Retrieving the structure of probabilistic sequences of auditory stimuli from EEG data

Author(s)

Hernandez, Noslen ^[1] ; Duarte, Aline ^[1] ; Ost, Guilherme ^[2] ; Fraiman, Ricardo ^[3] ; Galves, Antonio ^[1] ; Vargas, Claudia D. ^[4]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Matemat & Estat, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Matemat, Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

^[3] Univ Republica, Ctr Matemat, Montevideo - Uruguay

^[4] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Biofis Carlos Chagas Filho, Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 11, n. 1 FEB 10 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Using a new probabilistic approach we model the relationship between sequences of auditory stimuli generated by stochastic chains and the electroencephalographic (EEG) data acquired while 19 participants were exposed to those stimuli. The structure of the chains generating the stimuli are characterized by rooted and labeled trees whose leaves, henceforth called contexts, represent the sequences of past stimuli governing the choice of the next stimulus. A classical conjecture claims that the brain assigns probabilistic models to samples of stimuli. If this is true, then the context tree generating the sequence of stimuli should be encoded in the brain activity. Using an innovative statistical procedure we show that this context tree can effectively be extracted from the EEG data, thus giving support to the classical conjecture. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/22053-7 - Structured stochastic processes and functional data analysis for the assessment of motor learning in normal and pathological subjects
• Grantee: Noslen Hernández González
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 13/07699-0 - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics - NeuroMat
• Grantee: Oswaldo Baffa Filho
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC
• FAPESP's process: 16/17791-9 - Interacting processes with variable range memory in neurobiological models
• Grantee: Aline Duarte de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 16/17789-4 - Stability, statistical selection of models and hydrodynamic boundary for interacting chains with variable reach memory
• Grantee: Guilherme Ost de Aguiar
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral