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Arehiv fiir Psychiatrie und Zeitsehrift ~eurologie, Bd. 183, S. 163--174 (1949).

Zur Deutung des normalen Elektrencephalogramms und selner Veriinderungen.
From the Electroencephalographic laboratory (Dr. H. JAspeR), Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery of MeGill University and the Montreal Neurological Institute (Director: Prof. W. PS_~FIFLD), Montreal, Canada.

Electroeorticograms inman: Effect of voluntary movement upon the electrical activity of the preeentral gyrus*
By HERBERT JASPER, D. es Sc., M. D. and WILDER PENFIELD, IV[.D., F. l:~. S. With 6 figures. (Eingegangen am 1. ATril 1949.) It will be recalled that BERC]~R originally described the alpha and beta waves of the human E E G as characteristic rhythms for all cortica] regions. Opening the eyes with attentiondepressed the alpha waves without affecting the beta rhythm. Shortly thereafter KORN~It~LL~R and T6NNI~S (1932) and KORN•iiLLER (1932a and b, ]933) described specific patterns of electrical activity, the ,,FeldeigenstrSme", which were considered specific for each eytoarehiteetonic area (VOGT). In general KORNlVZi~LLE~believed that the slower frequencies were derived from granular cortex, while the morerapid frequencies characterized agranular cortex. B~RG~,~ (1931) by direct registration from a trepanation hole and T6NNIv.S (1934) by leading from the scalp found fast activity of the fl-type (16--22 per sec) in the precentral region and ADRL~N and his colleagues (1934, 1935) then proposed that most, if not all, the human alpha rhythm was derived from the occipital lobes. Recording with closelyspaced electrodes in different human subjects J~.sP~R and ANDrews (1936, 1938) showed that there were rhythmic potential waves at frequencies between 8 to 12 per second which could be derived from parietal, temporal and frontal regions independent of the occipital alpha rhythm which is predominant in most subjects. They pointed out further that the beta rhythm (25 per sec) is characteristic of the* Reprint No. 307. We are pleased to have the honour of taking part in this tribute to Prof. I-IA~s Bn~o~, the founder of electroencephalography. His sustained vision which carried him through an exemplary series of rigorously controlled systematic experiments on human subjects finally convinced skeptical scientists throughout the world of the validity and value of records of the electricalactivity of the human brain. 11"

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~'IERBERT JASPER and WILDER ~)ENFIELD"

electrical activity from the central region, where it can be obtained in pure form in certain subjects. This beta rhythm recorded from the vicinity of the central fissure was not affected by weak visual stimuli which blocked the occipital alpha rhythm. I t was blocked, however, by tactile stimulation to theeontralateral side of the body, or by intense stimuli producing a generalized ,,startle" response. Their records were obtained from the scalp surface through the unopened skull. Further attempts to confirm the presumed relationship between electro-cortical activity and specific cortical areas were made by RJ~EIZ~BE~G~ and JASPER (1937) recording with implanted electrodes on the dura in the unanesthetizedeat. Although certain consistent differences in pattern did exist between occipital, temporal, and postcentral areas, the variability of pattern from time to time was so great in unanesthetized animMs that constant differentiation was not always possible. CLARK and WARD (1945), in studies of the electrical activity from different cortical areas in anesthetized and unanesthetized cats concluded that,,specific patterns were observable, especially in stages of sleep, t}om the frontM and occipital regions and vertex. Tracings from the temporal region . . . displayed less characteristic differences (p. 110)". I t seems clear from these studies that the electrical pattern from certain grossly different areas does possess certain differential features which m a y be considered characteristic for...