Effects of reduction in arousal level caused by long-lasting task on CNV

The present study aimed at investigating an inverted-U relationship between contingent negative variation (CNV) and arousal level by examining the effects on CNV of gradually reduced arousal level by long-lasting task. The subjects conducted a simple reaction time task consisting of warning stimuli (S1) and imperative stimuli (S2). This task consisted of 200 trials and lasted about 40 minutes. During this task, spontaneous EEG before S1 and SPL (skin potential level) were measured as indicators for arousal level. The 200 CNV, EEG and SPL data were classified into 5 blocks each of which included 40 trials of data. Analysis was made in seven subjects in whom reduction in the arousal level in long-lasting task was shown by increase in the relative power values of alpha waves before S1 and decrease in the SPL. As a result, the amplitude of early CNV at Fz was observed to increase from the earlier half phase (block 1) to the middle phase (block 3) and to decrease from the middle phase (block 3) to the latter half (block 5). In the middle phase, the amplitude was the greatest. The low amplitude of early CNV in the early half of the task (block 1) was inferred to have been induced by excessive arousal state because of the low relative power values of alpha waves and the high SPL at this time. On the other hand, the low amplitude in the later phase (block 5) was inferred to have been induced by reduction in arousal level because of the high relative power values of alpha waves and the low SPL. These results suggested that CNV amplitude and arousal level was in an inverted-U relationship.