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Raghuraman L, Joshi SH. Application of EEG in the Diagnosis and Classification of Migraine: A Scoping Review. Cureus 2024; 16:e64961. [PMID: 39171023 PMCID: PMC11336234 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.64961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a chronic debilitating disease affecting a significant number of people, more often women than men. The gold standard for diagnosis is the International Classification of Headache Disorders-3 (ICHD-3). Authors have identified multiple tight spots in the present method of diagnosis. An alternative method of diagnosis has always been coveted. Electroencephalogram (EEG) is one of the most researched of such alternatives. The visually evoked potential is the most studied; auditory evoked potentials and transcranial direct current stimulation are also being studied. Cortical hyperexcitability and habituation deficit to sensory stimuli are some of the consistent findings. Alpha oscillations are among the most frequently studied bands; spectral analysis of EEG waves has often shown more reliable and consistent results than features read off the EEG directly. EEG microstate is a novel and promising method showing characteristic identifiable features that may help diagnose Migraine patients. An alternative to the ICHD-3 criterion for diagnosing Migraines would be instrumental in promptly diagnosing the disease. EEG is one of the most explored alternatives within which enumerable features can be used to identify Migraines, of which the most promising are EEG microstates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lakshana Raghuraman
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Shiv H Joshi
- Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
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2
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Vranic-Peters M, O'Brien P, Seneviratne U, Reynolds A, Lai A, Grayden DB, Cook MJ, Peterson ADH. Response to photic stimulation as a measure of cortical excitability in epilepsy patients. Front Neurosci 2024; 17:1308013. [PMID: 38249581 PMCID: PMC10796504 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1308013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Studying states and state transitions in the brain is challenging due to nonlinear, complex dynamics. In this research, we analyze the brain's response to non-invasive perturbations. Perturbation techniques offer a powerful method for studying complex dynamics, though their translation to human brain data is under-explored. This method involves applying small inputs, in this case via photic stimulation, to a system and measuring its response. Sensitivity to perturbations can forewarn a state transition. Therefore, biomarkers of the brain's perturbation response or "cortical excitability" could be used to indicate seizure transitions. However, perturbing the brain often involves invasive intracranial surgeries or expensive equipment such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) which is only accessible to a minority of patient groups, or animal model studies. Photic stimulation is a widely used diagnostic technique in epilepsy that can be used as a non-invasive perturbation paradigm to probe brain dynamics during routine electroencephalography (EEG) studies in humans. This involves changing the frequency of strobing light, sometimes triggering a photo-paroxysmal response (PPR), which is an electrographic event that can be studied as a state transition to a seizure state. We investigate alterations in the response to these perturbations in patients with genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE), with (n = 10) and without (n = 10) PPR, and patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES; n = 10), compared to resting controls (n = 10). Metrics of EEG time-series data were evaluated as biomarkers of the perturbation response including variance, autocorrelation, and phase-based synchrony measures. We observed considerable differences in all group biomarker distributions during stimulation compared to controls. In particular, variance and autocorrelation demonstrated greater changes in epochs close to PPR transitions compared to earlier stimulation epochs. Comparison of PPR and spontaneous seizure morphology found them indistinguishable, suggesting PPR is a valid proxy for seizure dynamics. Also, as expected, posterior channels demonstrated the greatest change in synchrony measures, possibly reflecting underlying PPR pathophysiologic mechanisms. We clearly demonstrate observable changes at a group level in cortical excitability in epilepsy patients as a response to perturbation in EEG data. Our work re-frames photic stimulation as a non-invasive perturbation paradigm capable of inducing measurable changes to brain dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Vranic-Peters
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Patrick O'Brien
- Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Udaya Seneviratne
- Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ashley Reynolds
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alan Lai
- Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David B. Grayden
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark J. Cook
- Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Andre D. H. Peterson
- Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Haigh SM, Haugland AM, Mendoza LR, Montero M. Auditory discomfort in visually sensitive individuals. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1126481. [PMID: 38098527 PMCID: PMC10720311 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1126481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sensory discomfort occurs in clinical and non-clinical populations. While some of the parameters that evoke visual discomfort have been identified, the parameters of sounds that evoke auditory discomfort are largely unknown. Methods We presented various sounds and asked participants to rate the discomfort they experienced. In Experiments 1 and 2 tones were presented at frequencies between 0.25-8 kHz and modulated sinusoidally in amplitude at frequencies between 0-32 Hz. In Experiment 3 tones were swept in frequency from 500 Hz-2 kHz at sweep rates of 5-50 per second. In Experiment 4, sweeps varied in frequency range and central frequency. Results Discomfort increased with frequency. The effects of the amplitude modulation and sweep rate on discomfort were relatively small and were experienced mainly at low modulation frequencies and high sweep rates. Individuals who experienced visuo-perceptual distortions in the Pattern Glare (PG) Test reported greater auditory discomfort. Discussion This suggests that sensory sensitivity in one modality may occur in another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Haigh
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States
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4
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Penacchio O, Otazu X, Wilkins AJ, Haigh SM. A mechanistic account of visual discomfort. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1200661. [PMID: 37547142 PMCID: PMC10397803 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1200661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Much of the neural machinery of the early visual cortex, from the extraction of local orientations to contextual modulations through lateral interactions, is thought to have developed to provide a sparse encoding of contour in natural scenes, allowing the brain to process efficiently most of the visual scenes we are exposed to. Certain visual stimuli, however, cause visual stress, a set of adverse effects ranging from simple discomfort to migraine attacks, and epileptic seizures in the extreme, all phenomena linked with an excessive metabolic demand. The theory of efficient coding suggests a link between excessive metabolic demand and images that deviate from natural statistics. Yet, the mechanisms linking energy demand and image spatial content in discomfort remain elusive. Here, we used theories of visual coding that link image spatial structure and brain activation to characterize the response to images observers reported as uncomfortable in a biologically based neurodynamic model of the early visual cortex that included excitatory and inhibitory layers to implement contextual influences. We found three clear markers of aversive images: a larger overall activation in the model, a less sparse response, and a more unbalanced distribution of activity across spatial orientations. When the ratio of excitation over inhibition was increased in the model, a phenomenon hypothesised to underlie interindividual differences in susceptibility to visual discomfort, the three markers of discomfort progressively shifted toward values typical of the response to uncomfortable stimuli. Overall, these findings propose a unifying mechanistic explanation for why there are differences between images and between observers, suggesting how visual input and idiosyncratic hyperexcitability give rise to abnormal brain responses that result in visual stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Penacchio
- Department of Computer Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Computer Vision Center, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Xavier Otazu
- Department of Computer Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Computer Vision Center, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Arnold J. Wilkins
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah M. Haigh
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, United States
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, United States
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Dou H, Lei Y, Pan Y, Li H, Astikainen P. Impact of observational and direct learning on fear conditioning generalization in humans. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 121:110650. [PMID: 36181957 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Humans gain knowledge about threats not only from their own experiences but also from observing others' behavior. A neutral stimulus is associated with a threat stimulus for several times and the neutral stimulus will evoke fear responses, which is known as fear conditioning. When encountering a new event that is similar to one previously associated with a threat, one may feel afraid and produce fear responses. This is called fear generalization. Previous studies have mostly focused on fear conditioning and generalization based on direct learning, but few have explored how observational fear learning affects fear conditioning and generalization. To the best of our knowledge, no previous study has focused on the neural correlations of fear conditioning and generalization based on observational learning. In the present study, 58 participants performed a differential conditioning paradigm in which they learned the associations between neutral cues (i.e., geometric figures) and threat stimuli (i.e., electric shock). The learning occurred on their own (i.e., direct learning) and by observing other participant's responses (i.e., observational learning); the study used a within-subjects design. After each learning condition, a fear generalization paradigm was conducted by each participant independently