Relative entropy is an easy-to-use invasive electroencephalographic biomarker of the epileptogenic zone

Utility of intracranial EEG networks depends on re-referencing and connectivity choice

Studies of intracranial EEG networks have been used to reveal seizure generators in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Intracranial EEG is implanted to capture the epileptic network, the collection of brain tissue that forms a substrate for seizures to start and spread. Interictal intracranial EEG measures brain activity at baseline, and networks computed during this state can reveal aberrant brain tissue without requiring seizure recordings. Intracranial EEG network analyses require choosing a reference and applying statistical measures of functional connectivity. Approaches to these technical choices vary widely across studies, and the impact of these technical choices on downstream analyses is poorly understood. Our objective was to examine the effects of different re-referencing and connectivity approaches on connectivity results and on the ability to lateralize the seizure onset zone in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. We applied 48 pre-processing pipelines to a cohort of 125 patients with drug-resistant epilepsy recorded with interictal intracranial EEG across two epilepsy centres to generate intracranial EEG functional connectivity networks. Twenty-four functional connectivity measures across time and frequency domains were applied in combination with common average re-referencing or bipolar re-referencing. We applied an unsupervised clustering algorithm to identify groups of pre-processing pipelines. We subjected each pre-processing approach to three quality tests: (i) the introduction of spurious correlations; (ii) robustness to incomplete spatial sampling; and (iii) the ability to lateralize the clinician-defined seizure onset zone. Three groups of similar pre-processing pipelines emerged: common average re-referencing pipelines, bipolar re-referencing pipelines and relative entropy-based connectivity pipelines. Relative entropy and common average re-referencing networks were more robust to incomplete electrode sampling than bipolar re-referencing and other connectivity methods (Friedman test, Dunn-Šidák test P < 0.0001). Bipolar re-referencing reduced spurious correlations at non-adjacent channels better than common average re-referencing (Δ mean from machine ref = -0.36 versus -0.22) and worse in adjacent channels (Δ mean from machine ref = -0.14 versus -0.40). Relative entropy-based network measures lateralized the seizure onset hemisphere better than other measures in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (Benjamini-Hochberg-corrected P < 0.05, Cohen's d: 0.60-0.76). Finally, we present an interface where users can rapidly evaluate intracranial EEG pre-processing choices to select the optimal pre-processing methods tailored to specific research questions. The choice of pre-processing methods affects downstream network analyses. Choosing a single method among highly correlated approaches can reduce redundancy in processing. Relative entropy outperforms other connectivity methods in multiple quality tests. We present a method and interface for researchers to optimize their pre-processing methods for deriving intracranial EEG brain networks.

The value of linear and non-linear quantitative EEG analysis in paediatric epilepsy surgery: a machine learning approach

Epilepsy surgery is effective for patients with medication-resistant seizures, however 20-40% of them are not seizure free after surgery. Aim of this study is to evaluate the role of linear and non-linear EEG features to predict post-surgical outcome. We included 123 paediatric patients who underwent epilepsy surgery at Bambino Gesù Children Hospital (January 2009-April 2020). All patients had long term video-EEG monitoring. We analysed 1-min scalp interictal EEG (wakefulness and sleep) and extracted 13 linear and non-linear EEG features (power spectral density (PSD), Hjorth, approximate entropy, permutation entropy, Lyapunov and Hurst value). We used a logistic regression (LR) as feature selection process. To quantify the correlation between EEG features and surgical outcome we used an artificial neural network (ANN) model with 18 architectures. LR revealed a significant correlation between PSD of alpha band (sleep), Mobility index (sleep) and the Hurst value (sleep and awake) with outcome. The fifty-four ANN models gave a range of accuracy (46-65%) in predicting outcome. Within the fifty-four ANN models, we found a higher accuracy (64.8% ± 7.6%) in seizure outcome prediction, using features selected by LR. The combination of PSD of alpha band, mobility and the Hurst value positively correlate with good surgical outcome.

Timing matters for accurate identification of the epileptogenic zone

OBJECTIVE

Interictal biomarkers of the epileptogenic zone (EZ) and their use in machine learning models open promising avenues for improvement of epilepsy surgery evaluation. Currently, most studies restrict their analysis to short segments of intracranial EEG (iEEG).

METHODS

We used 2381 hours of iEEG data from 25 patients to systematically select 5-minute segments across various interictal conditions. Then, we tested machine learning models for EZ localization using iEEG features calculated within these individual segments or across them and evaluated the performance by the area under the precision-recall curve (PRAUC).

RESULTS

On average, models achieved a score of 0.421 (the result of the chance classifier was 0.062). However, the PRAUC varied significantly across the segments (0.323-0.493). Overall, NREM sleep achieved the highest scores, with the best results of 0.493 in N2. When using data from all segments, the model performed significantly better than single segments, except NREM sleep segments.

