Exploring Cortical and Muscular Responses to Voluntary and EMS-Evoked Motion

Overview

Research analyzing brain activity differences between voluntary muscle movement and electrically-stimulated motor activation. The study investigates whether the motor cortex responds distinctly when muscles move by choice versus external electrical stimulation using 4-channel EEG across 5 experimental conditions.

Conducted for COMS: 6995 — Computation and the Brain (Fall 2025) at Columbia University.

Methodology

• EEG Setup: 4-channel recording (C3, C4, Cz, CP3) at 200 Hz targeting motor cortex regions
• Conditions: Voluntary left/right movement, motor imagery, EMS, and passive stimulation
• Analysis: Spectral power analysis of mu (8-13 Hz) and beta (13-30 Hz) oscillations using MNE
• Stack: Python, MNE, NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, SciPy, Seaborn, interactive web viewer

Key Results

Motor imagery generated strongest cortical activity (2.68e-10 mu power), while EMS produced minimal response (1.63e-12), suggesting planning-dependent neural signatures. Voluntary movement fell between these extremes, indicating graded motor cortex engagement.

What I Learned

• Designing and conducting human-subjects neuroscience experiments with proper protocols
• EEG signal acquisition, preprocessing, and artifact removal techniques using MNE
• Spectral analysis of oscillatory brain activity in motor control paradigms
• Comparing voluntary and involuntary motor pathways through cortical activation patterns
• Building reproducible analysis pipelines with interactive visualization for neuroscience data