Detection and Prediction of Absence Seizures Based on Nonlinear Analysis of the EEG in Wag/Rij Animal Model

 Background: Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder with a prevalence of 1% of the world population. Absence epilepsy is a form of generalized seizures with Spike wave discharge in EEG. Epileptic patients have frequent absence seizures that cause immediate loss of consciousness.Methods: In this study, it has been tried to explore whether EEG changes can effectively detect epilepsy in animal model applying non-linear features. To predict the occurrence of absence epilepsy, a long-term EEG signal has been recorded from frontal cortex in seven Wag/Rij rats. After preprocessing, the data was transferred to the phase space to extract the brain system dynamic and geometric properties of this space. Finally, the ability of each features to predict and detect absence epilepsy with two criteria of predictive time and the accuracy of detection and its results were compared with previous studies.Results: The results indicate that the brain system dynamic changes during the transition from free-seizure to pre-seizure and then seizure. Proposed approach diagnostic characteristics yielded 97% accuracy of absence epilepsy diagnosis indicating that due to the nonlinear and complex nature of the system and the brain signal, the use of methods consistent with this nature is important in understanding the dynamic transfer between different epileptic seizures.Conclusion: By changing the state of the absence Seizures, the dynamics are changing, and the results of this research can be useful in real-time applications such as predicting epileptic seizures

Artifact Removal Methods in EEG Recordings: A Review

To obtain the correct analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, non-physiological and physiological artifacts should be removed from EEG signals. This study aims to give an overview on the existing methodology for removing physiological artifacts, e.g., ocular, cardiac, and muscle artifacts. The datasets, simulation platforms, and performance measures of artifact removal methods in previous related research are summarized. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique are discussed, including regression method, filtering method, blind source separation (BSS), wavelet transform (WT), empirical mode decomposition (EMD), singular spectrum analysis (SSA), and independent vector analysis (IVA). Also, the applications of hybrid approaches are presented, including discrete wavelet transform - adaptive filtering method (DWT-AFM), DWT-BSS, EMD-BSS, singular spectrum analysis - adaptive noise canceler (SSA-ANC), SSA-BSS, and EMD-IVA. Finally, a comparative analysis for these existing methods is provided based on their performance and merits. The result shows that hybrid methods can remove the artifacts more effectively than individual methods

Seizure detection from EEG signals using Multivariate Empirical Mode Decomposition

We present a data driven approach to classify ictal (epileptic seizure) and non-ictal EEG signals using the multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD) algorithm. MEMD is a multivariate extension of empirical mode decomposition (EMD), which is an established method to perform the decomposition and time-frequency (T−F) analysis of non-stationary data sets. We select suitable feature sets based on the multiscale T−F representation of the EEG data via MEMD for the classification purposes. The classification is achieved using the artificial neural networks. The efficacy of the proposed method is verified on extensive publicly available EEG datasets

What Electrophysiology Tells Us About Alzheimer’s Disease::A Window into the Synchronization and Connectivity of Brain Neurons

Electrophysiology provides a real-time readout of neural functions and network capability in different brain states, on temporal (fractions of milliseconds) and spatial (micro, meso, and macro) scales unmet by other methodologies. However, current international guidelines do not endorse the use of electroencephalographic (EEG)/magnetoencephalographic (MEG) biomarkers in clinical trials performed in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), despite a surge in recent validated evidence. This Position Paper of the ISTAART Electrophysiology Professional Interest Area endorses consolidated and translational electrophysiological techniques applied to both experimental animal models of AD and patients, to probe the effects of AD neuropathology (i.e., brain amyloidosis, tauopathy, and neurodegeneration) on neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning neural excitation/inhibition and neurotransmission as well as brain network dynamics, synchronization, and functional connectivity reflecting thalamocortical and cortico-cortical residual capacity. Converging evidence shows relationships between abnormalities in EEG/MEG markers and cognitive deficits in groups of AD patients at different disease stages. The supporting evidence for the application of electrophysiology in AD clinical research as well as drug discovery pathways warrants an international initiative to include the use of EEG/MEG biomarkers in the main multicentric projects planned in AD patients, to produce conclusive findings challenging the present regulatory requirements and guidelines for AD studies

