before signal analysis. In this work, we present a comprehensive method based on independent component analysis (ICA) for simultaneously removing BCG and ocular artifacts from the EEG recordings, as well as residual MRI contamination left by AAS. The ICA method has been tested on event-related potentials (ERPs) obtained from a visual oddball paradigm: it is very effective in attenuating artifacts in order to reconstruct clear brain signals from EEG acquired in the MRI scanner. It performs significantly better than the AAS method in removing the BCG artifact. Furthermore, since ocular artifacts can be completely suppressed, a larger number of trials is available for analysis. A comparison of ERPs inside the magnetic environment with those obtained out of the MRI scanner confirms that no systematic bias in the ERP waveform is produced by the ICA method.

Spatial resolution of EEG cortical source imaging revealed by localization of retinotopic organization in human primary visual cortex

The aim of the present study is to investigate the spatial resolution of electroencephalography (EEG) cortical source imaging by localizing the retinotopic organization in the human primary visual cortex (V1). Retinotopic characteristics in V1 obtained from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study were used as reference to assess the spatial resolution of EEG since fMRI can discriminate small changes in activation in visual field. It is well known that the activation of the early C1 component in the visual evoked potential (VEP) elicited by pattern onset stimuli coincides well with the activation in the striate cortex localized by fMRI. In the present experiments, we moved small circular checkerboard stimuli along horizontal meridian and compared the activations localized by EEG cortical source imaging with those from fMRI. Both fMRI and EEG cortical source imaging identified spatially correlated activity within V1 in each subject studied. The mean location error, between the fMRI-determined activation centers in V1 and the EEG source imaging activation peak estimated at equivalent C1 components (peak latency: 74.8+/-10.6 ms), was 7 mm (25% and 75% percentiles are 6.45 mm and 8.4 mm, respectively), which is less than the change in fMRI activation map by a 3 degrees visual field change (7.8 mm). Moreover, the source estimates at the earliest major VEP component showed statistically good correlation with those obtained by fMRI. The present results suggest that the spatial resolution of the EEG cortical source imaging can correctly discriminate cortical activation changes in V1 corresponding to less than 3 degrees visual field changes.

ERP differences with vs. without concurrent fMRI

The acquisition of ERPs concurrently with fMRI in cognitive paradigms is appealing, but technically challenging. Little is known about the effects of the fMRI environment on the time-course and topography of previously documented ERP effects. We examined the replicability of ERP differences in the scanner at the level of individual subjects, using two cognitive paradigms and two statistical procedures. ERP P3 differences found outside the scanner in both paradigms were also robustly detected in the ERPs acquired during fMRI scanning. These P3 effects had equivalent time-courses and scalp topographies inside and outside the scanner. This replication at the level of individual data-sets has implications for the clinical applicability of ERP-fMRI and, more generally, for the quality of scanner recorded ERPs.

Ballistocardiogram artifact removal from EEG signals using adaptive filtering of EOG signals

We estimated ballistocardiogram (BCG) components in EEG signals recorded inside an MRI magnet using the electro-oculogram (EOG) signals recorded simultaneously with the EEG signals. Since the EOG signals are measured near the EEG measuring points, it is thought that the BCG components in the EOG signals resemble the BCG components in the EEG signals. To estimate the BCG components in the EEG signals, we applied the Kalman filter to the EOG and EEG signals recorded inside a 3.0 T MRI magnet. After removing the estimated BCG components from the EEG signals, we extracted the visual-evoked potentials (VEPs) from the BCG-removed EEG signals. To validate the efficacy of Kalman filtering in the BCG artifact removal, we have compared three types of VEPs of eight healthy subjects: one extracted from the raw EEG signals measured outside the magnet and the others extracted from the BCG-removed EEG signals measured inside the magnet. The BCG artifacts have been removed with Kalman filtering as well as with the conventional BCG template subtraction method for the sake of comparison. No significant difference in waveforms, latencies and amplitudes has been found between the two types of VEPs extracted from the two kinds of BCG-removed EEG signals.

Development of structure and function in the infant brain: implications for cognition, language and social behaviour

Recent advances in cognitive neuroscience have allowed us to begin investigating the development of both structure and function in the infant brain. However, despite the rapid evolution of technology, surprisingly few studies have examined the intersection between brain and behaviour over the first years of life. Even fewer have done so in the context of a particular research question. This paper aims to provide an overview of four domains that have been studied using techniques amenable to elucidating the brain/behaviour interface: language, face processing, object permanence, and joint attention, with particular emphasis on studies focusing on early development. The importance of the unique role of development and the interplay between structure and function is stressed throughout. It is hoped that this review will serve as a catalyst for further thinking about the substantial gaps in our understanding of the relationship between brain and behaviour across development. Further, our aim is to provide ideas about candidate brain areas that are likely to be implicated in particular behaviours or cognitive domains.

Functional cortical source imaging from simultaneously recorded ERP and fMRI

Feasibility of continuously and simultaneously recording visual evoked potentials (VEPs) with fMRI was assessed by quantitatively comparing cortical source images by means of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The averaged EEG source images coincided well with simultaneously acquired fMRI activations. Strong correlation was found between the cortical source images of VEPs recorded inside and outside the scanner. Application of fMRI prior information strengthened correlation between estimated source images as well as resulted in source estimates with higher spatial resolution. The present results demonstrate that reliable cortical source images can be acquired during simultaneous fMRI scanning and they may be used for multimodal functional source imaging studies.

Simultaneous EEG and fMRI in the macaque monkey at 4.7 Tesla

Simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG)/functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) acquisition can identify the brain networks involved in generating specific EEG patterns. Yet, the combination of these methodologies is hampered by strong artifacts that arise due to electromagnetic interference during magnetic resonance (MR) image acquisition. Here, we report corrections of the gradient-induced artifact in phantom measurements and in experiments with an awake behaving macaque monkey during fMRI acquisition at a magnetic field strength of 4.7 T. Ninety-one percent of the amplitude of a 10 microV, 10 Hz phantom signal could successfully be recovered without phase distortions. Using this method, we were able to extract the monkey EEG from scalp recordings obtained during MR image acquisition. Visual evoked potentials could also be reliably identified. In conclusion, simultaneous EEG/fMRI acquisition is feasible in the macaque monkey preparation at 4.7 T and holds promise for investigating the neural processes that give rise to particular EEG patterns.