This user research article summarizes the publication “Brain Activation Time-Locked to Sleep Spindles Associated With Human Cognitive Abilities”. Here, simultaneous EEG-fMRI recordings were used to understand the functional significance of interindividual differences in brain activations, time-locked to sleep spindles.
Alcohol intoxication impairs motor coordination, judgement, and decision-making. Interestingly, research suggests that the impact of alcohol consumption continues beyond the point of intoxication and into a period of alcohol hangover. Here, we examined differences in the amplitude of reward positivity – an event-related brain potential component associated with learning and how the amplitude of this component was impacted by alcohol hangover
Self-initiated voluntary acts are preceded by a negative electrical brain potential, the Bereitschaftspotential (BP), occurring up to two seconds before the actual movement. Up to now, the BP has only been recorded under laboratory conditions. Here recording of the BP before self-initiated 192-meter extreme bungee jumping is reported for the first time. Our results pave the way to further investigate the neural substrates and mechanisms underlying real-world decision making and behaviour.
This user research article summaries our publication “Arichi T, Whitehead K, Barone G, Pressler R, Padormo F, Edwards AD, Fabrizi L (2017) Localization of spontaneous bursting neuronal activity in the preterm human brain with simultaneous EEG-fMRI. eLife 6:e27814”.
For decades, Pakistan has been suffering from earthquakes, floods, poverty, political instability, a fragile infrastructure, terrorism and regional violence. Indeed, it has been described as a hard country. Given these circumstances, is Pakistan a good choice for setting up a new research EEG laboratory?
In this work, we show the implementation of simultaneous trimodal imaging by employing the benefits of EEG, to acquire the electrophysiology of the brain, simultaneously with PET, to ascertain metabolic details, and MRI, to integrate brain function and structure. Trimodal imaging methodology is presented here for the first time, and we have carried out a pilot study to highlight its advantages.
In our recently published study, we show that a blocking suggestion given under hypnosis has significant impact on visual perception and underlying brain responses measured via EEG.
The last years have seen an overwhelming amount of research aiming to disentangle the neural mechanisms underlying goal-directed behavior and cognitive control processes. In that regard, the basal ganglia have attracted much interest. It is known that the striatum is a very complex neuroanatomical structure and can be subdivided into the ‘matrix’ and the ‘striosomes’. Yet, it has been unclear whether this striatal microstructure is important to consider for cognitive functions, as well.
We are able to show using EEG-fMRI that the functional connectivity of the thalamus is generally increased by sleep onset and depth, and that sleep has a differential effect on sub-divisions of the thalamus. EEG-fMRI is a vital tool to understand the impact of sleep on cortical and subcortical processing.
Human achievement at high altitude requires the performance of skilled behaviors with cognitive clarity. To better understand how the brain changes at high altitude during a motor task we used the actiCAP Xpress Bundle to characterize motor circuit changes up to 4,130 meters in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal.
