What is an event-related potential (ERP)?
The event-related potential (ERP) is a measure of the on-going electrical activity that results when neurons fire in the brain. This electrical activity happens all the time, and travels from your brain out to your scalp where it can be recorded with very sensitive sensors called electrodes.
ERP reflects the brain's response to a specific event (such as the presentation of a picture). For instance, a graphical representation of an ERP is pictured on the left. In this graph, assume that a picture was presented at time "0". The graph shows the brain's on-going response to the picture for a period of one and a half seconds. Using this method, we can compare the brain's response to a picture that your baby has seen before (i.e., a picture that is familiar to your baby) with a picture that your baby has not seen before (i.e., is new or novel). In this way, we can use ERPs to study your baby's memory.
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Is an ERP the same as an electroencephalogram (EEG)?
An ERP is very similar to an EEG. They both use sensors placed on the scalp to record electrical signals that are being sent out by the brain. EEG differs from ERP in relation to the duration and timing of recording. EEG is often recorded over a long duration of time to examine behaviors like sleeping. ERP, however, is time-locked to a specific event (like the appearance of a picture on a screen), and is used when researchers are interested in an immediate response to this event (like memory of the picture).
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Will my baby be harmed in any way by the recording equipment used during the study?
ERP is a non-invasive, child-friendly measure of brain activity. Basically, how it works is that the brain is constantly sending little signals back and forth, and these signals travel out to the scalp where we can record them with sensors. You can think of recording brain activity with ERP as analogous to recording your voice with a tape recorder. This recording process does not hurt the participant in anyway.
Our lab uses sensors that are held inside a special cap. The electrodes are inside of small sponges that are held together in a cap made of stretchable material. These caps are a better alternative to some other types of ERP sensors used because we do not need to add any messy gels to the electrodes and the skin does not need to prepared or abraided. Therefore, these caps are relatively quick and easy to put on and comfortable for the participant to wear.
back to top
The event-related potential (ERP) is a measure of the on-going electrical activity that results when neurons fire in the brain. This electrical activity happens all the time, and travels from your brain out to your scalp where it can be recorded with very sensitive sensors called electrodes.ERP reflects the brain's response to a specific event (such as the presentation of a picture). For instance, a graphical representation of an ERP is pictured on the left. In this graph, assume that a picture was presented at time "0". The graph shows the brain's on-going response to the picture for a period of one and a half seconds. Using this method, we can compare the brain's response to a picture that your baby has seen before (i.e., a picture that is familiar to your baby) with a picture that your baby has not seen before (i.e., is new or novel). In this way, we can use ERPs to study your baby's memory.
back to top
Is an ERP the same as an electroencephalogram (EEG)?
An ERP is very similar to an EEG. They both use sensors placed on the scalp to record electrical signals that are being sent out by the brain. EEG differs from ERP in relation to the duration and timing of recording. EEG is often recorded over a long duration of time to examine behaviors like sleeping. ERP, however, is time-locked to a specific event (like the appearance of a picture on a screen), and is used when researchers are interested in an immediate response to this event (like memory of the picture).
back to top
Will my baby be harmed in any way by the recording equipment used during the study?
ERP is a non-invasive, child-friendly measure of brain activity. Basically, how it works is that the brain is constantly sending little signals back and forth, and these signals travel out to the scalp where we can record them with sensors. You can think of recording brain activity with ERP as analogous to recording your voice with a tape recorder. This recording process does not hurt the participant in anyway.Our lab uses sensors that are held inside a special cap. The electrodes are inside of small sponges that are held together in a cap made of stretchable material. These caps are a better alternative to some other types of ERP sensors used because we do not need to add any messy gels to the electrodes and the skin does not need to prepared or abraided. Therefore, these caps are relatively quick and easy to put on and comfortable for the participant to wear.
back to top