ERP based measures of cognitive workload: A review

Usman Ghani; Nada Signal; Imran Khan Niazi; Denise Taylor

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.020

ERP based measures of cognitive workload: A review

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Nov:118:18-26. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.020. Epub 2020 Jul 21.

Authors

Usman Ghani¹, Nada Signal², Imran Khan Niazi³, Denise Taylor²

Affiliations

¹ Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. Electronic address: usman.ghani@aut.ac.nz.
² Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
³ Centre for Chiropractic Research, New Zealand College of Chiropractic, Auckland, New Zealand.

PMID: 32707343
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.020

Abstract

This review appraises electroencephalograph (EEG) approaches to cognitive workload evaluation, focussing on the measurement of event-related potentials (ERPs) in single task paradigms. A systematic search was undertaken, studies were included if they used a single task paradigm with an auditory stimulus combined with ERP measures from EEG to evaluate cognitive workload in healthy adults. Nineteen articles met the inclusion criteria. There was a change in the amplitude of ERP components with an increase in cognitive difficulty. However, this change was dependent on the features of the task and stimuli. This review emphasizes the importance of stimulus and task selection in single task paradigms to evaluate cognitive workload. This review also synthesizes important concepts regarding ERPs in single task paradigms such as the effect of primary task selection on specific ERP components.

Keywords: Auditory stimulus; Cognitive task; Cognitive workload; Electroencephalography (EEG); Event-related potentials (ERPs).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Adult
Cognition
Electroencephalography*
Evoked Potentials*
Humans
Reaction Time