A Comparison of EEG Alpha Rhythm Detection by Tripolar Concentric Ring Electrodes and Conventional Disk Electro des

摘要

A recently developed tripolar concentric ring electrode enables accurate estimation of the local Laplacian of the electroencephalogram (EEG). Here, we tested the ability of this tripolar EEG (tEEG) system to detect the extent to which the alpha rhythm-an 8-13 Hz oscillation found in the EEG when the subject is at rest with the eyes closed-is modulated by opening the eyes, and compared it with simultaneous conventional EEG measurements. In a preliminary study comprising ten independent sessions on seven subjects, opening the eyes reduced alpha power by an average of 66.5 ± 9% and 59.1 ± 10% in tEEG and conventional EEG recordings, respectively. These findings suggest that the dynamical changes in brain rhythms may be more easily detected by tEEG than by conventional EEG with implications for clinical diagnosis and neurofeedback applications.