Statistical properties of spontaneous electrical activity in the MES auditory cortex of the anesthetized dog

Abstract

The spontaneous electrical activity was sampled at 2-second intervals from 50 electrodes on the MES area. Chi-square tests indicated normality for the amplitude values of potential obtained at each electrode. The range for standard deviations was 43–113 µv but averaged between 77 and 85 for three animals. Correlation coefficients greater than 0.7 were obtained between electrodes 2 mm apart in the anterior-posterior direction with a decrement to 0.4 at a separation of 4 mm. Dorso-ventrally, correlations greater than 0.7 were obtained between electrodes 4–6 mm apart, suggesting a strip-like character. Low values of correlation were obtained between an electrode in the MES area and an electrode on the AES or PES area. Assuming independence of the true response and spontaneous electrical activity the mean curve and standard deviation curve of the true response were computed. The standard deviation curve of the true response increased during the positive component gradually decreasing toward the end of the negative component.