Electrical brain activity, as an index of central nervous system function, is studied across a range of patient groups with neurological and psychiatric disorders as well as normal volunteers. Using electrophysiological data qualified from event- related potentials and spectrum analysis of EEG recordings, computer-derived brain images are able to provide information about neurophysiological function relating to both cognition and clinical state. Topographic maps efficiently characterize spatial and temporal patterns of brain activity allowing the ability to study the dynamic interaction among brain regions and their relation to function. The project has two main purposes. The first is to refine the topographic and quantitative analysis methods and establish normative data for various conditions and activation procedures. For example, normal subjects differ with respect to their major focus of resting EEG alpha rhythm; one group shows a dominant parietal locus and one an occipital locus, depending on the alpha frequency. The second purpose is to apply these methods to the characterization of clinical groups and pharmacological response. Work in progress includes characterization of subgroups of Alzheimer's patients, localization of abnormally in epilepsy patients, localization of drug activation and study of psychiatric patients on various neuroleptic drugs.
