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The topographical aspects of fast rhythms induced by different psychotropic drugs have been studied in patients by means of a previously described method. This method is based on the spectral analysis of 28 EEG channels over both cerebral hemispheres. The spectral parameters, computed over 2 min 40 sec, are put into a data base. The clinician can then decide which of these parameters will be extracted from the data base and then displayed by means of maps on a graphic terminal. Those maps are useful for immediate comparison not only of the fast rhythms' characteristic values but also of those from other spectral bands. As quantitative EEG analysis is more and more frequently used in psychotropic drug studies, a good knowledge of the topography of the rhythms induced by these drugs will help in the selection of the most useful derivations.

A method is described which has been developed to topographically display the values of spectral EEG analysis from 11 electrodes on each hemisphere and 5 electrodes on the midline. The EEG from 16 channels at a time is multiplexed and sampled at 3.2 kHz. From power spectra averaged every 10 sec for 5 min a few spectral parameters are computed among which are the spectral intensities within the delta, theta, alpha and beta bands. The whole values are then displayed on maps representing lateral views of cerebral hemispheres by means of spectral iso-intensity surfaces with extrapolation of the intermediate points. Different spectral intensities are coded by means of different gray levels. These maps clearly illustrate the topographical distribution of EEG rhythms and their peculiarities related to the side of the head recorded.