Simultaneous Recording Of Electroencephalogram Research Articles

Interpersonal distance modulates the influence of social observation on prosocial behaviour: An event-related potential (ERP) study

This study aimed to explore the influence of interpersonal distance and social observation on prosocial behaviour. Participants were instructed to make costly prosocial decisions towards different interpersonal distance targets (friends, acquaintances or strangers) under the (non) observable condition, with simultaneous electroencephalogram recording. The behavioural results demonstrated that participants made more prosocial choices—unaffected by social observation—towards friends than towards acquaintances and strangers; nonetheless, participants made more prosocial choices towards acquaintances and strangers under the observable than under the non-observable condition. Event-related potential results showed that when participants made prosocial decisions towards friends, the P3 and N2 amplitudes remained unchanged between the observable and non-observable conditions; however, when participants made prosocial decisions towards acquaintances and strangers, a smaller N2 and a larger P3 were observed under the observable than those under the non-observable condition. These findings suggest that prosocial behaviour towards friends is driven by social preferences regarding the welfare of others, regardless of the possibility of reputation management. However, prosocial behaviour towards acquaintances and strangers might be motivated by a positive reputation, because individuals may bear in mind the potential future benefits.

Reduced pain and analgesic use after acoustic binaural beats therapy in chronic pain - A double-blind randomized control cross-over trial.

Binaural Beats (BB) consist of two artificial acoustic stimuli with different frequency, presented simultaneously but independently to each ear. The human brain perceives and synchronizes to this frequency difference (entrainment). Aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that brain entrainment to a lower function rhythm, with BB application, can decrease pain perception and analgesic medication use, in chronic pain patients. In a double blind, randomized, cross-over trial, BB at 5Hz (theta rhythm) were applied for 30 minutes, under simultaneous electroencephalogram recordings, followed by liberal, on demand use by chronic pain patients for a week, compared to sham stimulation (SS). Pain as the main outcome (numeric scale, NRS), stress (STAI) and medication usage (defined daily doses, DDD) were assessed at baseline, 30 minutes and week's end. Perceived pain (NRS) was significantly reduced in BB intervention (5.6±2.3 to 3.4±2.6, p<0.001), compared to SS (5.2±2.1 to 4.8±2.3, p=0.78), during the first 30-minute phase, as well as at the week's end (to 3.9±2.5 compared to 5.5±2.6 respectively, p<0.001). The mean EEG theta power at 5Hz was significantly increased only during BB application. Stress was significantly reduced at 30 minutes in both interventions but remained reduced only in the BB group at the week's end. Analgesic medication consumption (DDD, g) during the week was significantly less in the BB intervention (3.9±3.7 vs. 4.6±4.1, p<0.05), while reporting equal to SS mean levels of pain. Acoustic BB reduced pain intensity, stress and analgesic use, compared to SS, in chronic pain patients. This study provides evidence that theta rhythm binaural beats can alleviate pain intensity, both after a brief 30 minute and a longer one week on-demand intervention. The subsequent significant reduction in analgesic medication consumption in chronic pain patients' daily living could offer a valuable tool, augmenting the effect of existing pain therapies.

Effects of Caffeine on Event-Related Potentials and Neuropsychological Indices After Sleep Deprivation.

Objective: Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can effectively alleviate brain fatigue and low cognitive efficiency induced by total sleep deprivation (TSD). Recent studies have demonstrated that caffeine can improve subjective attention and objective behavioral metrics, such as arousal level, reaction time, and memory efficiency. However, only a few studies have examined the electrophysiological changes caused by the caffeine in humans following sleep disturbance. In this study, an event-related potential (ERP) technique was employed to measure the behavioral, cognitive, and electrophysiological changes produced by caffeine administration after TSD.Methods: Sixteen healthy subjects within-subject design performed a visual Go/No-Go task with simultaneous electroencephalogram recording. Behavioral and ERP data were evaluated after 36 h of TSD, and the effects of ingestion of either 400 mg of caffeine or placebo were compared in a double-blind randomized design.Results: Compared with placebo administration, the Go hit rates were significantly enhanced in the caffeine condition. A simple effect analysis revealed that, compared with baseline, the Go-P2 amplitude was significantly enhanced after TSD in the caffeine consumption condition. A significant main effect of the drug was found on No-Go-P2, No-Go-N2 amplitude, and Go-P2 latency before and after TSD.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that caffeine administration has acute effects on improving the efficiency of individual automatic reactions and early cognitive processes. Caffeine was related to the preservation of an individual’s arousal level and accelerated response-related decisions, while subjects’ higher-level recognition had limited improvement with prolonged awareness.

