Microstates in resting-state EEG: current status and future directions

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• Neurophysiology

Background:

• Electroencephalography (EEG) offers high temporal resolution for brain electrophysiology.
• Microstate analysis segments EEG into quasi-stable topographical states.
• These microstates reflect large-scale brain network activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce EEG microstate analysis.
• Review studies on microstate changes in neuropsychiatric disorders and behavioral states.
• Discuss the utility of microstates for detecting neurophysiological impairments and monitoring interventions.

Main Methods:

• EEG microstate analysis.
• Review of existing literature on microstate studies in various disorders.
• Discussion of potential applications in clinical settings.

Main Results:

• Significant alterations in resting-state microstate series are observed in neuropsychiatric disorders.
• Microstate analysis shows potential for detecting neurophysiological deficits.
• Changes in microstates can be monitored during interventions.

Conclusions:

• EEG microstates may represent rapid switching among resting-state neural networks.
• Microstate analysis is a promising tool for understanding brain network dynamics.
• This method offers insights into brain function on a millisecond timescale in health and disease.