Simultaneous measurement of electroencephalography and near-infrared spectroscopy during voluntary motor preparation

We investigated the relationship between electrophysiological activity and haemodynamic response during motor preparation by simultaneous recording of electroencephalography (EEG) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). It is still unknown how exactly EEG signals correlate with the haemodynamic response, although the activation in the premotor area during motor preparation has been captured by EEG and haemodynamic approaches separately. We conducted EEG-NIRS simultaneous recordings over the sensorimotor area with a self-paced button press task. Participants were instructed to press a button at their own pace after a cue was shown. The result showed that the readiness potential (RP), a negative slow potential shift occurring during motor preparation, on C3 in the extended 10–20 system occurred about 1000 ms before the movement onset. An increase in concentration of oxyhaemoglobin (oxyHb) in the premotor cortex during motor preparation was also confirmed by NIRS, which resulted in a significant correlation between the amplitude of the RP and the change in oxyHb concentration (Pearson’s correlation r(2) = 0.235, p = 0.03). We show that EEG-NIRS simultaneous recording can demonstrate the correlation between the RP and haemodynamic response in the premotor cortex contralateral to the performing hand.