Vascular smooth muscle TRPC3 channels facilitate the inverse hemodynamic response during status epilepticus

Human status epilepticus (SE) is associated with a pathological reduction in cerebral blood flow termed the inverse hemodynamic response (IHR). Canonical transient receptor potential 3 (TRPC3) channels are integral to the propagation of seizures in SE, and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) TRPC3 channels participate in vasoconstriction. Therefore, we hypothesize that cerebrovascular TRPC3 channels may contribute to seizure-induced IHR. To examine this possibility, we developed a smooth muscle-specific TRPC3 knockout (TRPC3smcKO) mouse. To quantify changes in neurovascular coupling, we combined laser speckle contrast imaging with simultaneous electroencephalogram recordings. Control mice exhibited multiple IHRs, and a limited increase in cerebral blood flow during SE with a high degree of moment-to-moment variability in which blood flow was not correlated with neuronal activity. In contrast, TRPC3smcKO mice showed a greater increase in blood flow that was less variable and was positively correlated with neuronal activity. Genetic ablation of smooth muscle TRPC3 channels shortened the duration of SE by eliminating a secondary phase of intense seizures, which was evident in littermate controls. Our results are consistent with the idea that TRPC3 channels expressed by cerebral VSMCs contribute to the IHR during SE, which is a critical factor in the progression of SE.

Study of denoising of simultaneous electroencephalogram-functional magnetic resonance imaging signal based on real-time constrained independent components analysis

Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG)-functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) plays an important role in scientific research and clinical field due to its high spatial and temporal resolution. However, the fusion results are seriously influenced by ballistocardiogram (BCG) artifacts under MRI environment. In this paper, we improve the off-line constrained independent components analysis using real-time technique (rt-cICA), which is applied to the simulated and real resting-state EEG data. The results show that for simulated data analysis, the value of error in signal amplitude (Er) obtained by rt-cICA method was obviously lower than the traditional methods such as average artifact subtraction ( P<0.005). In real EEG data analysis, the improvement of normalized power spectrum (INPS) calculated by rt-cICA method was much higher than other methods ( P<0.005). In conclusion, the novel method proposed by this paper lays the technical foundation for further research on the fusion model of EEG-fMRI.

Suppression of brain electrical activity in general anesthesia: the dose-effect relationship

The purpose of this study was to determine to mean effective dosage for propofol and sevoflurane that leads to the generation of burst-suppression pattern on electroencephalogram and electrocorticogram in general anesthesia. It is established that effective dosages that cause the generation of intermittent activity on electroencephalogram exceed those for electrocorticogram. This trend is common both for sevoflurane and for propofol. Discrepancies in the dosage for general anesthetics causing the suppression of electrical activity on electroencephalogram and electrocorticogram defined the «dissociation» of recorded patterns. Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram and electrocorticogram showed cortical burst-suppression pattern together with the continuous pattern on scalp electrodes. It is concluded that rating and systematization for suppression patterns on electroencephalogram and electrocorticogram should be built upon the common foundation, but with allowances made for technical specifics. Categorization of suppression phenomenon on electrocorticogram implies the critical amplitude to be 20 mkV, whereas for electroencephalogram it is 10 mkV. More formal proposed methods for assessment of intermittent patterns of brain electrical activity during general anesthesia are based on the specific tasks for intraoperative neuromonitoring. Excessive levels of sedation causing rough depression of electrical activity should be avoided, since they may lead to false-negative results of the neuromonitoring.

