Cerebral oscillatory activity during simulated driving using MEG.

Author: Sakihara K1, Hirata M2, Ebe K3, Kimura K4, Yi Ryu S5, Kono Y5, Muto N5, Yoshioka M5, Yoshimine T6, Yorifuji S5.
Affiliation:
1Department of Functional Diagnostic Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University Suita, Japan ; Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University Itabashi-ku, Japan. 2Department of Functional Diagnostic Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University Suita, Japan ; Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University Suita, Japan. 3Frontier Research Center, Toyota Central R&D Labs., Inc., Nagakute, Japan. 4Human System Integration Group, Vehicle Engineering Development Division, Toyota Motor Corporation Toyota, Japan. 5Department of Functional Diagnostic Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University Suita, Japan. 6Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University Suita, Japan.
Conference/Journal: Front Hum Neurosci.
Date published: 2014 Dec 16
Other: Volume ID: 8 , Pages: 975 , Word Count: 202



We aimed to examine cerebral oscillatory differences associated with psychological processes during simulated car driving. We recorded neuromagnetic signals in 14 healthy volunteers using magnetoencephalography (MEG) during simulated driving. MEG data were analyzed using synthetic aperture magnetometry to detect the spatial distribution of cerebral oscillations. Group effects between subjects were analyzed statistically using a non-parametric permutation test. Oscillatory differences were calculated by comparison between "passive viewing" and "active driving." "Passive viewing" was the baseline, and oscillatory differences during "active driving" showed an increase or decrease in comparison with a baseline. Power increase in the theta band was detected in the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) during active driving. Power decreases in the alpha, beta, and low gamma bands were detected in the right inferior parietal lobe (IPL), left postcentral gyrus (PoCG), middle temporal gyrus (MTG), and posterior cingulate gyrus (PCiG) during active driving. Power increase in the theta band in the SFG may play a role in attention. Power decrease in the right IPL may reflect selectively divided attention and visuospatial processing, whereas that in the left PoCG reflects sensorimotor activation related to driving manipulation. Power decreases in the MTG and PCiG may be associated with object recognition.
KEYWORDS:
car driving; magnetoencephalography; oscillation
PMID: 25566017

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