Sternberg Task

Description:

The purpose of the study was to investigate event-related EEG dynamics during short-term through a variation of the Sternberg task. Subjects were first presented with a 5 sec fixation cross. Then a sequence of 8 letters is shown. Some number of letters shown, between 3 and 7, are black indicating that they are target letters the subject needs to memorize. Some number of letters, between 0 and 4, are green indicating that they are non-target letters. After a 2-4 sec delay, a red-colored letter probe is presented, to which the subject must indicate either "yes" this letter was a target letter presented, by responding with a right mouse click, or "no" this letter was not a target letter, by responding with a left mouse click. There were two variations of the Sternberg task subjects had to perform. One variation (Task A) had each letter presented for about 1.2 seconds, while the second variation (Task B) had each letter presented for a shorter duration. Only some subjects had to perform the short version of the task, and if they did, they did both the long and short version, so there were half as many trials in each condition. EEG was also recorded in a third condition for some of the subjects, in which the subjects alternated between opening and closing their eyes, for approximately 2 minute intervals (Task C).

Summary:

Number of Sessions: 23
Number of Subjects: 23
Type of Subject Groups: normal
All subjects are considered healthy and normal: Yes
Number of Channels (min to max): 71 to 71
Recorded Modalities: EEG (BioSemi, Amsterdam)
Total Size: 4.5 GB
License Type: CC0

Publications:

Onton J., Delorme A., Makeig S., Frontal midline EEG dynamics during working memory. NeuroImage, Volume 27, Issue 2, 15 August 2005, Pages 341-356
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.04.014
Onton J., Makeig S., Independent modulators of regional EEG alpha sub-band power during a working memory task. Poster session presented to Cognitive Neuroscience Society; 2009 March; San Francisco, CA.
publications/AlphaIMposter.pdf

Experimenters:

Julie Onton (Primary Experimenter)

Table of Session Information:

Session Purpose Lab Id Subject EEG Sampling Rate (Hz) Notes EEG Recordings Channel Locations Number of Channels Channel Location Type
Lab Id Group Gender YOB Age Hand
1 study data collection (Task A) NA

1

normal

NA

1982

20

NA

 256 NA session/1/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/1/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/1/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/1/eeg_recording_4.RDF

71

10-20
2 study data collection (Task A) NA

2

normal

F

1974

28

NA

 256 NA session/2/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/2/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/2/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/2/eeg_recording_4.RDF

71

10-20
3 study data collection (Task A) NA

3

normal

NA

1979

23

NA

 256 NA session/3/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/3/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/3/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/3/eeg_recording_4.RDF

71

10-20
4 study data collection (Task A) NA

4

normal

NA

1970

32

NA

 256 NA session/4/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/4/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/4/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/4/eeg_recording_4.RDF

71

10-20
5 study data collection (Task A) NA

5

normal

NA

1981

21

NA

 256 NA session/5/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/5/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/5/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/5/eeg_recording_4.RDF

71

10-20
6 study data collection (Task A) NA

6

normal

NA

1976

26

NA

 256 NA session/6/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/6/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/6/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/6/eeg_recording_4.RDF

71

10-20
6 study data collection (Task C) NA

6

normal

NA

1976

26

NA

 256 NA session/6/eeg_recording_5.RDF

71

10-20
7 study data collection (Task A) NA

1

normal

NA

1981

21

NA

 256 NA session/7/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/7/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/7/eeg_recording_3.RDF

session/7/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20
7 study data collection (Task B) NA

7

normal

NA

1981

21

NA

 256 NA session/7/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/7/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/7/eeg_recording_6.RDF session/7/eeg_recording_7.RDF

session/7/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20
8 study data collection (Task A) NA

8

normal

NA

1962

40

NA

 256 NA session/8/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/8/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/8/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/8/eeg_recording_4.RDF

71

10-20
9 study data collection (Task A) NA

9

normal

NA

1968

34

NA

 256 NA session/9/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/9/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/9/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/9/eeg_recording_4.RDF

session/9/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20
10 study data collection (Task A) NA

10

normal

NA

1980

22

NA

 256 NA session/10/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/10/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/10/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/10/eeg_recording_4.RDF

71

10-20
11 study data collection (Task A) NA

11

normal

NA

1977

26

NA

 256 NA session/11/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/11/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/11/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/11/eeg_recording_4.RDF

71

10-20
12 study data collection (Task A) NA

12

normal

M

1984

19

NA

 256 Subject reported that her strategy was to rehearse mentally. Subject reported that every now and then she'd press the wrong button by mistake. Subject stayed alert and awake throughout the task, but said it was really long. session/12/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/12/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/12/eeg_recording_3.RDF

session/12/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20
12 study data collection (Task B) NA

12

normal

M

1984

19

NA

 256 Subject reported that her strategy was to rehearse mentally. Subject reported that every now and then she'd press the wrong button by mistake. Subject stayed alert and awake throughout the task, but said it was really long. session/12/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/12/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/12/eeg_recording_6.RDF

session/12/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20
13 study data collection (Task A) NA

