The cortical generators of the contingent negative variation in humans: a study with subdural electrodes

Contingent negative variations (CNVs) and Bereitschaftspotentials (BPs) were recorded from subdural electrodes implanted in 14 patients with intractable epilepsy. For recording CNVs, a Go/NoGo S2 choice reaction-time paradigm was employed. Two seconds after presentation of a low tone burst (S1), either a medium (S2m) or a high tone burst (S2h) was delivered at random. Patients were instructed to make middle finger extensions after S2m but not after S2h. For recording BPs, patients repeated self-paced middle finger extensions. BPs were recorded from the primary motor area (MI), the primary sensory area (SI) and the supplementary sensorimotor area (SSMA). CNVs showed a patchy distribution in the prefrontal area and SSMA for the early component and in the prefrontal area, MI, SI, temporal area, occipital area and SSMA for the late component. These results suggest that the CNV recorded from the scalp is the summation of multiple cortical potentials which have different origins and different functions. The cortical distribution of the late CNVs was different from that of BPs. Late CNVs are not equivalent to BPs and are not related to motor preparation alone. After S2, 3 kinds of potentials, probably related to decision making, somatosensory feedback and motor execution under specific conditions, respectively, were observed.