Abstract
BackgroundIn this work we consider hidden signs (biomarkers) in ongoing EEG activity expressing epileptic tendency, for otherwise normal brain operation. More specifically, this study considers children with controlled epilepsy where only a few seizures without complications were noted before starting medication and who showed no clinical or electrophysiological signs of brain dysfunction. We compare EEG recordings from controlled epileptic children with age-matched control children under two different operations, an eyes closed rest condition and a mathematical task. The aim of this study is to develop reliable techniques for the extraction of biomarkers from EEG that indicate the presence of minor neurophysiological signs in cases where no clinical or significant EEG abnormalities are observed.MethodsWe compare two different approaches for localizing activity differences and retrieving relevant information for classifying the two groups. The first approach focuses on power spectrum analysis whereas the second approach analyzes the functional coupling of cortical assemblies using linear synchronization techniques.ResultsDifferences could be detected during the control (rest) task, but not on the more demanding mathematical task. The spectral markers provide better diagnostic ability than their synchronization counterparts, even though a combination (or fusion) of both is needed for efficient classification of subjects.ConclusionsBased on these differences, the study proposes concrete biomarkers that can be used in a decision support system for clinical validation. Fusion of selected biomarkers in the Theta and Alpha bands resulted in an increase of the classification score up to 80% during the rest condition. No significant discrimination was achieved during the performance of a mathematical subtraction task.
Highlights
In this work we consider hidden signs in ongoing EEG activity expressing epileptic tendency, for otherwise normal brain operation
The average annual rate of new cases per year of epilepsy is approximately 5-7 cases per 10,000 children from birth to 15 years of age [2] and despite the differences across studies, it is possible to rate the prevalence of epilepsy in children as 4-5/1,000
Epilepsy is a complex condition caused by a variety of pathological processes in the brain
Summary
In this work we consider hidden signs (biomarkers) in ongoing EEG activity expressing epileptic tendency, for otherwise normal brain operation. This study considers children with controlled epilepsy where only a few seizures without complications were noted before starting medication and who showed no clinical or electrophysiological signs of brain dysfunction. We compare EEG recordings from controlled epileptic children with age-matched control children under two different operations, an eyes closed rest condition and a mathematical task. Epilepsy is a complex condition caused by a variety of pathological processes in the brain. It is characterized by occasionally (paroxysmal), excessive, and disorderly discharging of neurons that can be detected by clinical manifestations, EEG recording, or both. Most seizures in children are benign and result in no long-term consequences, increasing experimental animal data strongly suggest that frequent or prolonged seizures in the developing, immature brain result in long-lasting sequel [3]
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