Microstate in rats EEG: a proof of concept study

Abstract

The electroencephalogram (EEG) reflecting brain activity can be characterized through brief periods of stable neural activity patterns that recur over time and are referred to as microstates. Microstates are related to a range of cognitive processes, and their analysis has become an increasingly popular tool for studying human brain function. While microstates have been extensively studied in humans, their presence and characteristics in animal models have yet to be as thoroughly investigated. This study aims to address this gap by detecting and characterizing microstates in EEGs of rats collected using a superficial electrode system corresponding to homological areas of the human 10-20 system. Specifically, we demonstrate the presence of microstates in rats EEG; those can be captured by the same metrics as in humans. We define these microstates, describe them through topology and parameters, and identify the EEG frequency bands and intracranial sources that predominantly determine microstate topography. These findings have important implications for the use of microstates as a preclinical tool for investigating brain functions, detecting new biomarkers of brain diseases, and translating this knowledge to humans.