while their behavioral responses (i.e., expectation of a shock) and electroencephalography (EEG) recordings or responses were recorded. The shock expectancy ratings showed that observational learning, compared to direct learning, reduced the differentiation between the conditioned threatening stimuli and safety stimuli and the increased shock expectancy to the generalization stimuli. The EEG indicated that in fear learning, threatening conditioned stimuli in observational and direct learning increased early discrimination (P1) and late motivated attention (late positive potential [LPP]), compared with safety conditioned stimuli. In fear generalization, early discrimination, late motivated attention, and orienting attention (alpha-event-related desynchronization [alpha-ERD]) to generalization stimuli were reduced in the observational learning condition. These findings suggest that compared to direct learning, observational learning reduces differential fear learning and increases the generalization of fear, and this might be associated with reduced discrimination and attentional function related to generalization stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Dou
- Institute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China; Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Yi Lei
- Institute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Yafeng Pan
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong Li
- Institute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China; School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Piia Astikainen
- Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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6
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The relationship between visual discomfort and cortical excitability in cone-opponent stimuli. Brain Res 2022; 1798:148142. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.148142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Fong CY, Law WHC, Fahrenfort JJ, Braithwaite JJ, Mazaheri A. Attenuated alpha oscillation and hyperresponsiveness reveals impaired perceptual learning in migraineurs. J Headache Pain 2022; 23:44. [PMID: 35382735 PMCID: PMC8981672 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-022-01410-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Anomalous phantom visual perceptions coupled to an aversion and discomfort to some visual patterns (especially grating in mid-range spatial frequency) have been associated with the hyperresponsiveness in migraine patients. Previous literature has found fluctuations of alpha oscillation (8-14 Hz) over the visual cortex to be associated with the gating of the visual stream. In the current study, we examined whether alpha activity was differentially modulated in migraineurs in anticipation of an upcoming stimulus as well as post-stimulus periods. Methods We used EEG to examine the brain activity in a group of 28 migraineurs (17 with aura /11 without) and 29 non-migraineurs and compared their alpha power in the pre/post-stimulus period relative to the onset of stripped gratings. Results Overall, we found that migraineurs had significantly less alpha power prior to the onset of the stimulus relative to controls. Moreover, migraineurs had significantly greater post-stimulus alpha suppression (i.e event-related desynchronization) induced by the grating in 3 cycles per degree at the 2nd half of the experiment. Conclusions These findings, taken together, provide strong support for the presence of the hyperresponsiveness of the visual cortex of migraine sufferers. We speculate that it could be the consequence of impaired perceptual learning driven by the dysfunction of GABAergic inhibitory mechanism. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s10194-022-01410-2.
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Fisher RS, Acharya JN, Baumer FM, French JA, Parisi P, Solodar JH, Szaflarski JP, Thio LL, Tolchin B, Wilkins AJ, Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenité D. Visually sensitive seizures: An updated review by the Epilepsy Foundation. Epilepsia 2022; 63:739-768. [PMID: 35132632 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Light flashes, patterns, or color changes can provoke seizures in up to 1 in 4000 persons. Prevalence may be higher because of selection bias. The Epilepsy Foundation reviewed light-induced seizures in 2005. Since then, images on social media, virtual reality, three-dimensional (3D) movies, and the Internet have proliferated. Hundreds of studies have explored the mechanisms and presentations of photosensitive seizures, justifying an updated review. This literature summary derives from a nonsystematic literature review via PubMed using the terms "photosensitive" and "epilepsy." The photoparoxysmal response (PPR) is an electroencephalography (EEG) phenomenon, and photosensitive seizures (PS) are seizures provoked by visual stimulation. Photosensitivity is more common in the young and in specific forms of generalized epilepsy. PS can coexist with spontaneous seizures. PS are hereditable and linked to recently identified genes. Brain imaging usually is normal, but special studies imaging white matter tracts demonstrate abnormal connectivity. Occipital cortex and connected regions are hyperexcitable in subjects with light-provoked seizures. Mechanisms remain unclear. Video games, social media clips, occasional movies, and natural stimuli can provoke PS. Virtual reality and 3D images so far appear benign unless they contain specific provocative content, for example, flashes. Images with flashes brighter than 20 candelas/m2 at 3-60 (particularly 15-20) Hz occupying at least 10 to 25% of the visual field are a risk, as are red color flashes or oscillating stripes. Equipment to assay for these characteristics is probably underutilized. Prevention of seizures includes avoiding provocative stimuli, covering one eye, wearing dark glasses, sitting at least two meters from screens, reducing contrast, and taking certain antiseizure drugs. Measurement of PPR suppression in a photosensitivity model can screen putative antiseizure drugs. Some countries regulate media to reduce risk. Visually-induced seizures remain significant public health hazards so they warrant ongoing scientific and regulatory efforts and public education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Fisher
