Reliability of Mental Workload Index Assessed by EEG with Different Electrode Configurations and Signal Pre-Processing Pipelines
Background and Objective: Mental workload (MWL) is a relevant construct involved in all cognitively demanding activities, and its assessment is an important goal in many research fields. This paper aims at evaluating the reproducibility and sensitivity of MWL assessment from EEG signals considering...
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/3/1367 |
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| author | Alfonso Mastropietro Ileana Pirovano Alessio Marciano Simone Porcelli Giovanna Rizzo |
| author_facet | Alfonso Mastropietro Ileana Pirovano Alessio Marciano Simone Porcelli Giovanna Rizzo |
| author_sort | Alfonso Mastropietro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and Objective: Mental workload (MWL) is a relevant construct involved in all cognitively demanding activities, and its assessment is an important goal in many research fields. This paper aims at evaluating the reproducibility and sensitivity of MWL assessment from EEG signals considering the effects of different electrode configurations and pre-processing pipelines (PPPs). Methods: Thirteen young healthy adults were enrolled and were asked to perform 45 min of Simon’s task to elicit a cognitive demand. EEG data were collected using a 32-channel system with different electrode configurations (fronto-parietal; Fz and Pz; Cz) and analyzed using different PPPs, from the simplest bandpass filtering to the combination of filtering, Artifact Subspace Reconstruction (ASR) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA). The reproducibility of MWL indexes estimation and the sensitivity of their changes were assessed using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and statistical analysis. Results: MWL assessed with different PPPs showed reliability ranging from good to very good in most of the electrode configurations (average consistency > 0.87 and average absolute agreement > 0.92). Larger fronto-parietal electrode configurations, albeit being more affected by the choice of PPPs, provide better sensitivity in the detection of MWL changes if compared to a single-electrode configuration (18 vs. 10 statistically significant differences detected, respectively). Conclusions: The most complex PPPs have been proven to ensure good reliability (>0.90) and sensitivity in all experimental conditions. In conclusion, we propose to use at least a two-electrode configuration (Fz and Pz) and complex PPPs including at least the ICA algorithm (even better including ASR) to mitigate artifacts and obtain reliable and sensitive MWL assessment during cognitive tasks. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:26:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-4c5c958b878848adac70f3ad433e3cad2023-11-16T18:00:05ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202023-01-01233136710.3390/s23031367Reliability of Mental Workload Index Assessed by EEG with Different Electrode Configurations and Signal Pre-Processing PipelinesAlfonso Mastropietro0Ileana Pirovano1Alessio Marciano2Simone Porcelli3Giovanna Rizzo4Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, ItalyInstitute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Via Forlanini 6, 27100 Pavia, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Via Forlanini 6, 27100 Pavia, ItalyInstitute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20054 Segrate, ItalyBackground and Objective: Mental workload (MWL) is a relevant construct involved in all cognitively demanding activities, and its assessment is an important goal in many research fields. This paper aims at evaluating the reproducibility and sensitivity of MWL assessment from EEG signals considering the effects of different electrode configurations and pre-processing pipelines (PPPs). Methods: Thirteen young healthy adults were enrolled and were asked to perform 45 min of Simon’s task to elicit a cognitive demand. EEG data were collected using a 32-channel system with different electrode configurations (fronto-parietal; Fz and Pz; Cz) and analyzed using different PPPs, from the simplest bandpass filtering to the combination of filtering, Artifact Subspace Reconstruction (ASR) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA). The reproducibility of MWL indexes estimation and the sensitivity of their changes were assessed using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and statistical analysis. Results: MWL assessed with different PPPs showed reliability ranging from good to very good in most of the electrode configurations (average consistency > 0.87 and average absolute agreement > 0.92). Larger fronto-parietal electrode configurations, albeit being more affected by the choice of PPPs, provide better sensitivity in the detection of MWL changes if compared to a single-electrode configuration (18 vs. 10 statistically significant differences detected, respectively). Conclusions: The most complex PPPs have been proven to ensure good reliability (>0.90) and sensitivity in all experimental conditions. In conclusion, we propose to use at least a two-electrode configuration (Fz and Pz) and complex PPPs including at least the ICA algorithm (even better including ASR) to mitigate artifacts and obtain reliable and sensitive MWL assessment during cognitive tasks.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/3/1367mental workloadEEGsignal processingreliabilitycognitive performanceSimon task |
| spellingShingle | Alfonso Mastropietro Ileana Pirovano Alessio Marciano Simone Porcelli Giovanna Rizzo Reliability of Mental Workload Index Assessed by EEG with Different Electrode Configurations and Signal Pre-Processing Pipelines Sensors mental workload EEG signal processing reliability cognitive performance Simon task |
| title | Reliability of Mental Workload Index Assessed by EEG with Different Electrode Configurations and Signal Pre-Processing Pipelines |
| title_full | Reliability of Mental Workload Index Assessed by EEG with Different Electrode Configurations and Signal Pre-Processing Pipelines |
| title_fullStr | Reliability of Mental Workload Index Assessed by EEG with Different Electrode Configurations and Signal Pre-Processing Pipelines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reliability of Mental Workload Index Assessed by EEG with Different Electrode Configurations and Signal Pre-Processing Pipelines |
| title_short | Reliability of Mental Workload Index Assessed by EEG with Different Electrode Configurations and Signal Pre-Processing Pipelines |
| title_sort | reliability of mental workload index assessed by eeg with different electrode configurations and signal pre processing pipelines |
| topic | mental workload EEG signal processing reliability cognitive performance Simon task |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/3/1367 |
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