A Method for EEG Fluctuation Processing -Application to Fertilizer Difference Analysis in Vegetable Ingestion

Abstract

Summary The electroencephalogram (EEG) is frequently used for studying psychological influences, by transforming original voltage fluctuations with the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) or deciphering the waveform directly. While internal behavior of the brain remains difficult to evaluate, using FFT, powers of α and β waves (μV) can be analyzed by various sub-methods to evaluate the relaxed or stressed state of the brain, since these waves exhibit specific characteristics related to brain state. In the present study, we measured and analyzed EEG fluctuations while examinees ate Komatsuna, also known as the Japanese Mustard Spinach. Komatsuna plants were grown in three different and fertilizers at two densities, chemical, organic, and organic + chemical (each ×1 and ×2 density). We first applied analysis of variance (ANOVA) and relational voltage graphs that use relational values from initial values, to the formatted data. The formatted data are generated from the EEG data, by our specialized program that is developed in the previous work. Subsequently, we applied a detailed analysis that makes precise graphs with "interactions" of ANOVA. Results indicate that α and β waves have significant differences when eating Komatsuna grown using different fertilizers. Furthermore, some interactions between defined factors, including the kinds of fertilizers, showed significant differences. Thus, the fertilizers used for growing Komatsuna could influence EEGs in our experimental conditions