[Eeglablist] Can amygdala activity be detected on the scalp?

[Mike Cohen]

That's all true, but it's worth noting that the amygdala has a lot of
connections and interactions with other regions, such as prefrontal
cortex, that are measured by EEG. So while you probably can't measure
amygdala activity directly with scalp EEG, it doesn't mean that tasks
that recruit the amygdala won't generate scalp-recorded ERPs. You just
have to be careful about how exactly you interpret the results.


On 12/30/05, Bradley Voytek <semiconscious at gmail.com> wrote:
> Teresa--
>
> I'm sorry to say that the location of the amygdala in the anterior,
> inferior, medial temporal lobe makes the attenuation due to distance
> such that getting ERPs would be nearly impossible. Source localization
> is limited because much of the signal from the amygdala is not being
> recorded--it's on the ventral surface of the brain.
>
> The neurons in the amygdala are not as well aligned as in the cortex,
> thus making dipole localization rather difficult: you'd get a lot of
> cancelling effects due to different neuronal orientation.
>
> As for other limbic structures, the cingulate cortex has proven to be
> a fairly reliable source of ERPs, so that is likely your best bet.
> Without depth-electrodes, I just don't think you're going to get
> signal from other limbic regions (hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala,
> etc.)
>
> So, that's my impression.
>
> --brad voytek
>
> On 12/30/05, Teresa Wong <wongkwt at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Dear colleagues,
> >
> > I would like to hear your views on whether scalp ERPs can reflect activity
> > of the amygdala.
> > Is it possible/valid to localize dipole sources (using 128-channel
> > recordings, emotional faces as stimuli) in subcortical brain regions, limbic
> > areas, amygdala, etc?
> >
> > Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2006 with much success in research!
> >
> > Teresa
> > --
> > Teresa Ka Wai Wong
> > PhD Student
> > Department of Psychiatry
> > The University of Hong Kong
> >
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--
Mike Cohen
UC Davis Psychology
Epilepsy and Psychiatry Clinics, Bonn, Germany
http://www.DynamicMemoryLab.org/mcohen