# Normative EEG Database for Amateurs?

**URL:** <https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16>\
**Category:** Software\
**Tags:** qeeg, eeg\
**Created:** [February 7, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16 "2015-02-07T01:54:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HindBrain](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/hindbrain/32/9_2.png) [@HindBrain](https://neurobb.com/u/HindBrain)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/1 "2015-02-07T01:54:26Z")

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I’d like to find a Normative Database so I can compare EEG data I get from my OpenBCI to a baseline. _Getting Started with Neurofeedback_ mentioned two Normative [Q]EEG Database options: [NxLink](http://www.futurehealth.org/nxlink_qeeg_database.htm) and [NeuroGuide](http://www.appliedneuroscience.com/).

However, the NxLink (billed as a “powerful new software package for IBM P.C.'s”) looks fairly antique and is priced between **2,000** and **7,000** dollars. That’s a bit above my pay-grade. NeuroGuide has similar drawbacks.

My question: **is there a free / open-source / affordable normative EEG database that I can use with the OpenBCI**? It doesn’t have to be huge (NxLink has data from ~700+ people), just something to get a baseline from.

Thanks,  
Hindbrain

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**Author:** ![wmvanvliet](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/wmvanvliet/32/35_2.png) [@wmvanvliet](https://neurobb.com/u/wmvanvliet)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/2 "2015-07-11T21:41:40Z")

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There are several sources of freely available EEG data that you could use as a baseline.

For example, the nice dataset at physionet:  
[http://www.physionet.org/pn4/eegmmidb/](http://www.physionet.org/pn4/eegmmidb/)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HindBrain](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/hindbrain/32/9_2.png) [@HindBrain](https://neurobb.com/u/HindBrain)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 1:55am UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/3 "2015-07-12T01:55:58Z")

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Thanks!  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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**Author:** ![Maximiliano91](https://neurobb.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Maximiliano91](https://neurobb.com/u/Maximiliano91)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/4 "2016-11-23T14:39:56Z")

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Hi wmwvanvliet, greetings, I want to know what application I have to use for download and read the data bases. Thank you so much

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**Author:** ![Maximiliano91](https://neurobb.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Maximiliano91](https://neurobb.com/u/Maximiliano91)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2017, 8:03pm UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/5 "2017-02-14T20:03:22Z")

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Hi @wmvanvliet, it’s a pleasure say hello to you. I have a doubt with this site, I don’t know how to download the databases, do you know how to download them and what programs you need?? Thanks a lot and greetings fom Venezuela.

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**Author:** ![brylie](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/brylie/32/118_2.png) [@brylie](https://neurobb.com/u/brylie)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 8:45am UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/6 "2017-08-08T08:45:56Z")

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> [@Maximiliano91](#):
>
> I don’t know how to download the databases, do you know how to download them and what programs you need?

If you are running on Mac or Linux, you can use `wget` to download all of the data in that directory:

```auto
wget -r -np -nH --cut-dirs=3 -R index.html https://www.physionet.org/pn4/eegmmidb/

```

There may be a graphical user interface that will do the same thing. See the following discussion:

> <https://stackoverflow.com/questions/23446635/how-to-download-http-directory-with-all-files-and-sub-directories-as-they-appear>

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**Author:** ![lolo](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/lolo/32/977_2.png) [@lolo](https://neurobb.com/u/lolo)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 4:14am UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/7 "2026-10-02T04:14:45Z")

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> [@wmvanvliet](#):
>
> [EEG Motor Movement/Imagery Dataset v1.0.0](http://www.physionet.org/pn4/eegmmidb/)

cuban, dortmund, lemon, all clean eeg but if you need to filter by mental health etc… that’s another story

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**Author:** ![wjcroft](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/wjcroft/32/33_2.png) [@wjcroft](https://neurobb.com/u/wjcroft)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 4:42am UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/8 "2026-10-02T04:42:46Z")

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Normative databases are carefully constructed by statistical experts to contain only healthy individuals, a ‘normative’ population for comparing QEEG recordings.

An alternative system you might look into is called the Swingle ClinicalQ, an abbreviated ‘QEEG’ with smaller number of channels. It does not use a normative database, but rather ‘norms’ observed over many years of practice by Dr. Swingle.

> **[Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=swingle+clinicalq+software)**

George Martin posted recently, about a possible version for OpenBCI.

> **[Swingle ClinicalQ (neurofeedback assessment / protocol selection app)](https://openbci.com/forum/index.php?p=%2Fdiscussion%2F4136%2Fswingle-clinicalq-neurofeedback-assessment-protocol-selection-app)**
>
> I am in the final process of creating an app that will use the verified ClinicalQ clinical norms. It is largely hardware and software agnostic.

There is a tutorial book by Dr. Swingle. At one point, there was an Excel spreadsheet where you could enter your measurements of the 10-20 sites, and get protocol recommendations.

> **[Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=book+swingle+clinicalq)**

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**Author:** ![wjcroft](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/wjcroft/32/33_2.png) [@wjcroft](https://neurobb.com/u/wjcroft)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 5:08am UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/9 "2026-10-02T05:08:57Z")

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> [@lolo](#):
>
> cuban, dortmund, lemon,

Can you clarify what you are referring to? Are these researchers in the QEEG field? Or online databases?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lolo](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/lolo/32/977_2.png) [@lolo](https://neurobb.com/u/lolo)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 7:30pm UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/10 "2026-10-02T19:30:18Z")

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Yes they are research and the EEG are available online. Some even have health assessment.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wjcroft](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/wjcroft/32/33_2.png) [@wjcroft](https://neurobb.com/u/wjcroft)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 7:52pm UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/11 "2026-10-02T19:52:01Z")

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Pasted below the Gemini AI info. Formatting is a bit wonky, so probably better just to click the link.

