Theta, Alpha and Beta Activity in the Occipital Based on EEG Signals for Mental Fatigue in High School Students

Abstract

Excessive physical and cognitive activity is believed to be the cause of a person experiencing mental fatigue. Meanwhile, one of the factors that cause acute illness is mental fatigue. Thus mental fatigue has been identified as one of the life-threatening factors in the human population, especially in high school students. In this paper, we use the EEG signal to analyze mental fatigue conditions in the occipital region. We also develop cognitive tasks as stimuli for mental fatigue. Theta, alpha, and beta waves activity from EEG signals are used to compare mental fatigue conditions with normal conditions in each subject. Afterward, the time domain is analyzed using the standard deviation and the mean absolute value (MAV). Meanwhile, the IOWA Fatigue Scale (IFS) questionnaire was used as a subjective reference. Finally, it was found that when the subject suffered mental fatigue an increase in the 2 features of the EEG signal was greater than normal conditions, between the pre-task and post-task in the occipital O1 and O2 channels. In general, an increase in the 2 features of the EEG signal occurs in theta, alpha, and beta waves. From this study by analyzing brain waves in the occipital area, it was concluded that high school students who attend school for approximately 8 hours a day have the potential to experience mental fatigue.