Disrupted organization of dynamic functional networks with application in epileptic seizure recognition

Abstract

Recently, characterizing the dynamics of brain functional networks at task free or cognitive tasks has developed different research efforts in the field of neuroscience. Epilepsy is an electrophysiological brain disease which is accompanied by recurrent seizures. Seizure and epilepsy detection is a main challenge in the field of neuroscience. Understanding the underlying mechanism of epilepsy and transition from a normal brain to epileptic brain crucial for the diagnosis and treatment purposes. To understand the organization of epileptic brain network functions at large scales, electroencephalogram (EEG) signals measure and record the changes in electrical activity and functional connectivity. Time frequency analysis and continuous spectral entropy are well developed methods which reveal dynamical aspects of brain activity and can analyze the transitions in intrinsic brain activity. In this work, we aim to model the dynamics of EEG signals of epileptic brain and characterize their dynamical patterns. We use Time frequency analysis to capture the alterations in the structure of EEG signals from patients with seizure. Continuous spectral entropy is used to detect the start of seizures. The main purpose of the current is to explore the changes in the organization of epileptic brain networks. Using time frequency techniques, we are able to draw a big picture of how the brain functions before and during seizure and step forward to classify seizure and corresponding brain activity during different stages of epilepsy. The present study may contribute to characterizing the complex non-linear dynamics of EEG signals of epileptic brain and further assists with biomarker detection for different clinical applications. This finding helps towards effective diagnosis and better treatment of epilepsy.