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Can someone explain to me what source analysis is and the benefits of it? (self.neuroscience)
submitted by [deleted]
Hi
So I am currently running a project whereby my participant undergo a memory task while linked to an EEG machine and then they do the same task in an fMRI scanner. A lot of folk keep asking me whether I am doing source analysis on my data and as I have only just got into Neuroscience (I am doing a masters) I have no idea what they are talking about. So my questions are, what is source analysis? How do I do it, would it take long to do and what are the benefits to my project if I do it?
Thanks
So I am currently running a project whereby my participant undergo a memory task while linked to an EEG machine and then they do the same task in an fMRI scanner. A lot of folk keep asking me whether I am doing source analysis on my data and as I have only just got into Neuroscience (I am doing a masters) I have no idea what they are talking about. So my questions are, what is source analysis? How do I do it, would it take long to do and what are the benefits to my project if I do it?
Thanks
[deleted] [OP] 7 points
If the "source analysis" you're referring to is concerning EEG then it's better known as source localization. It's basically an umbrella term for a number of different techniques which attempt to localize the dipole generators underlying the EEG activity. Some examples of source localization include Independent Component Analysis and Dura imaging. Todd Handy's book "Event-Related Potentials: A Methods Handbook" provides an excellent reference. You should have a look at it. Also, http://sccn.ucsd.edu/~scott/tutorial/icafaq.html and related websites are pretty good. Be aware, though, that source localization is fairly controversial, but from what I've gathered from speaking to people who do it, it seems to give fairly accurate results. The problem is a theoretical one and is known as the inverse problem: an infinite number of different combinations of dipoles could come together to produce any given EEG topographical pattern. In order to solve this problem you have to make biologically plausible assumptions about the dipole generators, and you can probably see how this type of approach needs to be used with extreme caution.
My recommendation would be if you have a supervisor who knows how to do it, or you can get extensive help from someone who is very skilled with EEG data analysis then go for it. It would be very interesting data paired with your fMRI work. However, a master's really isn't enough time for you to, by your own, familiarize yourself with the intricacies and pitfalls of source localization in order to do it well. Better to do no science than crap science.
My recommendation would be if you have a supervisor who knows how to do it, or you can get extensive help from someone who is very skilled with EEG data analysis then go for it. It would be very interesting data paired with your fMRI work. However, a master's really isn't enough time for you to, by your own, familiarize yourself with the intricacies and pitfalls of source localization in order to do it well. Better to do no science than crap science.
adoarns 1 points
There's a free software package for dipole analysis called Loreta.
On the clinical side, some more advanced programs are using dipole source localization as part of epilepsy surgery workup. The results are more trustworthy if you can find a small cluster of candidate dipoles rather than a lot of them. Even then, you bolster your results with other data.
The root assumption behind this kind of analysis, that scalp EEG can be described by simple physical electrical dipoles, is itself flawed, but probably good enough in most cases.
On the clinical side, some more advanced programs are using dipole source localization as part of epilepsy surgery workup. The results are more trustworthy if you can find a small cluster of candidate dipoles rather than a lot of them. Even then, you bolster your results with other data.
The root assumption behind this kind of analysis, that scalp EEG can be described by simple physical electrical dipoles, is itself flawed, but probably good enough in most cases.
19f191ty 1 points
Source localization is my best guess. VBMEG might be of use.
gocougs11 -3 points
fMRI (and pretty much all imaging) is greek to me. But here is a link to a PDF that may explain it for you. It looks to have enough complicated shit in it to be legit.
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