CONCLUSIONS

The model based on a short segment of iEEG recording can achieve similar results as a model based on prolonged recordings. The analyzed segment should, however, be carefully and systematically selected, preferably from NREM sleep.

SIGNIFICANCE

Random selection of short iEEG segments may give rise to inaccurate localization of the EZ.

Recent advances in clinical electroencephalography

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Clinical electroencephalography (EEG) is a conservative medical field. This explains likely the significant gap between clinical practice and new research developments. This narrative review discusses possible causes of this discrepancy and how to circumvent them. More specifically, we summarize recent advances in three applications of clinical EEG: source imaging (ESI), high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) and EEG in critically ill patients.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recently published studies on ESI provide further evidence for the accuracy and clinical utility of this method in the multimodal presurgical evaluation of patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy, and opened new possibilities for further improvement of the accuracy. HFOs have received much attention as a novel biomarker in epilepsy. However, recent studies questioned their clinical utility at the level of individual patients. We discuss the impediments, show up possible solutions and highlight the perspectives of future research in this field. EEG in the ICU has been one of the major driving forces in the development of clinical EEG. We review the achievements and the limitations in this field.

SUMMARY

This review will promote clinical implementation of recent advances in EEG, in the fields of ESI, HFOs and EEG in the intensive care.

Generalisability of epileptiform patterns across time and patients

The complexity of localising the epileptogenic zone (EZ) contributes to surgical resection failures in achieving seizure freedom. The distinct patterns of epileptiform activity during interictal and ictal phases, varying across patients, often lead to suboptimal localisation using electroencephalography (EEG) features. We posed two key questions: whether neural signals reflecting epileptogenicity generalise from interictal to ictal time windows within each patient, and whether epileptiform patterns generalise across patients. Utilising an intracranial EEG dataset from 55 patients, we extracted a large battery of simple to complex features from stereo-EEG (SEEG) and electrocorticographic (ECoG) neural signals during interictal and ictal windows. Our features (n = 34) quantified many aspects of the signals including statistical moments, complexities, frequency-domain and cross-channel network attributes. Decision tree classifiers were then trained and tested on distinct time windows and patients to evaluate the generalisability of epileptogenic patterns across time and patients, respectively. Evidence strongly supported generalisability from interictal to ictal time windows across patients, particularly in signal power and high-frequency network-based features. Consistent patterns of epileptogenicity were observed across time windows within most patients, and signal features of epileptogenic regions generalised across patients, with higher generalisability in the ictal window. Signal complexity features were particularly contributory in cross-patient generalisation across patients. These findings offer insights into generalisable features of epileptic neural activity across time and patients, with implications for future automated approaches to supplement other EZ localisation methods.

Interictal intracranial EEG asymmetry lateralizes temporal lobe epilepsy

Patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy often undergo intracranial EEG recording to capture multiple seizures in order to lateralize the seizure onset zone. This process is associated with morbidity and often ends in postoperative seizure recurrence. Abundant interictal (between-seizure) data is captured during this process, but these data currently play a small role in surgical planning. Our objective was to predict the laterality of the seizure onset zone using interictal (between-seizure) intracranial EEG data in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. We performed a retrospective cohort study (single-center study for model development; two-center study for model validation). We studied patients with temporal lobe epilepsy undergoing intracranial EEG at the University of Pennsylvania (internal cohort) and the Medical University of South Carolina (external cohort) between 2015 and 2022. We developed a logistic regression model to predict seizure onset zone laterality using interictal EEG. We compared the concordance between the model-predicted seizure onset zone laterality and the side of surgery between patients with good and poor surgical outcomes. 47 patients (30 women; ages 20-69; 20 left-sided, 10 right-sided, and 17 bilateral seizure onsets) were analyzed for model development and internal validation. 19 patients (10 women; ages 23-73; 5 left-sided, 10 right-sided, 4 bilateral) were analyzed for external validation. The internal cohort cross-validated area under the curve for a model trained using spike rates was 0.83 for a model predicting left-sided seizure onset and 0.68 for a model predicting right-sided seizure onset. Balanced accuracies in the external cohort were 79.3% and 78.9% for the left- and right-sided predictions, respectively. The predicted concordance between the laterality of the seizure onset zone and the side of surgery was higher in patients with good surgical outcome. In conclusion, interictal EEG signatures are distinct across seizure onset zone lateralities. Left-sided seizure onsets are easier to distinguish than right-sided onsets. A model trained on spike rates accurately identifies patients with left-sided seizure onset zones and predicts surgical outcome.