Which condition is most often associated with causing 60Hz artifact in an EEG?

The condition that is most often associated with causing a 60Hz artifact in an EEG is excessive impedance. When the impedance levels are high, it can lead to poor electrical connections between the electrodes and the scalp, which causes interference from external electrical sources. This interference often presents as a 60Hz artifact, commonly attributed to the frequency of the electrical current in North America and many other regions.

In EEG recordings, maintaining low impedance is crucial to ensure that the signals recorded from the brain are clean and free from artifacts. High impedance can pick up extraneous electrical noise, leading to unreliable data interpretation. Therefore, addressing excessive impedance is essential in clinical settings to reduce artifacts and improve the quality of the EEG readings.