Non-stationary analysis of extracellular neural activity

Tracking rhythmicity in nonstationary quasi-periodic biomedical signals using adaptive time-varying covariance

A time-varying covariance method for detecting and quantifying the evolution of rhythmicity (frequency) in persistently varying quasi-periodic nonstationary signals is presented. The basic method, evaluated using chirp signals, utilizes a shifting window of fixed length. A substantial reduction in estimation bias and variability are obtained by utilizing an adaptive window whose length is dependent on past frequency estimates. The adaptive window yields estimates that are comparable in accuracy to those obtained using high-resolution time-frequency representation but with lower computation requirements and the potential for on-line application. Finally, an example of the application of the method for analyzing a neural recording is also illustrated.

Variability analyses suggest that supraspino-spinal interactions provide dynamic stability in motor control

Effects of supraspino-spinal feedforward-feedback (FF-FB) interactions on variability in locomotor rhythm and coordination were examined in in vitro brain-spinal cord lamprey preparations. Spinal locomotor networks were activated by applying 0.2 mM N-methyl-DL-aspartate (NMA) to three spinal pools: gill, rostral and caudal. Bathing the brain with zero Ca(2+) saline altered supraspinal-spinal drive and FF-FB interaction while spino-supraspinal feedback was changed by applying NMA to the caudal pool only. Wavelet analyses indicated a non-uniform energy distribution in ventral root (VR) activity that shifted between frequency bands on FF-FB interruption. Wavelet analysis was used to extract 300-s long epochs of low frequency burst rhythm. These were analyzed using a sliding-window time-varying covariance method. From the autocovariance in each window, the cycle period and height of the first side lobe peak were determined. Rostral VR variability (determined from standard deviation and coefficient of variation of all cycle periods and the mean peak height) was significantly higher than caudal VR variability. FF-FB interruption significantly decreased the rostral VR cycle period and variability but the rostro-caudal gradient remained. The intersegmental delay was also affected. The caudal VR rhythm with NMA in the caudal pool only was slower but more variable than with NMA over the entire cord. These results indicate that the locomotor rhythm in the presence of supraspino-spinal interactions is slower but has a higher variability. The higher variability may reflect a dynamic stability of the system. Additionally, differences in local neural organization likely contribute to rostro-caudal differences in variability of the motor output.