Group-Based EEG Source Mapping of the Visual Cortex Using Adaptive MSP Localization
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22581/muet1982.0176Keywords:
Electroencephalography , Multiple Sparse Priors , Bayesian Framework , Visual Cortex, Free EnergyAbstract
Approximately 10–20% of the global population (~8.2 billion in 2025) is affected by neurological disorders, including migraine (~12%), Alzheimer’s/dementia (~0.7%), epilepsy (~0.6%), and Parkinson’s disease (~0.1%). Electroencephalography (EEG) serves as a critical modality for capturing electrophysiological brain dynamics in such conditions. Advanced engineering techniques—including inverse problem regularization, spatial filtering, source reconstruction algorithms, and computational modeling—enhance the accuracy, spatial resolution, and clinical applicability of EEG systems. EEG source localization, supported by biomedical signal processing pipelines, plays a key role in diagnosing and treating 10–15% of brain disorders involving abnormal cortical excitability.
This research proposes a novel computational approach to EEG source localization that emphasizes engineering innovation in biomedical signal processing and system optimization. Specifically, it targets neural activity within the visual cortex, applying a Bayesian framework with Multiple Sparse Priors inversion. The proposed algorithm employs adaptive patch variation to optimize Free Energy and reduce localization errors across subject groups in response to facial stimuli, including familiar, unfamiliar, and scrambled faces. By addressing the ill-posed nature of the EEG source localization problem, this approach mitigates uncertainties caused by factors such as noise, neural overlaps, and structural defects. The results are validated using a synthetic EEG dataset. MATLAB-based SPM12 toolbox is used for pre-processing and statistical analysis. In this study, EEG source localization was performed on six subjects (three males, three females, aged 23–31) using a proposed MSP inversion algorithm across cortical patch ranges (350–3500, step 150). The adaptive patching strategy differs from prior MSP work by dynamically adjusting patch sizes to optimize Free Energy, thereby reducing localization errors more effectively across subject groups.
The proposed MSP inversion achieved reliable EEG source localization, with mean errors ranging from 1.2 to 7.7 mm and a group mean of 4.0 mm, consistently identifying occipitotemporal regions (BA 18, 19, 20, 37). The demonstrated results confirm the accurate localization of visually evoked sources, supporting its potential for diagnostic and computational applications in biomedical engineering and neuroscience.
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