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jayant N Acharya
- Department of Neurology, Penn State Health, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Fiona Mitchell Baumer
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jacqueline A French
- NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Epilepsy Foundation, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pasquale Parisi
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Jessica H Solodar
- American Medical Writers Association-New England Chapter, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jerzy P Szaflarski
- Department of Neurology, Neurobiology and Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Liu Lin Thio
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Benjamin Tolchin
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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9
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Penacchio O, Haigh SM, Ross X, Ferguson R, Wilkins AJ. Visual Discomfort and Variations in Chromaticity in Art and Nature. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:711064. [PMID: 34987354 PMCID: PMC8720932 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.711064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual discomfort is related to the statistical regularity of visual images. The contribution of luminance contrast to visual discomfort is well understood and can be framed in terms of a theory of efficient coding of natural stimuli, and linked to metabolic demand. While color is important in our interaction with nature, the effect of color on visual discomfort has received less attention. In this study, we build on the established association between visual discomfort and differences in chromaticity across space. We average the local differences in chromaticity in an image and show that this average is a good predictor of visual discomfort from the image. It accounts for part of the variance left unexplained by variations in luminance. We show that the local chromaticity difference in uncomfortable stimuli is high compared to that typical in natural scenes, except in particular infrequent conditions such as the arrangement of colorful fruits against foliage. Overall, our study discloses a new link between visual ecology and discomfort whereby discomfort arises when adaptive perceptual mechanisms are overstimulated by specific classes of stimuli rarely found in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Penacchio
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah M. Haigh
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, United States
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, United States
| | - Xortia Ross
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, United States
| | - Rebecca Ferguson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, United States
| | - Arnold J. Wilkins
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
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10
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Characteristic changes in EEG spectral powers of patients with opioid-use disorder as compared with those with methamphetamine- and alcohol-use disorders. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248794. [PMID: 34506492 PMCID: PMC8432824 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Electroencephalography (EEG) likely reflects activity of cortical neurocircuits, making it an insightful estimation for mental health in patients with substance use disorder (SUD). EEG signals are recorded as sinusoidal waves, containing spectral amplitudes across several frequency bands with high spatio-temporal resolution. Prior work on EEG signal analysis has been made mainly at individual electrodes. These signals can be evaluated from advanced aspects, including sub-regional and hemispheric analyses. Due to limitation of computational techniques, few studies in earlier work could conduct data analyses from these aspects. Therefore, EEG in patients with SUD is not fully understood. In the present retrospective study, spectral powers from a data house containing opioid (OUD), methamphetamine/stimulants (MUD), and alcohol use disorder (AUD) were extracted, and then converted into five distinct topographic data (i.e., electrode-based, cortical subregion-based, left-right hemispheric, anterior-posterior based, and total cortex-based analyses). We found that data conversion and reorganization in the topographic way had an impact on EEG spectral powers in patients with OUD significantly different from those with MUD or AUD. Differential changes were observed from multiple perspectives, including individual electrodes, subregions, hemispheres, anterior-posterior cortices, and across the cortex as a whole. Understanding the differential changes in EEG signals may be useful for future work with machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), not only for diagnostic but also for prognostic purposes in patients with SUD.
