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EEG Activities and the Sustained Attention Performance

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Neurophysiology Aims and scope

We investigated the relations between EEG activity and sustained attention in humans. A visual version of the conjunctive continuous performance task (CCPT-V) was used as a measure of sustained attention. Twenty university students voluntarily participated in the study; they were divided into two groups, good and weak, according to their results in the CCPT-V. The spectral power of EEG recorded from Fz, Cz, and Pz was analyzed under three conditions (eyes open, eyes closed, and CCPT-V) in four frequency ranges, theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–13 Hz), beta (13–30 Hz) and gamma (30–60 Hz) in three channels. Results of repeatedmeasures MANOVA showed the significance of the effects of conditions and channels with respect to the alpha and theta but not to the beta and gamma powers. There was no significant effect of the group, but, when comparing the alpha power under three conditions, the good group showed lower spectral powers. It has been concluded that cerebral neuronal systems producing alpha and theta oscillations play a role in sustained attention, and this can be shown by EEG recording and in the respective test.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electronic, Science, and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bojnord, Iran

    A. Behzadnia

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

    M. Ghoshuni

  3. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Science, Arak University, Arak, Iran

    S. A. Chermahini

Authors
  1. A. Behzadnia
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  2. M. Ghoshuni
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  3. S. A. Chermahini
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Correspondence to A. Behzadnia or S. A. Chermahini.

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Behzadnia, A., Ghoshuni, M. & Chermahini, S.A. EEG Activities and the Sustained Attention Performance. Neurophysiology 49, 226–233 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11062-017-9675-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11062-017-9675-1

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