Brain electrical activity of attention in polydrug adolescents using an equipment BCI (Brain Control Interface)

Abstract

The consumption of psychoactive substances is a public health problem that increasingly affects the adolescent population. This investigation had the objective of record the brain electrical activity (EEG) in attention tasks (sustained and selective) in a group of polyconsumers. Employment a retrospective ex post-facto design with a quasi-control group with 46 adolescents between 12-17 years old: 23 polyconsumers and 23 quasi-controls. For the recording of brain electrical activity, it was used a equipment BCI (Brain Control Interface) research grade 14 Channel Mobile EEG and applied the Brain Training Virtual Program “Brain HQ” module “focus my attention” to evaluate the attention. The results showed an increase in beta-β (13- 30 Hz), theta-θ (4-7 Hz) and delta-δ (3-4 Hz) brain waves in frontal and prefrontal areas in adolescent polyonsumers versus the quasi-control group in attention tasks. Likewise, identified a significant difference with respect to the response time between adolescents consuming psychoactive substances in relation to the quasi-control group in both types of attentional tasks.