EEG
Definition
EEG refers to electroencephalography, a neurophysiological technique that measures the summed electrical activity of pyramidal neurons arranged perpendicular to the scalp to assess oscillatory brain activity. EEG has been used to investigate working memory by recording modulations in oscillatory activity across different frequency bands, including theta (~4–8 Hz), alpha (~8–14 Hz), and beta (15–40 Hz) ranges. A particular challenge in EEG signal analysis is distinguishing genuine beta oscillations from artifactual signals produced by non-sinusoidal properties of lower-frequency rhythms; detection algorithms can isolate transient beta bursts that do not co-occur in time and space with more prominent lower-frequency oscillations.
Sources: Rodriguez-Larios & Haegens (2023)
Related Terms
Applications
EEG and Working Memory
EEG oscillatory activity is significantly modulated during working memory tasks. Beta bursts detected via EEG demonstrate functional relevance during working memory, with characteristics including amplitude, duration, peak frequency, and rate that are functionally modulated by cognitive load and memory manipulation.
Sources: Rodriguez-Larios & Haegens (2023)
EEG and Cognitive Load
EEG-derived measures of beta burst activity are sensitive to variations in cognitive demand during working memory performance.
Sources: Rodriguez-Larios & Haegens (2023)
