Stimulus Presentation

Overview:

Psychophysiology is the study of the interrelationships between the physiological and psychological aspects of behavior.

Psychophysiology is truly multidisciplinary, embracing members from many areas including psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, biology, physiology, anatomy, neuroimaging, biophysics, and engineering, and relying on other disciplines such as mathematics and computer science.' - 2007, Australasian Society for Psychophysiology, Inc.

Psychophysiologists investigate the physiological bases of psychological processes (relationships/link between psychological events and mind/brain responses) in almost always intact human subjects. They include:

  • Activation of one neural brain structure exerts an excitatory/inhibitory effect on another structure
    • Event Related Potentials (ERPs)
    • Electroencephalography (EEG)
    • Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
  • Effects of stress on the cardiovascular system - vasodilation/vasoconstriction, myocardial contractility, or stroke volume using parameters including:
    • Heart rate (HR)
    • Electrocardiography (ECG)
    • Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
  • Effect of one cardiovascular event on another cardiovascular or endocrine event
  • Skin
    • Skin conductance response (SCR)
    • Galvanic skin response (GSR)
    • Temperature
  • Muscle activity
    • Electromyography (EMG)
  • Pupil diameter changes and eye movement
    • Pupillometrics
    • Electro-oculogram (EOG)
  • Respiration

Method:

Research
In the past, physiological responses and organ systems innervated by the autonomic nervous system are usually examined. Recently, there is an increasing interest in the mechanics of the central nervous system and exploring cortical brain potentials such as ERPs, EEG and fMRI.

Electrodermal activity, sometimes called the galvanic skin response (GSR) or skin conductance level (SCL), has been used as a psychophysiological measure ever since it was popularized by Carl Jung in the early 20th century (Jung, 1907). Sweat glands, present on the palmar surfaces of the hands and on the bottom of the feet, are innervated by the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. These glands act as variable resistors; as they fill with fluid, skin resistance decreases. Sympathetic activity causes an increase in sweat production, thereby increasing skin conductance. Skin conductance is expressed in microsiemens (μS), a common unit of conductance.

Studies on the cardiovascular system can be used to study the effect or influences of stress or to quantify the response to the stressful situation, such as changes in heart rate(HR). Muscle activity, respiration and eye movement can be similarly studied.

Circulation in the microvasculature is under autonomic control, and can be varied in order to regulate temperature and oxygen supply to tissues. Absolute skin temperatures differ among individuals as a function of metabolism, cutaneous fat, and health factors. However, a change in skin temperature can be brought about by a change in emotional state. Stress responses that activate the sympathetic nervous system usually result in a reduced peripheral circulation, causing a lowered skin temperature. On the other hand, a strong signal from the parasympathetic nervous system can cause a localized increase in peripheral circulation: blushing.

Stimulus presentation studies a subset of psychophysiology, presents a human subject with sequences of stimuli and measures their quantitative and qualitative responses. Psychophysiologists can then used the collected data for analysis such as the degree of positivity or negativity, primary or secondary responses and heirarchy of the sensory system, perception, learning and adaptation and biofeedback. The measureable parameters include:

  • Response or reaction times
  • Duration of a response
  • Conscious response types (positive or negative)
  • Evoked responses (biopotentials, EOG, EEG, EMG)
  • Subconscious responses (heart rate, breathing rate)

Application
Lie detector tests are an example of interpretation and application of psychophysiological data. Examining physiological responses of a person subjected to variety of questions may give indications that can determine if that person is answering truthfully. In most lie detector tests, sometimes referred to as polygraph tests, the examiner will record breathing, eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, skin conductance and skin temperature. However, there is much debate as to the validity of lie detector results due to factors such as by skilled liars or biased examiners.


Software:

SuperLab
SuperLab Stimulus Presentation Software allows researchers to present images, text, and video and collect and analyze highly accurate reaction times from subjects.

