Methodological aspects of EEG and body dynamics measurements during motion

Abstract

EEG involves the recording, analysis, and interpretation of voltages recorded on the human scalp which originate from brain gray matter. EEG is one of the most popular methods of studying and understanding the processes that underlie behavior. This is so, because EEG is relatively cheap, easy to wear, light weight and has high temporal resolution. In terms of behavior, this encompasses actions, such as movements that are performed in response to the environment. However, there are methodological difficulties which can occur when recording EEG during movement such as movement artifacts. Thus, most studies about the human brain have examined activations during static conditions. This article attempts to compile and describe relevant methodological solutions that emerged in order to measure body and brain dynamics during motion. These descriptions cover suggestions on how to avoid and reduce motion artifacts, hardware, software and techniques for synchronously recording EEG, EMG, kinematics, kinetics, and eye movements during motion. Additionally, we present various recording systems, EEG electrodes, caps and methods for determinating real/custom electrode positions. In the end we will conclude that it is possible to record and analyze synchronized brain and body dynamics related to movement or exercise tasks.

Symbolic Analysis of Brain Dynamics Detects Negative Stress

“…Thus, independent components were obtained from the EEG signal by means of a extended ICA algorithm and, then, visually revised to remove those containing noise and interferences. Some interferences causing a high-amplitude noise were unsuccessfully removed in this way and, then, the clean signal was estimated by interpolation from adjacent electrodes [53].…”

The aging brain shows less flexible reallocation of cognitive resources during dual-task walking: A mobile brain/body imaging (MoBI) study

“…Our group (De Sanctis, Butler, Green, Snyder, & Foxe, 2012; De Sanctis et al, 2014; Nolan et al, 2012; Nolan, Whelan, Reilly, Bulthoff, & Butler, 2009) and others (Castermans & Duvinage, 2013; Castermans, Duvinage, Cheron, & Dutoit, 2014; De Vos, Gandras, & Debener, 2014; Debener, Minow, Emkes, Gandras, & de Vos, 2012; Duvinage et al, 2012; Gramann, Ferris, et al, 2014; Gramann, Gwin, Bigdely-Shamlo, Ferris, & Makeig, 2010; Hoellinger et al, 2013; Reis et al, 2014) have shown that it is entirely feasible to record robust event-related potentials (ERPs) from a cognitive task while participants are in motion, without a significant difference in signal-to-noise ratio compared to stationary conditions. The MoBI approach integrates high-density electro-cortical activity with simultaneously acquired body tracking data to investigate brain activity and gait pattern as participants walk on a treadmill while also performing a cognitive task.…”

“…Yet, the neurophysiological mechanisms associated with dual-task walking remain largely unexplored. Only recently have technological advancements (Gramann, Ferris, Gwin, & Makeig, 2014; Reis, Hebenstreit, Gabsteiger, von Tscharner, & Lochmann, 2014) enabled the acquisition of high-density electro-cortical activity during locomotion, termed Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI) (Gramann et al, 2011; Gramann, Jung, Ferris, Lin, & Makeig, 2014; Makeig, Gramann, Jung, Sejnowski, & Poizner, 2009). Previously, we employed this method with a group of young adults and found that although our participants demonstrated a lack of behavioral costs while performing an inhibitory control task when walking (dual-task load) compared to sitting (single-task load), they exhibited substantial task load modulations in the electrophysiological components associated with inhibitory network activity (De Sanctis, Butler, Malcolm, & Foxe, 2014).…”

Four weeks of high cadence training alter brain cortical activity in cyclists

“…Different techniques have been used to investigate perceptual and affective responses to exercise. Especially, the electroencephalogram (EEG) serves as a practical method to assess brain cortical activity during motion as it does not require the restriction of movements (Reis, Hebenstreit, Gabsteiger, Von Tscharner, & Lochmann, 2014). Therefore, knowledge on the dose-response relationship of acute exercise and brain cortical activity has predominantly been generated by investigating EEG rhythms (Hottenrott, Taubert, & Gronwald, 2013).…”