Nonlinear analysis of the hippocampal subfields of CA1 and the dentate gyrus

The authors discuss the use of nonlinear bispectral analysis in examining the hippocampal EEG collected at subfields of CA1 and the dentate gyrus during the vigilance state of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. The cross-bispectrum and its unique capabilities of detecting and quantifying quadratic nonlinear interactions occurring between these two hippocampal subfields are explained and demonstrated with simulation examples and EEG data. It was found that quadratic nonlinear interactions exist between CA1 and the dentate gyrus in the 6-8 frequency band which dominates the theta ( theta ) rhythm observed in the hippocampal EEG during REM sleep. As a result, energy components around the frequency band of the second-order harmonics of theta rhythm are not totally spontaneous, but generated largely due to quadratic nonlinear interactions.