Revealing the neural response to imperceptible peripheral flicker with machine learning

Anne K. Porbadnigk, Simon Scholler, Benjamin Blankertz, Arnd Ritz, Matthias Born, Robert Scholl, Klaus Robert Müller, Gabriel Curio, Matthias S. Treder

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Lighting in modern-day devices is often discrete. The sharp onsets and offsets of light are known to induce a steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP) in the electroencephalogram (EEG) at low frequencies. However, it is not well-known how the brain processes visual flicker at the threshold of conscious perception and beyond. To shed more light on this, we ran an EEG study in which we asked participants (N6) to discriminate on a behavioral level between visual stimuli in which they perceived flicker and those that they perceived as constant wave light. We found that high frequency flicker which is not perceived consciously anymore still elicits a neural response in the corresponding frequency band of EEG, con-tralateral to the stimulated hemifield. The main contribution of this paper is to show the benefit of machine learning techniques for investigating this effect of subconscious processing: Common Spatial Pattern (CSP) filtering in combination with classification based on Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) could be used to reveal the effect for additional participants and stimuli, with high statistical significance. We conclude that machine learning techniques are a valuable extension of conventional neurophysiological analysis that can substantially boost the sensitivity to subconscious effects, such as the processing of imperceptible flicker.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication33rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS 2011
Pages3692-3695
Number of pages4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011
Event33rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS 2011 - Boston, MA, United States
Duration: 2011 Aug 302011 Sept 3

Publication series

NameProceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS
ISSN (Print)1557-170X

Other

Other33rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS 2011
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBoston, MA
Period11/8/3011/9/3

Bibliographical note

Copyright:
Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Signal Processing
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
  • Health Informatics

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