ObjectiveMatching pursuit algorithm(MAP),for its good parametric characterization,was applied in epileptic electroencephalography(EEG) to study time-frequency distribution.MethodsSimulation experiment of time-frequency analysis was carried out to verify the matching pursuit algorithm s superiority on frequency resolution and parametric characterization.Fourier transform,Wigner-Ville distribution and matching pursuit algorithm were applied to the time-frequency analysis on normal EEG and epileptic EEG to study epileptic discharge in the time-frequency plane and the results were compared.ResultsSimulation results showed that the matching pursuit algorithm obtained a better time-frequency distribution.Distributions of epileptic EEG and normal EEG had significant difference in time-frequency plane.ConclusionTime-frequency analysis based on matching pursuit can better reveal the EEG characteristics.