Nodding behavior couples to vigilance fluctuation in a high-calorie diet model of drowsiness

Drowsiness is an awake state with increased sleep drive, yet the neural correlates and underlying mechanisms remains unclear. Here, we established a mouse model of drowsiness, where mice are fasted for 1 day and then allowed to overeat high-fat food (to promote sleep) while positioned in an open-field box (to promote vigilance). They fall into a long-lasting drowsy state, as reflected by repeated and open-eyed nodding of the head while in a standing position. Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and neck electromyogram (EMG) readouts revealed that this drowsy state including nodding state had multiple stages in terms of the relationship between the level of vigilance and head movement: delta oscillations decreased in power prior to the head-nodding period and increased during the non-nodding period. Cav3.1-knockout mice, which have reduced delta oscillations, showed frequent head nodding with reduced duration of nodding episodes compared to wild-type mice. This suggests that the balance of drive is tilted in favor of wakefulness, likely due to their previously proposed decrease in sleep-promoting functions. Our findings indicate that delta oscillations play a dominant role in controlling vigilance dynamics during sleep/wake competition and that our novel mouse model may be useful for studying drowsiness and related neurological disorders.

Cross multivariate correlation coefficients as screening tool for analysis of concurrent EEG-fMRI recordings.

Over the past decade, the simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data has garnered growing interest because it may provide an avenue towards combining the strengths of both imaging modalities. Given their pronounced differences in temporal and spatial statistics, the combination of EEG and fMRI data is however methodologically challenging. Here, we propose a novel screening approach that relies on a Cross Multivariate Correlation Coefficient (xMCC) framework. This approach accomplishes three tasks: (1) It provides a measure for testing multivariate correlation and multivariate uncorrelation of the two modalities; (2) it provides criterion for the selection of EEG features; (3) it performs a screening of relevant EEG information by grouping the EEG channels into clusters to improve efficiency and to reduce computational load when searching for the best predictors of the BOLD signal. The present report applies this approach to a data set with concurrent recordings of steady‐state‐visual evoked potentials (ssVEPs) and fMRI, recorded while observers viewed phase‐reversing Gabor patches. We test the hypothesis that fluctuations in visuo‐cortical mass potentials systematically covary with BOLD fluctuations not only in visual cortical, but also in anterior temporal and prefrontal areas. Results supported the hypothesis and showed that the xMCC‐based analysis provides straightforward identification of neurophysiological plausible brain regions with EEG‐fMRI covariance. Furthermore xMCC converged with other extant methods for EEG‐fMRI analysis.

The relationship between the superior frontal cortex and alpha oscillation in a flanker task: Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)

Activity in the alpha band of the electroencephalogram (EEG) reflects functional inhibition of the cerebral cortex. The superior frontal cortex (SFC) is known to control alpha activity. Based on this relationship between SFC and alpha, we hypothesized that SFC controlled alpha mediates proactive control over interference. In this study, we examined the relationship between SFC and alpha in the flanker task by simultaneously recording EEG and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Forty participants performed a flanker task with occasional (compatible 75%, incompatible 25%) and successive (incompatible 100%) conditions. In the occasional condition, larger SFC activity was related to pre-stimulus alpha enhancement under occipital electrodes. This is consistent with a model in which SFC enhances pre-stimulus alpha activity, leading to proactive control over interference. However, we could not detect a correlation between SFC activity and alpha activity in the successive condition. Active inhibition may have been reduced by a need to continuously inhibit brain regions associated with the irrelevant information. This may have reduced the role of the SFC in controlling alpha activity. Based on these findings, we postulate that there are two cerebral mechanisms of proactive control over interference.

Use of the CompactRIO Platform with the LabView Programming Environment for Simultaneous Recording and Processing of Different Types of Bioelectrical Signals

A data collection system for simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram and other bioelectrical signals based on the CompactRIO platform (National Instruments, USA), consisting of a chassis with 32-channel NI-9205 modules for recording biological signals, is described. A virtual instrument running EEG signal processing algorithms was developed in the LabVIEW environment for calculation of the amplitudes of the main rhythms, frequency-amplitude, and frequency-time spectra of EEG signals in different leads.

