The application of parametric multichannel spectral estimates in the study of electrical brain activity

Abstract

A parametric autoregressive model was applied to the multichannel EEG time series. Small statistical fluctuations of the spectral estimates obtained from the short data strings made possible to follow the time changes of the signals. The multiple and partial coherences were calculated for the four channel process and compared with the coherences computed between the pairs of channels. From the study it followed that the partial coherences are the proper measure of the synchronization of brain structures and their intrinsic relationships. The partial phase spectra give the information about the phase delays. The advantages of the parametric description of signals in the frequency domain in respect to the modelling of dynamic systems was pointed out.