Poster presented at the18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Quebec City, Canada (2009) Poster #180: "Identification of endogenous event-related potentials in the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin: Applications for communication research" (Writt, D. M., Lopes, P. R., Kuczaj, S. A. II, dos Santos, M. E., Scheifele, P. M.)

1. Table of Significant Mean Differences between Oddball
(15%) & Standard (85%) Component Amplitudes (µV)
Identification of Endogenous Event-Related Potentials
in the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus ):
Applications for Communication Research
Dominie Madonna Writt (1,2), Patrícia Rachinas Lopes (3,4), Stan A. Kuczaj (2), Manuel E. dos Santos (3,4), Peter M. Scheifele (5)
(1) Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, 1415 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS, 66045-7556, USA; (2) Marine Mammal Behavior & Cognition Lab, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Dr #5025, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406-5025, USA; (3) ISPA, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, Lisboa, 1149-
041, Portugal; (4) Projecto Delfim, Centro Português de Estudo dos Mamíferos Marinhos, Rua Alto do Duque 45, Lisboa, 1400-009 , Portugal; (5) Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, 345A French East, 3202 Eden Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45267-0379, USA
BACKGROUND METHODS RESULTS & DISCUSSION
L
Time
A Distance
L
Topography o f EQUIPMENT A. The 120-260 ms component that differs
in polarity & location by condition, suggests
between above or component peaks
E vent A
T
stimulus
presentation
M
P
below the
baseline, or
O
C
reflects interactions
between multiple
Traditional Recording
that the posterior negativity is specific to the
processing of acoustic stimuli.
& waveform L
Method for Odontocetes
E between the A possible generator B. The 480-660 ms posterior positive
R elated N peak or onset.
Can reflect
I peak & the
trough . Can
T sources and the
dipole dispersion
New Method: component with a longer latency for the
rare-tone condition, suggests -
C T I that could be sensitive to
P otentials Y processing
time. U
reflect sum
resources. O
across various tissue
types. LOCATION
“Ring-Cap”
∞ “Ring-Cap & Tail” with 5 active
processing complexity, relevant to future
studies of communication.
D N (by Human 10-20 System) Similar to method
10 mm Ag/AgCl electrodes
E used in human ∞ Synergy NPE5 amplifier & software
ALL CONDITIONS
multi-channel ∞ Lubell EV-UW30 underwater BOLD – Oddball (15%)
NEURAL PROCESSING LEVELS ERP Research speaker
∞ Cetacean Research Tech SQ26-MT
THIN- Standard (85%)
Exogenous hydrophone Lines show significant
mean differences (p< .05)
∞ Device to hold speaker and
∞ Shorter Latency Components (<100-200 ms) hydrophone in correct position Comparison of Tone &
∞ Automatic Stimulus-Evoked Processes
No Tone (outlined)
∞ Valuable for Sensory System Research
∞ Relatively Well Established in Marine Mammals
SUBJECTS Gender: Male
Conditions
Oddball
Endogenous The Value of ERP for 5.2
3.4 A Standard
∞ Longer Latency (>100-200 ms)
AMPLITUDE (uV)-oddball-standard differences given
∞ Decision-Related Processes Marine Mammal Directional Electrode Apollo (5 yrs) A1R3 -
A1L3 –
∞ Useful for Information Processing Research Communication Research Placement System P2 - Tone
∞ Not yet established in Marine Mammals -2.5
(suggested standardization for odontocetes)
 Expand methods to investigate 100 160
communication systems when If eye-to-naris (EN) 2.3 B
Change Detection & overt behavioral responses are
distance is 25 cm,
then 1 Placement
Hugo (12 yrs) 1.9
Information Processing difficult to: Unit is 2.5 cm
(10% EN).
P2 -
P2 – Tone
“The Classic P300” • Generate
• Time 560 620
(Properties for Human Adults) Lotus (13 yrs)
• Training 2.5 C
∞ Positive central-parietal maximal waveform A1L3 – Tone
∞ Peaks ~300+ ms following stimulus onset
• Interpret
∞ Amplitude inversely proportional to stimulus probability
A1L3 – OMNIBUS REPEATED-MEASURES ANOVA
 Can be combined with STIMULUS PRESENTATION: time (10 or 20) x channel (5) x probability (2) x subject (3)
∞ All properties influenced by stimulus value & complexity, behavioral measures or reflect
likely reflecting “Context-Updating” processes.
“The Oddball Paradigm” 760 TONE NO TONE
processes independent from Tones (2, 4, 6, or 8 kHz*) 100 ms TIME (ms) latency (ms) - 20 ms time windows) 100-300 300-700 100-300 300-700
overt behavior. 85%-Standard 1-2 sec. subject
random ISI C. 720-760 ms
15%-Oddball anterior-maximal positive time X X
QUESTION Silence as Oddball 1.5 sec. ISI component only in the rare
tone conditions, suggests
time * channel X X X
time * channel * probability X X
• Is there a reliable P300 like 2-4 Minute Random Blocks a distinct component that
probability X X X
component in dolphins that is related 1000 ms trace recordings reflects the integration of
X
information provided by channel
to stimulus probability & found in the ~50-traces/dolphin of each oddball
assigned in random blocks over 3 wks. the deviant stimulus. channel * probability X
processing latencies that could be
P300-like component recorded from Tursiops truncatus by
sensitive to signal information value & *Tone frequencies were limited by stimulus
FUTURE APPLICATIONS
Woods, Ridgway, Carder, & Bullock (1986) using extracranial generating equipment. Data analysis of the
complexity? higher frequencies & complex stimuli pending.
electrodes over the skull, near the primary auditory cortices of Odontocetes’ divergent & unique evolution may produce differences in neural processes between our species, but
the suprasylvain gyrus (SSG). • Based on previous research in
Recording Parameters: convergent social behaviors may also have resulted in some unexpected similarities. This method could offer
Band-Pass Filtered: 0.06-50 Hz
insights into these phenomena.
SSG humans, dolphins, and chimpanzees, Artifact Rejection at 80 µV
N1-P2
(Only included averages >20% retention rate) The current findings are important for establishing ERP components for use in answering
we expect such component to be
future, more complex research questions.
Reflects simple identified within the 300-700 ms Video Behavior Monitoring before, during, & after program participation,
stimulus detection latency range. to assess any related behavioral responses, in the interest of dolphin COMMUNICATION: Further studies of these components could assist in the isolation and
welfare. No negative response observed–pending analysis. identification of marine mammal communication signals.
Acknowledgments: Many thanks are due to Élio Vicente, Marco Braganca, and all the trainers and staff at Zoomarine (Algarve, Portugal) for their support and tireless efforts. Without their dedication, this project would not have been possible. Additional financial support provided by a KU honors fellowship to the first author and through U.S.
and Kansas State agencies. Thanks also to Joana Augusto for her invaluable support in stimulus recording, as well as equipment design, setup, and testing. Thanks to Jim Juola , Patricia Hawley, Andrea Greenhoot, Allard Jongman , and Michael Greenfield for their encouragement and advice in designing the project.
Please, feel free to contact to the first author at dominie@cetaceanscience.com with any comments, questions, or suggestions; also, if you are interested in discussing the potential application of ERP to your research programs.