Comparison of BCG artifact removal methods for evoked responses in simultaneous EEG–fMRI

Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has gained attention due to the complimentary properties of the two imaging modalities. Their combined recording enables the study of brain function while taking advantage of the high temporal resolution of EEG and high spatial resolution of fMRI. However EEG data recorded inside the MR scanner is significantly contaminated by two main sources of artifacts: MR gradient artifacts and ballistocardiogram (BCG) artifacts. Most existing removal approaches for these artifacts fall into two main categories: average artifact subtraction (AAS) and optimal basis selection (OBS). While these techniques can improve the data quality significantly, highly effective removal of artifacts – particularly the BCG artifact – from the data is still lacking.Here, we compared two of the most commonly used algorithms for BCG artifact removal (OBS and AAS) based on the estimated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of auditory and visual evoked responses recorded during fMRI acquisition. We also further compared optimization of OBS for groups, and at the individual subject and run level. The results suggest that performance of the OBS algorithm can be significantly improved by choosing the optimum number of principal components. Furthermore, optimizing the number of principal components at the individual participant and run level results in significant improvements in the SNR of evoked responses compared to group optimization.

Development of Point of Care Testing Device for Neurovascular Coupling From Simultaneous Recording of EEG and NIRS During Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.

This paper presents a point of care testing device for neurovascular coupling (NVC) from simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Here, anodal tDCS modulated cortical neural activity leading to hemodynamic response can be used to identify the impaired cerebral microvessels functionality. The impairments in the cerebral microvessels functionality may lead to impairments in the cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), where severely reduced CVR predicts the chances of transient ischemic attack and ipsilateral stroke. The neural and hemodynamic responses to anodal tDCS were studied through joint imaging with EEG and NIRS, where NIRS provided optical measurement of changes in tissue oxy-(n}{}HbO2)n and deoxy-(n}{}Hbn) hemoglobin concentration and EEG captured alterations in the underlying neuronal current generators. Then, a cross-correlation method for the assessment of NVC underlying the site of anodal tDCS is presented. The feasibility studies on healthy subjects and stroke survivors showed detectable changes in the EEG and the NIRS responses to a 0.526 A/n}{}mathrm{m}^{2}n of anodal tDCS. The NIRS system was bench tested on 15 healthy subjects that showed a statistically significant (p < 0.01) difference in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) between the ON- and OFF-states of anodal tDCS where the mean SNR of the NIRS device was found to be 42.33 ± 1.33 dB in the ON-state and 40.67 ± 1.23 dB in the OFF-state. Moreover, the clinical study conducted on 14 stroke survivors revealed that the lesioned hemisphere with impaired circulation showed significantly (p < 0.01) less change in n}{}HbO2n than the nonlesioned side in response to anodal tDCS. The EEG study on healthy subjects showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease around individual alpha frequency in the alpha band (8−13 Hz) following anodal tDCS. Moreover, the joint EEG-NIRS imaging on 4 stroke survivors showed an immediate increase in the theta band (4−8 Hz) EEG activity after the start of anodal tDCS at the nonlesioned hemisphere. Furthermore, cross-correlation function revealed a significant (95% confidence interval) negative cross correlation only at the nonlesioned hemisphere during anodal tDCS, where the log-transformed mean-power of EEG within 0.5−11.25 Hz lagged n}{}HbO2n response in one of the stroke survivors with white matter lesions. Therefore, it was concluded that the anodal tDCS can perturb the local neural and the vascular activity (via NVC) which can be used for assessing regional NVC functionality where confirmatory clinical studies are required.

Study on the Relationships between Intrinsic Functional Connectivity of the Default Mode Network and Transient Epileptic Activity.

