1. Using a standalone ear-EEG device for focal-onset seizure detection
- Author
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Joyner, McGregor, Hsu, Sheng-Hsiou, Martin, Stephanie, Dwyer, Jennifer, Chen, Denise Fay, Sameni, Reza, Waters, Samuel H, Borodin, Konstantin, Clifford, Gari D, Levey, Allan I, Hixson, John, Winkel, Daniel, and Berent, Jonathan
- Subjects
Biomedical and Clinical Sciences ,Engineering ,Biomedical Engineering ,Brain Disorders ,Epilepsy ,Clinical Research ,Neurodegenerative ,Neurosciences ,Detection ,screening and diagnosis ,4.1 Discovery and preclinical testing of markers and technologies ,Neurological ,Ear-EEG ,Focal epilepsy ,Long-term EEG ,Seizure detection ,Temporal lobe ,Wearable technologies - Abstract
BackgroundSeizure detection is challenging outside the clinical environment due to the lack of comfortable, reliable, and practical long-term neurophysiological monitoring devices. We developed a novel, discreet, unobstructive in-ear sensing system that enables long-term electroencephalography (EEG) recording. This is the first study we are aware of that systematically compares the seizure detection utility of in-ear EEG with that of simultaneously recorded intracranial EEG. In addition, we present a similar comparison between simultaneously recorded in-ear EEG and scalp EEG.MethodsIn this foundational research, we conducted a clinical feasibility study and validated the ability of the ear-EEG system to capture focal-onset seizures against 1255 hrs of simultaneous ear-EEG data along with scalp or intracranial EEG in 20 patients with refractory focal epilepsy (11 with scalp EEG, 8 with intracranial EEG, and 1 with both).ResultsIn a blinded, independent review of the ear-EEG signals, two epileptologists were able to detect 86.4% of the seizures that were subsequently identified using the clinical gold standard EEG modalities, with a false detection rate of 0.1 per day, well below what has been reported for ambulatory monitoring. The few seizures not detected on the ear-EEG signals emanated from deep within the mesial temporal lobe or extra-temporally and remained very focal, without significant propagation. Following multiple sessions of recording for a median continuous wear time of 13 hrs, patients reported a high degree of tolerance for the device, with only minor adverse events reported by the scalp EEG cohort.ConclusionsThese preliminary results demonstrate the potential of using ear-EEG to enable routine collection of complementary, prolonged, and remote neurophysiological evidence, which may permit real-time detection of paroxysmal events such as seizures and epileptiform discharges. This study suggests that the ear-EEG device may assist clinicians in making an epilepsy diagnosis, assessing treatment efficacy, and optimizing medication titration.
- Published
- 2024