The software allows development of most types of experiments that require presenting visual stimuli on the screen, auditory stimuli via speakers, controlling or synchronizing with lab equipment such as fMRI, EEG, shutters and etc. The collected data, which includes reaction time, is saved in text-only file which can be read by most spreadsheet or statistics software programs. Features include:

  • Stimuli lists of up to 150 words or picture files
  • Playing QuickTime movies on the Macintosh and AVI and MPG movies in Windows
  • Event randomization
  • Support for JPEG, GIF, PNG and TIFF formats
  • Multiple input devices in the same experiment
  • Multiple correct responses (more than 1 Button can be designated as correct)
  • Improved support for fMRI and EEG/ERP
  • Trial variables
  • Conditional branching (if/then/else) responses
  • Built-in support for Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP - present segments of text one at a time with one segment replacing the other) and self-paced reading

 

LabChart
LabChart™ software (for Windows and Macintosh) combines the familiar simplicity of a traditional strip chart recorder with the powerful analysis features of a digital acquisition system. LabChart software and a PowerLab data acquisition unit provide data integrity, easy selection of hardware settings, powerful online and offline analysis, procedure automation, seamless extraction of experimental data and flexible display options. Acquisition and analysis capabilities can be further increased with LabChart Extensions and LabChart Modules. LabChart Modules are available as part of LabChart Pro and LabChart Extensions are free for download from the website for existing LabChart users.

In addition, LabChart software:

  • Can rectify and integrate the raw EEG signal and display the results on a separate channel.
  • Calculate and display the RMS power content of the signal.
  • Display the power spectrum (FFT) of a selected region of data using Spectrum command
  • Includes a digital filter that allows the user to record at the highest sampling rate and apply filtering online or offline.
  • Has filtering options such as low-pass, high-pass, notch, narrow band-pass, band-pass and band-stop. This is very useful for EEG recording and analysis as specific waveform frequencies such as alpha, delta and theta etc can be easily identified.

ECG Analysis Module (Windows)
The MLS360/7 ECG Analysis Module provides a comprehensive set of tools that automatically detects and reports values of ECG recordings. The software can be used with ECG recordings taken from humans and many species of animals from pigs through to mice.

It provides

  • Real-time analysis and data extraction of ECG parameters
    • PQRST amplitudes
    • Time intervals such as RR, PR, JT, QT and QTc
  • Analysis of ECG parameters in real-time or offline
  • Automated detection and averaging of ECG cycles
  • Automated tabulation and data extraction of ECG parameters
  • Automated real-time or offline ECG Plots
    • Graphical QT vs RR, QT vs Time & RR vs Time plots
    • Waterfall plot

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Module (Windows or Macintosh)
The MLS310 HRV Module provides a comprehensive set of tools for the analysis and display of variation in the interval between heartbeats in human and animal electrocardiogram recordings.
It provides:
  • Detects and analyzes of R waves & RR interval variation in ECG real-time or offline recordings
  • Includes or excludes ectopic beats from analysis
  • Adds R waves or remove short artifacts from analysis
  • Provides data export options
  • Provides automated HRV Analysis Windows

 

ScopeView
By providing digital oscilloscope features, Scope View facilitates recording and viewing consecutive sweeps of data. These sweeps, or pages, can be overlaid and averaged.  There are several powerful features in Scope View that enhance analysis and display.

  • Provides the ability to record, display and analyze any high frequency signal that is time-locked to a stimulus
  • Synchronizes sweeps with recorded or built-in stimulation patterns
  • Provides a range of real-time and offline analysis features
  • Generates stimuli of differing intensities and waveform structures (i.e. single-pulse, multiple pulse, simple ramps) and control an external stimulator using the analog output on the front of the PowerLab
  • Create pages or sweeps from Comments in Chart View in addition to block mode and Event Mode.
  • Events in Blood Pressure and ECG Module can be used to generate pages in Scope View.
  • Use the new 3D Depth and Saturation Overlay feature in the Scope Overlay Options to help distinguish overlaid traces.
  • Alter the active trace and overlay trace colors.
  • Change the display background to black for better contrast.

Scope View is recommended because it provides signal averaging functions that are necessary to extract the evoked response from background noise.

Scope
Scope software, supplied with PowerLab systems, provides powerful display, recording and analysis features to transform your computer into a two-channel storage oscilloscope, XY plotter or Power Spectrum (FFT) analyser. Scope is used commonly to measure any high-frequency signal that is time-locked to a stimulus such as action potentials and evoked responses. For analyzing Evoked Potentials, the Scope Software is recommended because it provides signal averaging functions that are necessary to extract the evoked response from background noise.

This software:

  • Provides the ability to record, display and analyze any high frequency signal that is time-locked to a stimulus
  • Synchronizes sweeps with recorded or built-in stimulation patterns
  • Provides a range of real-time and offline analysis features
  • Generates stimuli of differing intensities and waveform structures (i.e. single-pulse, multiple pulse, simple ramps) and control an external stimulator using the analog output on the front of the PowerLab.