Rationale: Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram and functional MRI (EEG–fMRI) is a powerful tool for localizing epileptic networks via the detection of hemodynamic changes correlated with interictal epileptic discharges (IEDs). fMRI can be used to study the long-lasting effect of epileptic activity by assessing stationary functional connectivity during the resting-state period [especially, the connectivity of the default mode network (DMN)]. Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) are associated with low responsiveness and disruption of DMN activity. A dynamic functional connectivity approach might enable us to determine the effect of IEDs on DMN connectivity and to better understand the correlation between DMN connectivity changes and altered consciousness.Method: We studied dynamic changes in DMN intrinsic connectivity and their relation to IEDs. Six IGE patients (with generalized spike and slow-waves) and 6 TLE patients (with unilateral left temporal spikes) were included. Functional connectivity before, during, and after IEDs was estimated using a sliding window approach and compared with the baseline period.Results: No dependence on window size was observed. The baseline DMN connectivity was decreased in the left hemisphere (ipsilateral to the epileptic focus) in TLEs and was less strong but remained bilateral in IGEs. We observed an overall increase in DMN intrinsic connectivity prior to the onset of IEDs in both IGEs and TLEs. After IEDs in TLEs, we found that DMN connectivity increased before it returned to baseline values. Most of the DMN regions with increased connectivity before and after IEDs were lateralized to the left hemisphere in TLE (i.e., ipsilateral to the epileptic focus).Conclusion: Results suggest that DMN connectivity may facilitate IED generation and may be affected at the time of the IED. However, these results need to be confirmed in a larger independent cohort.

Epilepsy with myoclonic absences in siblings

Epilepsy with myoclonic absences (EMAs) is a distinct form of childhood epilepsy characterized by a peculiar seizure type that identifies this condition. To describe the clinical, electroencephalographic features, treatment strategies and outcome in this first case series of two siblings with normal intelligence presenting with EMAs. Both siblings underwent video-polygraphic investigations (simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram [EEG] and electromyogram [EMG] from deltoids), high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), karyotyping, neuropsychological evaluation and language assessment. Both the children had a mean age of onset of prototype seizures by 3.5 years. Myoclonic absences (MAs) were characterized by rhythmic, bilateral, synchronous, symmetric 3-Hz spike-wave discharges, associated with EMG myoclonic bursts at 3 Hz, superimposed on a progressively increasing tonic muscle contraction. The interictal EEG showed a normal background activity with bursts of generalized spike and waves (SWs) as well as rare focal SWs independently over bilateral temporal and frontal regions. Increase in the seizure frequency from 5 to 100/day was observed due to use of carbamazepine and phenobarbitone which decreased with its withdrawal and introduction of valproate. Though lamotrigine was given as an add on to valproate, it did not benefit them and was therefore replaced by topiramate at 3.5 mg/kg/day which has maintained them on remission at one year follow up. Recognition of this ictal pattern allows identification and differentiation of EMAs from other seizure types. Idiopathic and symptomatic EMAs need to be differentiated from childhood absence epilepsy with myoclonia. MAs are worsened by drugs like carbamazepine while valproate either alone or in combination with topiramate (preferred to lamotrigine) gives excellent outcome.

A pulse artifact removal method considering artifact variations in the simultaneous recording of EEG and fMRI

A simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can provide high spatiotemporal information of brain activity. However, a proper analysis of the EEG signals is often hindered by various artifacts. In particular, pulse artifact (PA) induced from the heartbeat of a subject interferes with reliable measurements of the EEG signal. A new PA removal method that takes into account the delay variation between the heartbeat and PA and the window size variation in PA is presented in order to improve the detection and suppression of PA in EEG signals. A PA is classified into either a normal PA or a deformed PA. Only normal PAs are averaged to generate a PA template that is used to remove PAs from the measured EEG signals. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated by simulated data and real EEG measurements from epilepsy patients. The results are compared with those from conventional methods.

Functional MRI Applications in Epilepsy Surgery

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique that has grown rapidly in popularity over the past decade. It is already prevalent in psychology, cognitive and basic neuroscience research and is being used increasingly as a tool for clinical decision-making in epilepsy. It has been used to determine language location and laterality in patients, sometimes eliminating the need for invasive tests. fMRI can been used pre-surgically to guide resection margins, preserving eloquent cortex. Other fMRI paradigms assessing memory, visual and somatosensory systems have limited clinical applications currently, but show great promise. Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and fMRI has also provided insights into the networks underlying seizure generation and is increasingly being used in epilepsy centres. In this review, we present some of the current clinical applications for fMRI in the pre-surgical assessment of epilepsy patients, and examine a number of new techniques that may soon become clinically relevant.

