Frontiers in Neuroinformatics (May 2024)

EPAT: a user-friendly MATLAB toolbox for EEG/ERP data processing and analysis

  • Jianwei Shi,
  • Jianwei Shi,
  • Xun Gong,
  • Ziang Song,
  • Ziang Song,
  • Wenkai Xie,
  • Wenkai Xie,
  • Yanfeng Yang,
  • Yanfeng Yang,
  • Xiangjie Sun,
  • Penghu Wei,
  • Penghu Wei,
  • Changming Wang,
  • Changming Wang,
  • Guoguang Zhao,
  • Guoguang Zhao

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fninf.2024.1384250
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18

Abstract

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BackgroundAt the intersection of neural monitoring and decoding, event-related potential (ERP) based on electroencephalography (EEG) has opened a window into intrinsic brain function. The stability of ERP makes it frequently employed in the field of neuroscience. However, project-specific custom code, tracking of user-defined parameters, and the large diversity of commercial tools have limited clinical application.MethodsWe introduce an open-source, user-friendly, and reproducible MATLAB toolbox named EPAT that includes a variety of algorithms for EEG data preprocessing. It provides EEGLAB-based template pipelines for advanced multi-processing of EEG, magnetoencephalography, and polysomnogram data. Participants evaluated EEGLAB and EPAT across 14 indicators, with satisfaction ratings analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test or paired t-test based on distribution normality.ResultsEPAT eases EEG signal browsing and preprocessing, EEG power spectrum analysis, independent component analysis, time-frequency analysis, ERP waveform drawing, and topological analysis of scalp voltage. A user-friendly graphical user interface allows clinicians and researchers with no programming background to use EPAT.ConclusionThis article describes the architecture, functionalities, and workflow of the toolbox. The release of EPAT will help advance EEG methodology and its application to clinical translational studies.

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