Blink-related delta oscillations in the resting-state EEG: A wavelet analysis

Reciprocal dynamics of EEG alpha and delta oscillations during spontaneous blinking at rest: A survey on a default mode-based visuo-spatial awareness

“…In our opinion, the most important outcome of the present study lies in having shown: a) that spontaneous blinking does modulate ongoing alpha oscillations, and b) that such a modulation, in both temporal and functional terms, is not only consistent but is also complementary to that of delta oscillations (Bonfiglio et al, , 2010.…”

“…Prior to the blink, such an energy increase had the hallmarks of an amplitude modulation of the ongoing delta oscillations (non phase-locked induced oscillations), whereas it took on the characteristics of substantial phase-resetting (phase-locked evoked oscillations) just after the blink itself (Bonfiglio et al, , 2010. Therefore, on the basis of their spatiotemporal characteristics, it was proposed that delta BROs might reflect the activation of events such as updating and short-term memorization of the visual context implicated in an automatic mechanism of maintaining visuo-spatial awareness (Bonfiglio et al, , 2010.…”

Spectral Parameters Modulation and Source Localization of Blink-Related Alpha and Low-Beta Oscillations Differentiate Minimally Conscious State from Vegetative State/Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome

“…Moreover we identify the cortical sources of alpha-beta activity and we show differences in source localization between healthy subjects, MCS and VS/UWS patients. We discuss these findings on the basis of the functional interpretation of the blinking phenomenon from the point of view of the so-called ‘basic awareness’ [20], [23], [24].…”

Questioning the dichotomy between vegetative state and minimally conscious state: a review of the statistical evidence

“…Misdiagnoses could be due to multiple reasons, such as the fluctuations of the patients’ arousal and conditions, fatigue, variations in medical and physical management, and inexperience of the evaluators (Neumann and Kotchoubey, 2004; Majerus et al, 2005; Gill-Thwaites, 2006; Schnakers et al, 2009; Gosseries et al, 2011). Nevertheless, the diagnoses of disorders of consciousness are generally performed on the basis of behavioral measures such as the CRS-R, which generally correlate with the presence of behavioral responses/electrophysiological activations (Schnakers et al, 2008; Bonfiglio et al, 2009, 2014; Lechinger et al, 2013; de Biase et al, 2014), even when these responses and activations are not predicted by clinical diagnosis (Bonfiglio et al, 2009; Lechinger et al, 2013). This observation inevitably questions the usefulness of using the VS and MCS dichotomic diagnostic categories, instead of relying on ordinal behavioral scores, which appear to have a stronger relationship with the patients’ responses.…”

“…In recent years, Bonfiglio et al (2009) observed a bioelectrical oscillatory activity in the delta frequency range, which was both time-locked and phase-locked to the spontaneous blinking at rest. This activation, defined as blink-related delta oscillations (delta BROs), has been associated to a mechanism comparing the current environment image, appearing at the eyelid opening, with its mnestic representation at the moment of eyelid closure.…”