Time-frequency signal analysis applied to EEG signals associated with eye blinks

The authors hypothesized that the EEG would be affected transiently by spontaneous blinks and that the character of these effects would depend on the state of the subject. EEG and eyeblink data were obtained from 16 subjects during a task which required visually presented material to be monitored continuously over a 50 min interval. After the EEG signals were calibrated and the EOG artifact removed, the signals were analyzed using the short-time Fourier transform. Predominant effects were in the alpha band which showed a brief increase in activity which was coextensive with the blink. The effects of time on task showed a trend for the alpha activation response to be greater late in the task and for diffuse activation of activity in other bands.