Systematic rules underlying spectral pattern variability: Experimental results and a review of the evidences

Abstract: On the basis of three different experiments: oddball task (visual, auditory and audio-visual stimuli), modified Sternberg’s and multistage memory tasks, it was shown that: a) there was not a single typical spectral pattern type that would characterized the majority of the trials; b) the total number of the different spectral pattern types was limited; c) different spectral pattern types had different importance to the brain - their occurrence was less or more probable; d) the total number and the number of the most probable spectral pattern types was dependent on the functional brain state; e) actual spectral pattern variability during rest with closed eyes was relatively high (around 65% from the maximum possible rate), but significantly less than stochastic spectral pattern variability. It is suggested that identical sensory events can potentially trigger a limited number of several different alternative reaction patterns in EEG/MEG, depending on the situational context. Keywords short-term spectral patterns, variability, memory task, oddball task, electroencephalogram (EEG), megnetoencephalogram (MEG)

The International Journal of Neuroscience. 2003, V. 113. P. 1447-1473.

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