EEG sleep stages identification based on weighted undirected complex networks

Sleep scoring is important in sleep research because any errors in the scoring of the patient's sleep electroencephalography (EEG) recordings can cause serious problems such as incorrect diagnosis, medication errors, and misinterpretations of patient's EEG recordings. The aim of this research is to develop a new automatic method for EEG sleep stages classification based on a statistical model and weighted brain networks. Methods each EEG segment is partitioned into a number of blocks using a sliding window technique. A set of statistical features are extracted from each block. As a result, a vector of features is obtained to represent each EEG segment. Then, the vector of features is mapped into a weighted undirected network. Different structural and spectral attributes of the networks are extracted and forwarded to a least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) classifier. At the same time the network's attributes are also thoroughly investigated. It is found that the network's characteristics vary with their sleep stages. Each sleep stage is best represented using the key features of their networks. Results In this paper, the proposed method is evaluated using two datasets acquired from different channels of EEG (Pz-Oz and C3-A2) according to the R&K and the AASM without pre-processing the original EEG data. The obtained results by the LS-SVM are compared with those by Naïve, k-nearest and a multi-class-SVM. The proposed method is also compared with other benchmark sleep stages classification methods. The comparison results demonstrate that the proposed method has an advantage in scoring sleep stages based on single channel EEG signals. Conclusions An average accuracy of 96.74% is obtained with the C3-A2 channel according to the AASM standard, and 96% with the Pz-Oz channel based on the R&K standard

Nonlinear brain dynamics as macroscopic manifestation of underlying many-body field dynamics

Neural activity patterns related to behavior occur at many scales in time and space from the atomic and molecular to the whole brain. Here we explore the feasibility of interpreting neurophysiological data in the context of many-body physics by using tools that physicists have devised to analyze comparable hierarchies in other fields of science. We focus on a mesoscopic level that offers a multi-step pathway between the microscopic functions of neurons and the macroscopic functions of brain systems revealed by hemodynamic imaging. We use electroencephalographic (EEG) records collected from high-density electrode arrays fixed on the epidural surfaces of primary sensory and limbic areas in rabbits and cats trained to discriminate conditioned stimuli (CS) in the various modalities. High temporal resolution of EEG signals with the Hilbert transform gives evidence for diverse intermittent spatial patterns of amplitude (AM) and phase modulations (PM) of carrier waves that repeatedly re-synchronize in the beta and gamma ranges at near zero time lags over long distances. The dominant mechanism for neural interactions by axodendritic synaptic transmission should impose distance-dependent delays on the EEG oscillations owing to finite propagation velocities. It does not. EEGs instead show evidence for anomalous dispersion: the existence in neural populations of a low velocity range of information and energy transfers, and a high velocity range of the spread of phase transitions. This distinction labels the phenomenon but does not explain it. In this report we explore the analysis of these phenomena using concepts of energy dissipation, the maintenance by cortex of multiple ground states corresponding to AM patterns, and the exclusive selection by spontaneous breakdown of symmetry (SBS) of single states in sequences.Comment: 31 page

Development of new methods in biomedical engineering for brain connectivity biomarkers in epilepsy and other pathological conditions

243 p.The aim of this thesis is to humbly explore the application of diverse methodologies and theories comingfrom Computer Sciences, Mathematics and Physics in the field of neurosciences, with an special focus onneurodegenerative diseases.In this thesis brain network analysis was used to unveil functional and structural patterns in bothpathological and healthy brains. We explore in a different manner various aspects related with theepilepsy, AD and healthy aging

Infraslow fluctuations and respiration are driving cortical neurophysiological oscillations during sleep

