The ENIGMA‐EEG working group was established to enable large‐scale international collaborations among cohorts who investigate the genetics of brain function measured with electroencephalography (EEG). EEG has been used for many decades to investigate cognitive processes and individual differences in brain function and to discover biomarkers for neurological, psychiatric, sleep, and other disorders (Berry et al., 2017; Hughes & John, 1999; Noachtar & Rémi, 2009). Until the advent and widespread use of functional MRI, EEG was the primary method for measuring activity of the brain, but has remained an important part of neuroscientific research. EEG can directly measure synaptic processes with higher temporal resolution (in the millisecond range), which makes it different from other imaging modalities like functional MRI. It is also silent and more comfortable for the participant—that is, less intrusive, and less cramped and noisy—thus affecting the subject less than functional MRI during the recordings. It is also much less expensive and more convenient to use, making it feasible for widespread research and clinical application worldwide.
