A method for eliminating the stimulus artifact from digital recordings of the direct cortical response.

A computer algorithm which removes the electrical pulse stimulus artifact from digitized electrophysiological recordings is described. The technique has been applied to recordings of the direct cortical response (DCR). The process removes the stimulus artifact without removing the overlapping physiological signal. The results from recordings of the DCR in the rat before and after the artifact removal process are shown. The validity of the method is demonstrated from simultaneous recording of the same response with a minimal and maximal artifact. An examination of the residual artifact and degree of signal distortion after the algorithm has been applied is presented.