Objectives: The effects of instructions to refrain from blinking on the P30
0 event-related brain potential (ERP) from auditory and visual stimuli were
assessed.
Methods: An oddball paradigm was employed in which young adult subjects (n
= 20) silently counted the infrequent target stimuli and were given either
no instructions or told ''do not blink" in different conditions, with audit
ory and visual stimulus tasks employed for all subjects. ERPs were recorded
from the midline electrodes, with amplitude and latency of the P300 and ot
her components obtained.
Results: P300 amplitude for both modalities and target/standard stimulus co
nditions was smaller and visual peak latency longer in the "do not blink''
condition. Blink instructions did not directly affect the other components.
Conclusions: Instructions to refrain from blinking can decrease P300 amplit
ude and can increase peak latency. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. A
ll rights reserved.