Precise spectral analysis using a multiple band-pass filter for flash-visual evoked potentials

The fast Fourier transform (FFT) is a good method to estimate spectral density, but the frequency resolution is limited to the sampling window, and thus the precise characteristics of the spectral density for short signals are not clear. To solve the limitation, a multiple band-pass filter was introduced to estimate the precise time course of the spectral density for flash visual evoked potentials (VEPs). Signals were recorded during -200 and 600 ms using balanced noncephalic electrodes, and sampled at 1 K Hz in 12 bits. With 1 Hz and 10 ms resolutions, spectral density was estimated between 10 and 100 Hz. Background powers at the alpha-and beta-bands were high over the posterior scalp, and powers around 200ms were evoked at the same bands over the same region, corresponding to P110 and N165 of VEPs. normalized's spectral density showed evoked powers around 200 ms and suppressed powers following the evoked powers over the posterior scalp. The evoked powers above the 20Hz band were not statistically significant. However, the gamma band was significantly evoked intra-individually; details in the gamma bands were varied among the subjects. Details of spectral density were complicated even for a simple task such as watching flashes; both synchronization and desynchronization occurred with different distributions and different time courses.