Removal of the ballistocardiographic artifact from EEG–fMRI data: a canonical correlation approach

The simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can give new insights into how the brain functions. However, the strong electromagnetic field of the MR scanner generates artifacts that obscure the EEG and diminish its readability. Among them, the ballistocardiographic artifact (BCGa) that appears on the EEG is believed to be related to blood flow in scalp arteries leading to electrode movements. Average artifact subtraction (AAS) techniques, used to remove the BCGa, assume a deterministic nature of the artifact. This assumption may be too strong, considering the blood flow related nature of the phenomenon. In this work we propose a new method, based on canonical correlation analysis (CCA) and blind source separation (BSS) techniques, to reduce the BCGa from simultaneously recorded EEG–fMRI. We optimized the method to reduce the user's interaction to a minimum. When tested on six subjects, recorded in 1.5 T or 3 T, the average artifact extracted with BSS–CCA and AAS did not show significant differences, proving the absence of systematic errors. On the other hand, when compared on the basis of intra-subject variability, we found significant differences and better performance of the proposed method with respect to AAS. We demonstrated that our method deals with the intrinsic subject variability specific to the artifact that may cause averaging techniques to fail.

Electroencephalography/functional MRI in human epilepsy: what it currently can and cannot do

Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram and functional MRI is being increasingly applied to the investigation of normal cerebral processes and disorders, particularly epilepsies. We will summarize recent epilepsy-related studies and appraise the clinical and scientific value of EEG/fMRI. Interictal and ictal EEG/fMRI can provide helpful information in the presurgical evaluation of epilepsy. At present, EEG/fMRI cannot supercede any of the current methods because validation studies are lacking, informative results are only obtained in some patients, and haemodynamic activation and deactivation patterns are not always of localizing value. EEG/fMRI data often identify distributed brain areas and can help to generate concepts of epileptogenic networks both in individual patients and groups with particular epilepsy syndromes. Clinically, EEG/fMRI studies may influence further investigations such as more detailed structural imaging or the planning of intracranial electrophysiological studies by generating hypotheses about the location of epileptic foci. Validation studies are underway to determine whether such clinical applications are appropriate. EEG/fMRI can also assess epileptogenic networks and changes in brain state, leading to a new dimension of understanding of dynamic cerebral processes in health and disease.

Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram and blood pressure in conscious telemetered rats during ictal state

Introduction Seizures are accompanied by autonomic dysfunction which in turn influences cardiovascular variables. A method for simultaneous acquisition of electroencephalogram (EEG) and arterial blood pressure (BP) during seizures in conscious animals has not previously been described. Methods The effect of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) was first studied on isolated rat atria. EEG and BP were then monitored simultaneously in conscious rats, with a chronically implanted radiotelemetric device. Changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) during epileptiform seizures induced by intraperitoneal administration of PTZ were monitored to validate the method. Results PTZ did not have significant inotropic or chronotropic effect in isolated atria. The radiotelemetry system used to acquire data in unrestrained conscious rats enabled us to study neurological excitation (EEG) and cardiovascular variables (BP and HR) during seizures. Our results demonstrated that this method can be used to study the effect of neuronal excitation on cardiovascular variables and vice versa.

Removal of Ballistocardiogram Artifacts From Simultaneously Recorded EEG and fMRI Data Using Independent Component Analysis

Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been studied to identify areas related to EEG events. EEG data recorded in the magnetic resonance (MR) scanner with MR imaging is suffered from two specific artifacts, imaging artifact, and ballistocardiogram (BCG). In this paper, we focus on BCG. In preceding studies, average subtraction was often used for this purpose. However, average subtraction requires an assumption that BCG waveforms are precisely periodic, which seems unrealistic because BCG is a biomedical artifact. We propose the application of independent component analysis (ICA) with a postprocessing of high-pass filtering for the removal of BCG. With this approach, it is not necessary to assume that the BCG waveform is periodic. Empirically, we show that our proposed method removes BCG artifacts as well as does the average subtraction method. Power spectral density analysis of the two approaches shows that, with ICA, distortion of recovered EEG data is also as small as that associated with the average subtraction approach. We also propose a hypothesis for how head movement causes BCGs and show why ICA can remove BCG artifacts arising from this source.