13

normal

F

1984

19

NA

 256 Subject reported that her strategy was to rehearse mentally. Subject reported that every now and then she'd press the wrong button by mistake. Subject stayed alert and awake throughout the task, but said it was really long. session/13/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/13/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/13/eeg_recording_3.RDF

session/13/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20
13 study data collection (Task B) NA

13

normal

F

1984

19

NA

 256 Subject reported that her strategy was to rehearse mentally. Subject reported that every now and then she'd press the wrong button by mistake. Subject stayed alert and awake throughout the task, but said it was really long. session/13/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/13/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/13/eeg_recording_6.RDF

session/13/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20
14 study data collection (Task A) NA

14

normal

M

1979

24

R

 256 P6 and P8 looked open but they weren't so we stopped eeg, then pressed record again and eeg was almost solid noise, tried regrounding box but nothing worked, then spontaneously it got better ten minutes later. session/14/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/14/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/14/eeg_recording_3.RDF

71

10-20
14 study data collection (Task B) NA

14

normal

M

1979

24

R

 256 Subject doesn't perceive much different between short and long versions of task, and subject feels like short might be easier because it seems faster; some spikes in EEG, C6 was worst with noisy spikes; when pushed in head box connections- C6 improved session/14/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/14/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/14/eeg_recording_6.RDF

71

10-20
14 study data collection (Task C) NA

14

normal

M

1979

24

R

 256 All recordings for task C have a very strong low frequency; drift-high pass is 0.1 session/14/eeg_recording_7.RDF session/14/eeg_recording_8.RDF session/14/eeg_recording_9.RDF

71

10-20
15 study data collection (Task A) NA

15

normal

M

1984

19

R

 256 Tape added to electrical shielding on cord near scalp of scalp cap to insulate it from grounding electrical signals from the occipital and parietal areas, frontals shift in and out of spikeyness, short2 frontals better/good in the beginning, eyes- graph shifts up and down a lot for frontals, short #3- good session/15/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/15/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/15/eeg_recording_3.RDF

71

10-20
15 study data collection (Task B) NA

5

normal

M

1984

19

R

 256 During recording 4 frontals were better and good in the beginning; recording 5 was good session/15/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/15/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/15/eeg_recording_6.RDF

71

10-20
15 study data collection (Task C) NA

5

normal

M

1984

19

R

 256 During task C graph shifts up and down a lot for frontals session/15/eeg_recording_7.RDF session/15/eeg_recording_8.RDF session/15/eeg_recording_9.RDF

71

10-20
16 study data collection (Task A) NA

16

normal

F

1984

19

L

 256 EEG looks good session/16/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/16/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/16/eeg_recording_3.RDF

71

10-20
16 study data collection (Task B) NA

16

normal

F

1984

19

L

 256 TP9 open so stopped at recording 5 session/16/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/16/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/16/eeg_recording_6.RDF

71

10-20
16 study data collection (Task C) NA

16

normal

F

1984

19

L

 256 EEG looked good session/16/eeg_recording_7.RDF session/16/eeg_recording_8.RDF session/16/eeg_recording_9.RDF

71

10-20
17 study data collection (Task A) NA

17

normal

F

1983

20

R

 256 Subject was pretty tired, channel p04 was noisy and off scale during the first EEG recording session/17/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/17/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/17/eeg_recording_3.RDF

71

10-20
17 study data collection (Task B) NA

17

normal

F

1983

20

R

 256 Subject was pretty tired session/17/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/17/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/17/eeg_recording_6.RDF

71

10-20
17 study data collection (Task C) NA

17

normal

F

1983

20

R

 256 Subject was tired so there is a lot of drift in EEG recording 8 session/17/eeg_recording_7.RDF session/17/eeg_recording_8.RDF session/17/eeg_recording_9.RDF

71

10-20
18 study data collection (Task A) NA

18

normal

F

1982

21

R

 256 All channels are clean except frontals, frontal noises due to muscles controlling eyes for if she closes them or looks down the noise goes away, subject stated task was long and boring session/18/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/18/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/18/eeg_recording_3.RDF

71

10-20
18 study data collection (Task B) NA

18

normal

F

1982

21

R

 256 All channels are clean except frontals, frontal noises due to muscles controlling eyes for if she closes them or looks down the noise goes away, subject stated task was long and boring session/18/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/18/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/18/eeg_recording_6.RDF

71

10-20
18 study data collection (Task C) NA

18

normal

F

1982

21

R

 256 All channels are clean except frontals, frontal noises due to muscles controlling eyes for if she closes them or looks down the noise goes away, subject stated task was long and boring session/18/eeg_recording_7.RDF session/18/eeg_recording_8.RDF session/18/eeg_recording_9.RDF

71

10-20
19 study data collection (Task A) NA

19

normal

F

1984

19

R

 256 Clean eeg for the most part, subject said task was fun session/19/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/19/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/19/eeg_recording_3.RDF

71

10-20
19 study data collection (Task B) NA

19

normal

F

1984

19

R

 256 Clean eeg for the most part, subject said task was fun session/19/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/19/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/19/eeg_recording_6.RDF

