High-frequency spectral changes in Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex for potential neuoroprosthetics

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2013:2013:2247-50. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2013.6609984.

Abstract

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) has been associated with goal encoding in primates. Thus far, the majority of research involving DLPFC, including all electrophysiology studies, has been performed in non-human primates. In this paper, we explore the possibility of utilizing the cortical activity in DLPFC in humans for use in Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs). Electrocorticographic signals were recorded from seven patients with intractable epilepsy who had electrode coverage over DLPFC. These subjects performed a visuomotor target-based task to assess DLPFC's involvement in planning, execution, and accomplishment of the simple motor task. These findings demonstrate that there is a distinct high-frequency spectral component in DLPFC associated with accomplishment of the task. It is envisioned that these signals could potentially provide a novel verification of task accomplishment for a BCI.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Child
  • Electrodes
  • Electroencephalography
  • Epilepsy / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neural Prostheses*
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiopathology*
  • Task Performance and Analysis
  • Young Adult