Correlation analysis of delta activity generated in cerebral hypoxia.

1. Differences in spatial and temporal characteristics between polymorphous delta activity (PDA) and "standard slow complexes" (SSCS) resulting from grave cerebral hypoxia have been demonstrated by means of digital correlation analysis and on line recording of correlograms. 2. PDA observed in the human EEG and the ECoG of dogs is characterized by the absence of periodic organization (high extinction indices of auto- and crosscorrelation functions) and absence of spatial synchronization when recorded from widely separated areas of the hemispheres (low correlation coefficients, significant and variable time shifts), with bilateral symmetry of slow waves being preserved. 3. Delta waves recorded from nucleus amygdalae, nucleus caudatus, thalamus, hypothalamus and midbrain in the dog differ from cortical PDA by a more synchronous and rhythmically arranged process. 4. During the establishment of SSC activity correlograms show a synchronous process common to all cortical aand subcortical areas characteized by very high values of correlation coefficients. 5. It is suggested that the unorganized slow wave PDA process could arise under conditions of hypoxic dysfunction of distant cortico-cortical relationships, accompanied by weak subcortical pacemaker influences. The process reflects local coexcitation of relatively limited cortical areas. The particular statistical characteristics of SSCs generated during further increase in oxygen deficit can be accounted for by simultaneous generation of responses in some subcortical areas to single volleys of impulses from a hypothetical pacemaker, accompanied by a passive wave propagation towards a cortex completetly depressed by hypoxia