Abstract. Recently sleep has been linked to increased brain clearance through perivascular spaces from blood-brain barrier (BBB) externa limitans, facilitated by physiological pulsations such as cardiovascular and respiratory pulsations. Infraslow fluctuations (ISFs) characterize both fMRI BOLD signals and scalp EEG potentials. They are associated with both permeability fluctuations of BBB and the amplitude dynamics of faster (> 1Hz) neuronal oscillations. ISF together with respiration are though to synchronize with neural rhythms, however the directionality of these interactions has not been studied before. I used non-invasive measures which are necessary not to interfere the pressure sensitive CSF convection and BBB permeability combined with directional metrics to fully evaluate these relationships. I recorded full-band resting state EEG (fbEEG) during wakefulness and sleep and investigated whether recently shown increased brain clearance during sleep is followed by increased drive of neural amplitudes by the ISF and respiration phases. I show that ISF power increases during non-REM sleep, possibly reflecting altered BBB status. Furthermore, I show that ISF and respiration phase-amplitude couple and predict neuronal brain rhythms seen especially during sleep. These results pave the way for understanding the mechanisms how neuronal activity is modulated by the slow oscillations in human brain during wakefulness and sleep

Ultra-high-resolution time-frequency analysis of EEG to characterise brain functional connectivity with the application in Alzheimer's disease

Objective. This study aims to explore the potential of high-resolution brain functional connectivity based on electroencephalogram, a non-invasive low-cost technique, to be translated into a long-overdue biomarker and a diagnostic method for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Approach. The paper proposes a novel ultra-high-resolution time-frequency nonlinear cross-spectrum method to construct a promising biomarker of AD pathophysiology. Specifically, using the peak frequency estimated from a revised Hilbert–Huang transformation (RHHT) cross-spectrum as a biomarker, the support vector machine classifier is used to distinguish AD from healthy controls (HCs). Main results. With the combinations of the proposed biomarker and machine learning, we achieved a promising accuracy of 89%. The proposed method performs better than the wavelet cross-spectrum and other functional connectivity measures in the temporal or frequency domain, particularly in the Full, Delta and Alpha bands. Besides, a novel visualisation approach developed from topography is introduced to represent the brain functional connectivity, with which the difference between AD and HCs can be clearly displayed. The interconnections between posterior and other brain regions are obviously affected in AD. Significance. Those findings imply that the proposed RHHT approach could better track dynamic and nonlinear functional connectivity information, paving the way for the development of a novel diagnostic approach

Exploring the combined use of electrical and hemodynamic brain activity to investigate brain function

This thesis explored the relationship between electrical and metabolic aspects of brain functioning in health and disease, measured with QEEG and NIRS, in order to evaluate its clinical potential. First the limitations of NIRS were investigated, depicting its susceptibility to different types of motion artefacts and the inability of the CBSI-method to remove them from resting state data. Furthermore, the quality of the NIRS signals was poor in a significant portion of the investigated sample, reducing clinical potential. Different analysis methods were used to explore both EEG and NIRS, and their coupling in an eyes open eyes closed paradigm in healthy participants. It could be reproduced that during eyes closed blocks less HbO2 (p = 0.000), more Hbb (p = 0.008), and more alpha activity (p = 0.000) was present compared to eyes open blocks. Furthermore, dynamic cross correlation analysis reproduced a positive correlation between alpha and Hbb (r: 0.457 and 0.337) and a negative correlation between alpha and HbO2 (r: -0.380 and -0.366) with a delayed hemodynamic response (7 to 8s). This was only possible when removing all questionable and physiological illogical data, suggesting that an 8s hemodynamic delay might not be the golden standard. Also the inability of the cross correlation to take non-linear relationships into account may distort outcomes. Therefore, In chapter 5 non-linear aspects of the relationship were evaluated by introducing the measure of relative cross mutual information. A newly suggested approach and the most valuable contribution of the thesis since it broadens knowledge in the fields of EEG, NIRS and general time series analysis. Data of two stroke patients then showed differences from the healthy group between the coupling of EEG and NIRS. The differences in long range temporal correlations (p= 0.000 for both cases), entropy (p< 0.040 and p =0.000), and relative cross mutual information (p < 0.003 and p < 0.013) provide the proof of principle that these measures may have clinical utility. Even though more research is necessary before widespread clinical use becomes possible