> **[Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=cuban%2C+dortmund%2C+lemon+EEG)**

* * *

**AI Overview**

### AI Mode reply for cuban, dortmund, lemon EEG

The terms **Cuban** , **Dortmund** , and **LEMON** refer to three major open-access, resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) neuroimaging datasets:

Georgia Longevity Alliance

1. **The Cuban Human Brain Mapping Project (CHBMP):** A large-scale normative database featuring high-density resting-state EEG alongside MRI data collected from healthy participants in Cuba.

2. **The Dortmund Vital Study:** An extensive dataset tracking healthy cognitive aging, which includes 64-channel resting-state EEG recordings taken before and after demanding cognitive tasks.

3. **The MPI-LEMON Dataset (Max Planck Institute Leipzig Mind-Brain-Body):** A publicly available dataset of over 200 young and elderly healthy adults containing resting-state fMRI, 62-channel EEG, and physiological metrics.

🔬 Scientific Context: The April 2026 Study

These three specific datasets were evaluated together in a prominent April 2026 neuroscience paper titled _ **“Three Pre-registered Null Results for EEG Binary Transition Rate as an Aging Biomarker”** _ authored by Jaba Tqemaladze.

The study conducted **exploratory wideband analyses** to test _Ze Vectors Theory (ZeVT)_. The theory hypothesized that a biological metric known as the **binary transition rate (ν)** (the frequency of sign switches in a binarized time series) approaches a universal mathematical constant {removed symbol} in young adults and reliably declines with aging.

ResearchGate +2

However, across the Cuban, Dortmund, and MPI-LEMON cohorts, the confirmatory tests yielded **null results** , demonstrating no robust, statistically significant age-related differences in standard EEG frequency bands (delta, alpha, and gamma). The researchers concluded that standard scalp EEG lacks the frequency resolution required to support the theory, shifting future aging biomarker efforts toward high-frequency neural signals and heart rate variability (HRV).

Georgia Longevity Alliance

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lolo](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/lolo/32/977_2.png) [@lolo](https://neurobb.com/u/lolo)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 9:38pm UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/12 "2026-10-02T21:38:26Z")

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Yeah I don’t use the studies for their intended purposes, most of neuropsychology looks like overfitting data to an idea… But I use their source EEG to bake my own swLORETA normative db.

Initially I used Dortmund and it was funny because my own brain zscore was around |z|\<1 and I know that’s not the case in some spots. So I looked a their subject filtering and … there is none, all he subjects are self reported (lol) so you don’t know what kind of crazies are in there skewing the data.

Then I found that LEMON tests their subjects, at least drug urine test, self reported smoking addiction, IQ and a few more. After removing all those you end up with a very small subset and there is a huge gap between 35 and 55. I made some bold assumptions that linear interpolation works ok but off course, DORTMUND being useless, I have no way to test that. Kinda hacky but voxel z-score looked closer (yay science!).

Cuban has health but I haven’t gotten to sift through the 32GB dump that’s sitting on my drive. No age hole tho. Could work.

Another source I was counting on was the University of Hanoi… oh boy is that another story

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wjcroft](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/wjcroft/32/33_2.png) [@wjcroft](https://neurobb.com/u/wjcroft)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 10:09pm UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/13 "2026-10-02T22:09:51Z")

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> [@lolo](#):
>
> bake my own swLORETA normative db.

Fascinating! Can you give more details? Aren’t some of these studies using large channel counts like 32 or 64? Did you interpolate that down to 19 or less? Using OpenBCI 16 channels?

Are you generating QEEG-like maps from this? Or also doing Z-score training? Is your platform on Github? What has been your impression of the neurofeedback training you are doing? Noticeable shifts in perception / functioning?

Regards, William Croft, OpenBCI Forum admin

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lolo](https://neurobb.com/user_avatar/neurobb.com/lolo/32/977_2.png) [@lolo](https://neurobb.com/u/lolo)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 11:06pm UTC](https://neurobb.com/t/normative-eeg-database-for-amateurs/16/14 "2026-10-02T23:06:45Z")

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> [@wjcroft](#):
>
> Fascinating! Can you give more details? Aren’t some of these studies using large channel counts like 32 or 64? Did you interpolate that down to 19 or less? Using OpenBCI 16 channels?

Yes, downsampled to 19 electrodes which seems to be the 10-20 standard that most manufacturers use. I have a DSI-24 but many Deymeds are out there so I can compare signal quality easily, which 16 can’t do for me, yeah I was considering a openBCI device before I got my hands on a busted DSI.

> [@wjcroft](#):
>
> Are you generating QEEG-like maps from this?

Yeah, I have that too but I never use it.

 ![image](https://neurobb.com/uploads/default/original/1X/1e11564613f36806f9c7447573c7ae774990fd8e.jpeg)

because Voxel mode looks cool, amiright?

 ![image](https://neurobb.com/uploads/default/original/1X/677bc8cc5ea706255c278cdd3defaf0b432062e3.jpeg)

> [@wjcroft](#):
>
> Or also doing Z-score training?

Both. A few examples:

Cz SMR, everybody knows it, it’s a good one when bounded in T and HB. It is curretnly helping someone sleep like a baby but as I’m writing this, I’m wondering if it’s not also bringing back unpleasant memories, I just opened a tracking note on this.

When Cz hits a wall, I start z-score training. Very effective but there is a feeling of lethargy, and at the same time very sharp and not missing a beat. It’s very weird to be relaxed and tuned in like that.

Big bonus is the sense of touch upgrade to HD, which is weird when you feel all the tiny vortices when swimming.

Also tried the social brain network, it seems to work at balancing the internal peace, but I’d need to do that on other people because N=2 isn’t super relevant.