When EMG contamination does not necessarily hide high-frequency EEG: scalp electrical recordings before and after Dysport injections

The main aim of the present study was to investigate effects of partial reductions of electromyogram (EMG) on high-frequency scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) at rest and during performance of certain cognitive tasks. Nineteen healthy women performed the same cognitive tasks before and after cosmetic injections of Dysport in certain sites of facial muscles. Scalp EEG and EMG were recorded. Impact of Dysport injections on changes of spectral power in β2 and low γ frequency ranges (18–40 Hz) in EEG and EMG derivations was investigated. Also changes of spectral power in EEG and EMG derivations during comparisons of different cognitive states were calculated before and after Dysport injections separately. Dysport injections led to EMG decreases in facial muscles around the injection zones and also led to reductions of power of electric processes in scalp derivations. Along with it results of EEG power comparisons between the pairs of the cognitive states were qualitatively similar before and after Dysport injections. These facts to all appearance demonstrate that though scalp EEGs in the range above 15–40 Hz are contaminated by EMG, in certain experimental situations EMG contamination does not preclude qualitative detections of electroencephalographic correlates of mental activities in β2 and low γ frequency ranges. Parallel EEG and EMG registrations can help not to overestimate EMG contamination in psychophysiological EEG studies.