Finite-element model of the human head: scalp potentials due to dipole sources
Abstract
Three-dimensional finite-element models provide a method to study the relationship between human scalp potentials and neural current sources inside the brain. A new formulation of dipole-like current sources is developed here. Finite-element analyses based on this formulation are carried out for both a three-concentric-spheres model and a human-head model. Differences in calculated scalp potentials between these two models are studied in the context of the forward and inverse problems in EEG. The effects of the eye orbit structure on surface potential distribution are also studied.
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For realistic-geometry head models, numeric solutions are attainable with the boundary element method assuming isotropic conductivity or the finite element method assuming anisotropic conductivity.
“For realistic-geometry head models, numeric solutions are attainable with either the boundary element method (BEM) by assuming isotropic conductivity (13, 14) or the finite element method (FEM) models by assuming anisotropic conductivity (15).”
From Electrophysiological source imaging: A noninvasive window to brain dynamics (2018) · cites this paper as [15]
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- Authors
- Yan, Y., Nunez, P. L., & Hart, R. T.
- Affiliations
- George Washington University (US)
- Tulane University (US)
- ORCID
- Nunez, P. L.
- Venue
- Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing
- Published
- 1991-09
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 475-481
- ISSN
- 0140-0118 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-0444
- OpenAlex
- W2077123128
- Cited by
- 208
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 2.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Public Health Service (1R01N524314)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geophysics › Geophysical and Geoelectrical Methods
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Keywords
- human head model, finite element model, scalp potentials, dipole source, EEG forward problem, EEG inverse problem, surface potential distribution
- MeSH terms
- Action Potentials, Brain, Computer Simulation, Electroencephalography, Humans, Models, Neurological, Scalp
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