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Abstract
Photophobia is one of the most common symptoms in migraine, and the underlying mechanism is uncertain. The discovery of the intrinsically-photosensitive retinal ganglion cells which signal the intensity of light on the retina has led to discussion of their role in the pathogenesis of photophobia. In the current review, we discuss the relationship between pain and discomfort leading to light aversion (traditional photophobia) and discomfort from flicker, patterns, and colour that are also common in migraine and cannot be explained solely by the activity of intrinsically-photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. We argue that, at least in migraine, a cortical mechanism provides a parsimonious explanation for discomfort from all forms of visual stimulation, and that the traditional definition of photophobia as pain in response to light may be too restrictive. Future investigation that directly compares the retinal and cortical contributions to photophobia in migraine with that in other conditions may offer better specificity in identifying biomarkers and possible mechanisms to target for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah M Haigh
- Department of Psychology and Integrative Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
| | - Omar A Mahroo
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK and Retinal Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
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12
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Lindquist LC, McIntire GR, Haigh SM. The effects of visual discomfort and chromaticity separation on neural processing during a visual task. Vision Res 2021; 182:27-35. [PMID: 33588291 PMCID: PMC7987861 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2021.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Visual stimuli that are uncomfortable to look at evoke a large neural response suggesting altered processing. While there is some evidence linking uncomfortable achromatic stimuli to impaired visual processing, the effect of uncomfortable chromatic patterns on visual cognition has yet to be explored. Large differences in chromaticity separation (e.g. red and blue) elicit visual discomfort, larger metabolic responses, larger visual evoked potentials, and greater alpha suppression compared to small chromaticity separations (e.g. pink and purple). We investigated the impact of stimuli that varied in their chromaticity separation (calculated in perceptual color space) on a visual task and their effect on neural responses across the cortex. Thirty participants completed a continuous pairs task (letters changed at 3 Hz) while grating patterns that differed in their chromaticity separation alternated with a grey screen at 5 Hz. The different temporal frequencies allowed for steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) to the two stimulus-types to be measured simultaneously using electroencephalography (EEG). A subset of participants rated the gratings on a 9-point scale of discomfort. We observed greater ratings of discomfort and increased power at 5 Hz with the larger chromaticity separations. The increase in 5 Hz power with greater chromaticity separation was evident across the cortex. However, there was no significant effect of chromaticity separation on power at 3 Hz, or on reaction times, and no consistent effect on behavioral accuracy. Despite eliciting heightened neural responses across the cortex, short term exposure to uncomfortable chromatic stimuli does not adversely impact visual task performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C Lindquist
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, United States
| | - Gregory R McIntire
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, United States
| | - Sarah M Haigh
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, United States.
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Chamanzar A, Haigh SM, Grover P, Behrmann M. Abnormalities in cortical pattern of coherence in migraine detected using ultra high-density EEG. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab061. [PMID: 34258580 PMCID: PMC8269966 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with migraine generally experience photophobia and/or phonophobia during and between migraine attacks. Many different mechanisms have been postulated to explain these migraine phenomena including abnormal patterns of connectivity across the cortex. The results, however, remain contradictory and there is no clear consensus on the nature of the cortical abnormalities in migraine. Here, we uncover alterations in cortical patterns of coherence (connectivity) in interictal migraineurs during the presentation of visual and auditory stimuli and during rest. We used a high-density EEG system, with 128 customized electrode locations, to compare inter- and intra-hemispheric coherence in the interictal period from 17 individuals with migraine (12 female) and 18 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects. During presentations of visual (vertical grating pattern) and auditory (modulated tone) stimulation which varied in temporal frequency (4 and 6 Hz), and during rest, participants performed a colour detection task at fixation. Analyses included characterizing the inter- and intra-hemisphere coherence between the scalp EEG channels over 2-s time intervals and over different frequency bands at different spatial distances and spatial clusters. Pearson's correlation coefficients were estimated at zero-lag. Repeated measures analyses-of-variance revealed that, relative to controls, migraineurs exhibited significantly (i) faster colour detection performance, (ii) lower spatial coherence of alpha-band activity, for both inter- and intra-hemisphere connections, and (iii) the reduced coherence occurred predominantly in frontal clusters during both sensory conditions, regardless of the stimulation frequency, as well as during the resting-state. The abnormal patterns of EEG coherence in interictal migraineurs during visual and auditory stimuli, as well as at rest (eyes open), may be associated with the cortical hyper-responsivity that is characteristic of abnormal sensory processing in migraineurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Chamanzar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Sarah M Haigh