71

10-20
19 study data collection (Task C) NA

19

normal

F

1984

19

R

 256 Clean eeg for the most part, subject said task was fun session/19/eeg_recording_7.RDF session/19/eeg_recording_8.RDF session/19/eeg_recording_9.RDF

71

10-20
20 study data collection (Task A) NA

20

normal

M

1981

22

R

 256 For second recording P2, P3 were flat lining so we pushed in connectors at input board, and the problem was resolved; for the third recording H8 was wandering; subject says strategy was verbal rehearsal session/20/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/20/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/20/eeg_recording_3.RDF

session/20/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20
20 study data collection (Task B) NA

20

normal

M

1981

22

R

 256 Subject says strategy was verbal rehearsal session/20/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/20/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/20/eeg_recording_6.RDF

session/20/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20
20 study data collection (Task C) NA

20

normal

M

1981

22

R

 256 Subject says strategy was verbal rehearsal session/20/eeg_recording_7.RDF

session/20/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20
21 study data collection (Task A) NA

21

normal

F

1982

21

R

 256 Other than a few channels (T8,TP9,TP7) EEG was clean; subject's eyes was watering and bothering her session/21/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/21/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/21/eeg_recording_3.RDF

71

10-20
21 study data collection (Task B) NA

21

normal

F

1982

21

R

 256 Other than a few channels (T8,TP9,TP7) EEG was clean; subject's eyes was watering and bothering her session/21/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/21/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/21/eeg_recording_6.RDF

71

10-20
22 study data collection (Task A) NA

22

normal

M

1978

25

NA

 256 Subject reports that he was correct on most trials, his strategy was to either repeat the letters to himself or makes a sentence; for the first recording we forgot to ground headbox to amp so there is a lot of 60Hz noise; much better after grounding in second recording, otherwise eeg is very stable, cut second recording short because FC2 was bad and needed gel, recording 4 had really good EEG, during recording 3 F6 started getting noisy so added gel, during recording 4 F6 wasnoisy again, subject usually takes a lot of time between trials session/22/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/22/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/22/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/22/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/22/eeg_recording_5.RDF session/22/eeg_recording_6.RDF

71

10-20
23 study data collection (Task A) NA

23

normal

M

1978

25

R

 256 NA session/23/eeg_recording_1.RDF session/23/eeg_recording_2.RDF session/23/eeg_recording_3.RDF session/23/eeg_recording_4.RDF session/23/eeg_recording_5.RDF

session/23/channel_locations.elp

 71

10-20

Study Paradigm and Context

Task Description Tag
A During this task of the experiment, the subject performs a long variation of the Sternberg Task. Paradigm/Sternberg Task
B During this task of the experiment, the subject performs a short variation of the Sternberg Task. Paradigm/Sternberg Task
C During this task of the experiment, the subject opens and closes his or her eyes as his or her EEG is recorded. Response/Eye/Open, Response/Eye/Close

Table of Event Codes:

Event Code Condition
Label Description Tag
Task A and B: 1 'Yes' Response Subject makes a right mouse click to indicate 'yes' the probe letter is a letter that was shown earlier as one that the subject was supposed to memorize. Response/Hand/Finger/Tap
Task A and B: 255 'No' Response Subject makes a left mouse click to indicate 'no' the probe letter is not a letter that was shown earlier as one that the subject was supposed to memorize. Response/Hand/Finger/Tap
nonWM Picture A fixation cross is presented. Stimulus/Visual/Fixation Point, Stimulus/Visual/Shape/Cross
Task A and B: WM Picture A 2-4 sec delay between the last letter of the sequence and the probe letter, a time when subject must use working memory.
Task A and B: Correct Correct Feedback Sound clip indicates subject's response is correct. Stimulus/Auditory, Stimulus/Feedback/Correct
Task A and B: Wrong Wrong Feedback Sound clip indicates subject's response is incorrect. Stimulus/Auditory, Stimulus/Feedback/Incorrect
Task A and B: A-Z Non-Target Letters Black letters of the alphabet are presented, and are meant to be ignored by the subject. Stimulus/Visual/Uniform Color/Black, Stimulus/Visual/Language,Character/Letter
Task A and B: g_ Target Letter Green letters of the alphabet are presented are meant to be memorized by the subject. Stimulus/Visual/Uniform Color/Green, Stimulus/Visual/Language,Character/Letter, Stimulus/Target
Task A and B: r_ Probe Letter One red letter is presented after a 2-4 second delay, probing the subject to give a response on whether or not the letter presented was a target letter. Stimulus/Visual/Uniform Color/Red, Stimulus/Visual/Language,Character/Letter, Stimulus/Target
Task C: open Eyes Open Subject opens eyes during recording of Task C. Response/Eye/Open
Task C: 1 Eyes Closed Subject closes eyes during recording of Task C. Response/Eye/Close

Contact:

For data results or more information regarding this study contact: Julie Onton
phone: [use FIRSTNAME from above]@sccn.ucsd.edu
phone: 619-767-4769

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This data was recorded under the approval of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the University of California, San Diego (#031151).