Reliability analysis of individual visual P1 and N1 maps indicates the heterogeneous topographies involved in early visual processing among human subjects

• Published in: Behavioural brain research Vol. 397; p. 112930
• Main Authors: Vázquez-Marrufo, Manuel, del Barco-Gavala, Alberto, Galvao-Carmona, Alejandro, Martín-Clemente, Rubén
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.01.2021
• Subjects: ERPs; Latency; Reliability; Topography; ERPs; P1; N1; Reliability; Topography; Latency
• ISSN: 0166-4328; 1872-7549; 1872-7549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112930

•P1 and N1 latencies and amplitudes were not modulated between two sessions (lapse of 116 days).•Topographical maps of the grand average showed a very strong correlation level between sessions (>0.9) for both components.•Individual maps demonstrated that a contralateral pattern for the P1 and N1 components was not always present in all subjects.•Compared to the N1 component, the P1 component exhibited a more complex set of individual topographical distributions. There is a lack of studies regarding the reliability of the event-related components (ERPs) of an electroencephalogram (EEG) used to assess cognitive processing in human subjects. To explore the reliability scores for the P1 and N1 components in two sessions (separated by an average of 116 days), twenty subjects performed a visual lateralized detection paradigm and EEG recording (58 channels) were employed. The session factor did not modulate the P1/N1 latencies. The visual field factor (left (LVF) or right (RVF)) was a determinant for the P1 and N1 topographical distributions as shown in previous studies. Moreover, topographical maps of the grand average showed a very strong correlation level between sessions (>0.9). Finally, individual maps demonstrated that the classic contralateral pattern for the P1 and N1 components was not always present in all subjects. In particular, compared to the N1 component, the P1 component exhibited a more complex set of individual topographical distributions, revealing that some steps are more heterogeneous among human subjects in early visual processing.