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Pulkit Grover
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Marlene Behrmann
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Perry G, Taylor NW, Bothwell PCH, Milbourn CC, Powell G, Singh KD. The gamma response to colour hue in humans: Evidence from MEG. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243237. [PMID: 33332389 PMCID: PMC7746285 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
It has recently been demonstrated through invasive electrophysiology that visual stimulation with extended patches of uniform colour generates pronounced gamma oscillations in the visual cortex of both macaques and humans. In this study we sought to discover if this oscillatory response to colour can be measured non-invasively in humans using magnetoencephalography. We were able to demonstrate increased gamma (40–70 Hz) power in response to full-screen stimulation with four different colour hues and found that the gamma response is particularly strong for long wavelength (i.e. red) stimulation, as was found in previous studies. However, we also found that gamma power in response to colour was generally weaker than the response to an identically sized luminance-defined grating. We also observed two additional responses in the gamma frequency: a lower frequency response around 25–35 Hz that showed fewer clear differences between conditions than the gamma response, and a higher frequency response around 70–100 Hz that was present for red stimulation but not for other colours. In a second experiment we sought to test whether differences in the gamma response between colour hues could be explained by their chromatic separation from the preceding display. We presented stimuli that alternated between each of the three pairings of the three primary colours (red, green, blue) at two levels of chromatic separation defined in the CIELUV colour space. We observed that the gamma response was significantly greater to high relative to low chromatic separation, but that at each level of separation the response was greater for both red-blue and red-green than for blue-green stimulation. Our findings suggest that the stronger gamma response to red stimulation cannot be wholly explained by the chromatic separation of the stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin Perry
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Nathan W Taylor
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Philippa C H Bothwell
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Colette C Milbourn
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Georgina Powell
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Krish D Singh
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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15
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Estimating Mental Health Conditions of Patients with Opioid Use Disorder. JOURNAL OF ADDICTION 2019; 2019:8586153. [PMID: 31662946 PMCID: PMC6791239 DOI: 10.1155/2019/8586153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Noninvasive estimation of cortical activity aberrance may be a challenge but gives valuable clues of mental health in patients. The goal of the present study was to characterize specificity of electroencephalogram (EEG) electrodes used to assess spectral powers associated with mental health conditions of patients with opioid use disorder. Methods This retrospective study included 16 patients who had been diagnosed with opioid use disorder in comparison with 16 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. EEG electrodes were placed in the frontal (FP1, FP2, F3, F4, F7, F8, and Fz), central (C3, C4, and Cz), temporal (T3, T4, T5, and T6), parietal (P3, P4, and Pz), and occipital scalp (O1 and O2). Spectral powers of δ, θ, α, β, and γ oscillations were determined, and their distribution was topographically mapped with those electrodes on the scalp. Results Compared to healthy controls, the spectral powers at low frequencies (<8 Hz; δ and θ) were increased in most electrodes across the scalp, while powers at the high frequencies (>12 Hz; β and γ) were selectively increased only at electrodes located in the frontal and central scalp. Among 19 electrodes, F3, F4, Fz, and Cz were highly specific in detecting increases in δ, θ, β, and γ powers of patients with opioid use disorders. Conclusion Results of the present study demonstrate that spectral powers are topographically distributed across the scalp, which can be quantitatively characterized. Electrodes located at F3, F4, Fz, and Cz could be specifically utilized to assess mental health in patients with opioid use disorders. Mechanisms responsible for neuroplasticity involving cortical pyramidal neurons and μ-opioid receptor regulations are discussed within the context of changes in EEG microstates.
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16
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Haigh SM, Chamanzar A, Grover P, Behrmann M. Cortical Hyper‐Excitability in Migraine in Response to Chromatic Patterns. Headache 2019; 59:1773-1787. [DOI: 10.1111/head.13620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Haigh
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Neuroscience University of Nevada Reno NV USA
- Department of Psychology, Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh PA USA
| | - Alireza Chamanzar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh PA USA
| | - Pulkit Grover
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh PA USA
| | - Marlene Behrmann
- Department of Psychology, Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh PA USA
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