GLP and 21 CFR Part 11
For those researchers working within a laboratory requiring GLP and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance the GLP Client and GLP Server are available for use with LabChart (Windows only) and PowerLab data acquisition systems. For more information, visit the Good Laboratory Practice application page or contact your nearest ADInstruments representative.

Hardware:

Stimulus Presentation

The ADInstruments Stimulus Presentation Systems are used to present, measure and analyze subject responses to visual and auditory stimuli.

Visual and auditory stimuli are presented to subjects by the SuperLab (4.5 or later) Stimulus Presentation Software. The reaction times to presented stimuli are then recorded and analyzed within the SuperLab, while the  subject’s physiological responses to the stimuli can be recorded and analyzed by a PowerLab data acquisition system (PowerLab with digital inputs and LabChart software).

Sychronization between SuperLab and LabChart software is via event marking by the StimTracker Universal Marker Interface and Interface Cable (StimTracker to PowerLab). Signals coinciding with the presentation of stimuli within the SuperLab software can be labeled automatically using the Preset Comments feature within LabChart. Consequently, a subject’s physiological reactions (such as ECG, EEG etc.) can be correlated to particular stimuli. In addition to visual stimuli, SuperLab can present auditory stimuli via headphones or speakers. Responses to these can also be recorded in LabChart. Reaction times can be set to a variety of responses, such as key-strokes, vocalization, etc.

The available components include:

Research Systems:

Teaching Kit:

Software:

Instruments:

Transducers:

Accessories and Spare Parts:

Bio Amplifiers

The ECG biopotentials are typically very small in amplitude (mV). Therefore accurate recording, display and analysis of an ECG require a suitable bioamplifier. ADInstruments offer a range of Bio Amplifiers, when connected a PowerLab data acquisition unit and, are certified safe for use with humans or used with animals. These bioamplifiers are fully software-controlled using LabChart or Scope. The following ADInstruments' biological amplifiers are fully isolated for connection to human subjects:

FE132 Bio Amp


FE135 Dual Bio Amp


ML408 Dual Bio Amp/Stimulator


ML138 Octal Bio Amp

  • A differential amplifier that consists of eight electrically isolated differential input AC amplifiers
  • A shared ground connection across all eight inputs.
  • Supplied with two packets of MLA0310 Lead Wires (1.8 m, 10 snap on)


GT201/F 16 Channel Bio Amp

  • A fully isolated, 16 channel stand-alone biological amplifier that consists of 8 modules, with each module containing two channel amplifiers that share a common ground input
  • Suitable for unipolar and bipolar recordings
  • Electrodes are NOT supplied and must be ordered separately
  • Suitable electrodes and lead wires include the:

Galvanic Skin Response

FE116 GSR Amp

  • Fully isolated Galvanic Skin Response amplifier
  • Approved to the IEC 60601-1 standard
  • Low voltage, 75 Hz AC excitation which reduces the electrode polarization artifacts found in DC systems
  • Automatic zeroing
  • Supplied with ML116F Bipolar Finger Electrodes and adult Velcro® straps
  • MLT117F MRI compatible bipolar finger electrodes (5m) are available for purchase separately


Thermistors & Preamplifiers
These temperature probes connect to PowerLab data acquisition systems via a


They include:


They are used to measure skin surface temperatures or nasal air temperatures (a useful indicator of respiratory rate) in the range 5°C to 45°C.

Altered coordination of the neuroendocrine response during psychosocial stress in subjects with high trait anxiety
Duncko R, Makatsori A, Fickova E, Selko D and Jezova D, Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 1058-1066, 2006

Hormonal cycle modulates arousal circuitry in women using functional magnetic resonance imaging
J M Goldstein, M Jerram, R Poldrack, T Ahern, D N Kennedy, L J Seidman and N Makris, The Journal of Neuroscience, 9306-9316, 2005

Free recall and forgetting of emotionally arousing words in autism spectrum disorder
S. B. Gaigg, D. M. Bowler, Neuropsychologia, 2336 - 2343, 2008

Citations Database


The material on this page is provided in good faith and believed accurate at the time of writing. No responsibility will be taken, or liability accepted, for damages arising from the use of information herein. Readers are urged to check with respective manufacturers the accuracy of all product related information.

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