Accurate detection of spontaneous seizures using a generalized linear model with external validation

A Feature Extraction Method for Seizure Detection Based on Multi-Site Synchronous Changes and Edge Detection Algorithm

Automatic detection of epileptic seizures is important in epilepsy control and treatment, and specific feature extraction assists in accurate detection. We developed a feature extraction method for seizure detection based on multi-site synchronous changes and an edge detection algorithm. We investigated five chronic temporal lobe epilepsy rats with 8- and 12-channel detection sites in the hippocampus and limbic system. Multi-site synchronous changes were selected as a specific feature and implemented as a seizure detection method. For preprocessing, we used magnitude-squared coherence maps and Canny edge detection algorithm to find the frequency band with the most significant change in synchronization and the important channel pairs. In detection, we used the maximal cross-correlation coefficient as an indicator of synchronization and the correlation coefficient curves' average value and standard deviation as two detection features. The method achieved high performance, with an average 96.60% detection rate, 2.63/h false alarm rate, and 1.25 s detection delay. The experimental results show that synchronization is an appropriate feature for seizure detection. The magnitude-squared coherence map can assist in selecting a specific frequency band and channel pairs to enhance the detection result. We found that individuals have a specific frequency band that reflects the most significant synchronization changes, and our method can individually adjust parameters and has good detection performance.

Zozus M, Jiang X, Brimhall BB, Windham AK, Schmidt S, Visweswaran S, Ye Y, Goodrum H, Ling Y, Barapatre S, Becich MJ. Artificial intelligence in clinical and translational science: Successes, challenges and opportunities

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming many domains, including finance, agriculture, defense, and biomedicine. In this paper, we focus on the role of AI in clinical and translational research (CTR), including preclinical research (T1), clinical research (T2), clinical implementation (T3), and public (or population) health (T4). Given the rapid evolution of AI in CTR, we present three complementary perspectives: (1) scoping literature review, (2) survey, and (3) analysis of federally funded projects. For each CTR phase, we addressed challenges, successes, failures, and opportunities for AI. We surveyed Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs regarding AI projects at their institutions. Nineteen of 63 CTSA hubs (30%) responded to the survey. The most common funding source (48.5%) was the federal government. The most common translational phase was T2 (clinical research, 40.2%). Clinicians were the intended users in 44.6% of projects and researchers in 32.3% of projects. The most common computational approaches were supervised machine learning (38.6%) and deep learning (34.2%). The number of projects steadily increased from 2012 to 2020. Finally, we analyzed 2604 AI projects at CTSA hubs using the National Institutes of Health Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORTER) database for 2011-2019. We mapped available abstracts to medical subject headings and found that nervous system (16.3%) and mental disorders (16.2) were the most common topics addressed. From a computational perspective, big data (32.3%) and deep learning (30.0%) were most common. This work represents a snapshot in time of the role of AI in the CTSA program.

A Generalized Linear Model for an ECG-based Neonatal Seizure Detector

Seizures represent one of the most challenging issues of the neonatal period's neurological emergency. Due to the heterogeneity of etiologies and clinical characteristics, seizures recognition is tricky and time-consuming. Currently, the gold standard for seizure diagnosis is Electroencephalography (EEG), whose correct interpretation requires a highly specialized team. Thus, to speed up and facilitate the detection of ictal events, several EEG-based Neonatal Seizure Detectors (NSDs) have been proposed in the literature. Research is currently exploiting more simple and less invasive approaches, such as Electrocardiography (ECG). This work aims at developing an ECG-based NSD using a Generalized Linear Model with features extracted from Heart Rate Variability (HRV) measures as input. The method is validated on a public dataset of 52 subjects (33 with seizures and 19 seizure-free). Achieved encouraging results show 69% Concatenated Area Under the ROC Curve (AUCcc) for the automatic detection of windows with seizure events, confirming that HRV features can be useful to catch the cardio-regulatory system alterations due to neonatal seizure events, particularly those related to Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathies. Thus, results suggest the use of ECG-based NSDs in clinical practice, especially when a timely diagnosis is needed and EEG technologies are not readily available.Clinical Relevance- An ECG-based Neonatal Seizure Detector could be a valid support to speed up the diagnosis of neonatal seizures, especially when EEG technologies for infants' neurological assessment are not readily available.