Action Video Games’ Effect on the Brain: Insights From the Scalp EEG Network and Power Analysis

Interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) are transient neural electrical activities that occur in the brain of patients with epilepsy. A problem with the inspection of IEDs from the scalp electroencephalogram (sEEG) is that for a subset of epileptic patients, there are no visually discernible IEDs on the scalp, rendering the above procedures ineffective, both for detection purposes and algorithm evaluation. On the other hand, intracranially placed electrodes yield a much higher incidence of visible IEDs as compared to concurrent scalp electrodes. In this work, we utilize concurrent scalp and intracranial EEG (iEEG) from a group of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients with low number of scalp-visible IEDs. The aim is to determine whether by considering the timing information of the IEDs from iEEG, the resulting concurrent sEEG contains enough information for the IEDs to be reliably distinguished from non-IED segments. We develop an automatic detection algorithm which is tested in a leave-subject-out fashion, where each test subject’s detection algorithm is based on the other patients’ data. The algorithm obtained a [Formula: see text] accuracy in recognizing scalp IED from non-IED segments with [Formula: see text] accuracy when trained and tested on the same subject. Also, it was able to identify nonscalp-visible IED events for most patients with a low number of false positive detections. Our results represent a proof of concept that IED information for TLE patients is contained in scalp EEG even if they are not visually identifiable and also that between subject differences in the IED topology and shape are small enough such that a generic algorithm can be used.

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The Brain Computation Based on Synchronization of Nonlinear Oscillations: On Theta Rhythms in Rat Hippocampus and Human Scalp EEG

Dynamic Brain - from Neural Spikes to Behaviors - Lecture Notes in Computer Science ◽

10.1007/978-3-540-88853-6_1 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yoko Yamaguchi

Keyword(s):

Nonlinear Oscillations ◽

Rat Hippocampus ◽

Scalp Eeg ◽

The Brain

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Exposure to Video Games and Decision Making

Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Media and Communications - Advances in Multimedia and Interactive Technologies ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-7601-3.ch010 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 117-131

Author(s):

Giuseppe Curcio ◽

Sara Peracchia

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Video Games ◽

Cognitive Processes ◽

Computer Games ◽

Scientific Literature ◽

Short Review ◽

Research Field ◽

Popular Press ◽

Human Beings ◽

The Brain

In the last years, it is ever more frequent to read popular press stories about the effects of video and/or computer games on the brain and on the behavior. In some cases, we can read something claiming that video games “damage the brain,” while in others these activities can “boost brain power,” and such conflicting proclamation create confusion about the real or potential effects of this activity on human beings. Thus, it is very interesting to deeply understand the effect that exposure to video games (VGs) can have on cognitive processes, with particular attention to decision making. Only a few studies have been carried out on this issue: the main aim of this contribution is to clarify these aspects, critically reviewing the existing scientific literature. Particular attention has been dedicated to normal and pathological players, different types of VGs, and moral aspects of decision making vulnerable to VGs. It has been concluded that research in this area is still in its early days, and this short review aims at discussing several issues and challenges that should be addressed to forward this research field.

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