Differences in Electroencephalography Power Levels between Poor and Good Performance in Attentional Tasks

Decreased attentional function causes problems in daily life. However, a quick and easy evaluation method of attentional function has not yet been developed. Therefore, we are searching for a method to evaluate attentional function easily and quickly. This study aimed to collect basic data on the features of electroencephalography (EEG) during attention tasks to develop a new method for evaluating attentional function using EEG. Twenty healthy young adults participated; we examined cerebral activity during a Clinical Assessment for Attention using portable EEG devices. The Mann-Whitney U test was performed to assess differences in power levels of EEG during tasks between the low- and high-attention groups. The findings revealed that the high-attention group showed significantly higher EEG power levels in the delta wave of L-temporal and bilateral parietal lobes, as well as in the beta and gamma waves of the R-occipital lobe, than did the low-attention group during digit-forward, whereas the high-attention group showed significantly higher EEG power levels in the theta wave of R-frontal and the alpha wave of bilateral frontal lobes during digit-backward. Notably, lower theta, alpha, and beta bands of the right hemisphere found in the low-attention group may be key elements to detect attentional deficit.