What common artifact can result from muscle activity during an EEG?

Muscle activity can produce electromyographic (EMG) artifacts during an EEG due to the electrical signals generated by muscle contractions. These signals can be picked up by the EEG electrodes and appear as unwanted noise, which can obscure the underlying brain activity being measured. Such artifacts are particularly prominent when muscles in the forehead or jaw are activated, as they can create high-frequency noise that overlaps with the frequencies of interest in the EEG.

Understanding EMG artifacts is crucial for interpreting EEG recordings accurately, as these artifacts can lead to misdiagnosis or an incomplete understanding of neurological conditions. It is essential for practitioners to differentiate between genuine brain activity and these muscular disturbances to ensure that the EEG readings are clinically meaningful. The other options refer to different types of signals or artifacts that do not directly arise from muscle activity during an EEG.