Electroencephalography (EEG) and Event-Related Potentials (ERP)

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive neurophysiological technique that records the brain's electrical activity using electrodes placed on the scalp. EEG measures voltage fluctuations generated primarily by the synchronized postsynaptic activity of cortical pyramidal neurons. Owing to its millisecond temporal resolution, EEG enables real-time monitoring of brain dynamics and is widely used in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, neurology, and clinical research.

Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) are electrophysiological responses extracted from the EEG that are time-locked to specific sensory, cognitive, or motor events. ERPs are obtained by averaging multiple EEG trials, allowing researchers to isolate neural responses associated with perception, attention, memory, language, decision-making, and executive functions. With excellent temporal resolution, ERP has become an essential tool in cognitive neuroscience for investigating normal brain function as well as neurological and psychiatric disorders.