Klaus R Müller

Publications of Klaus R Müller

• A novel mechanism for evoked responses in the human brain.

  Authors: Vadim V Nikulin, Klaus Linkenkaer-Hansen, Guido Nolte, Steven Lemm, Klaus R Müller, Risto J Ilmoniemi, Gabriel Curio

  The European journal of neuroscience. 06/2007; 25(10):3146-54.

  Magnetoencephalographic and electroencephalographic evoked responses are primary real-time objective measures of cognitive and perceptual processes in the human brain. Two mechanisms (additiveMagnetoencephalographic and electroencephalographic evoked responses are primary real-time objective measures of cognitive and perceptual processes in the human brain. Two mechanisms (additive activity and phase reset) have been debated and considered as the only possible explanations for evoked responses. Here we present theoretical and empirical evidence of a third mechanism contributing to the generation of evoked responses. Interestingly, this mechanism can be deduced entirely from the characteristics of spontaneous oscillations in the absence of stimuli. We show that the amplitude fluctuations of neuronal alpha oscillations at rest are associated with changes in the mean value of ongoing activity in magnetoencephalography, a phenomenon that we term baseline shifts associated with alpha oscillations. When stimuli modulate the amplitude of alpha oscillations, baseline shifts become the basis of a novel mechanism for the generation of evoked responses; the averaging of several trials leads to a cancellation of the oscillatory component but the baseline shift remains, which gives rise to an evoked response. We propose that the presence of baseline shifts associated with alpha oscillations can be explained by the asymmetric flow of inward and outward neuronal currents related to the generation of alpha oscillations. Our findings are relevant to the vast majority of electroencephalographic and magnetoencephalographic studies involving perceptual, cognitive and motor activity.

• Single trial classification of motor imagination using 6 dry EEG electrodes.

  Authors: Florin Popescu, Siamac Fazli, Yakob Badower, Benjamin Blankertz, Klaus-R Müller

  PLoS ONE. 02/2007; 2(7):e637.

  BACKGROUND: Brain computer interfaces (BCI) based on electro-encephalography (EEG) have been shown to detect mental states accurately and non-invasively, but the equipment required so far isBACKGROUND: Brain computer interfaces (BCI) based on electro-encephalography (EEG) have been shown to detect mental states accurately and non-invasively, but the equipment required so far is cumbersome and the resulting signal is difficult to analyze. BCI requires accurate classification of small amplitude brain signal components in single trials from recordings which can be compromised by currents induced by muscle activity. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A novel EEG cap based on dry electrodes was developed which does not need time-consuming gel application and uses far fewer electrodes than on a standard EEG cap set-up. After optimizing the placement of the 6 dry electrodes through off-line analysis of standard cap experiments, dry cap performance was tested in the context of a well established BCI cursor control paradigm in 5 healthy subjects using analysis methods which do not necessitate user training. The resulting information transfer rate was on average about 30% slower than the standard cap. The potential contribution of involuntary muscle activity artifact to the BCI control signal was found to be inconsequential, while the detected signal was consistent with brain activity originating near the motor cortex. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study shows that a surprisingly simple and convenient method of brain activity imaging is possible, and that simple and robust analysis techniques exist which discriminate among mental states in single trials. Within 15 minutes the dry BCI device is set-up, calibrated and ready to use. Peak performance matched reported EEG BCI state of the art in one subject. The results promise a practical non-invasive BCI solution for severely paralyzed patients, without the bottleneck of setup effort and limited recording duration that hampers current EEG recording technique. The presented recording method itself, BCI not considered, could significantly widen the use of EEG for emerging applications requiring long-term brain activity and mental state monitoring.