Hippocampal effective synchronization values are not pre-seizure indicator without considering the state of the onset channels.

In this paper, a model-based approach is presented to quantify the effective synchrony between hippocampal areas from depth-EEG signals. This approach is based on the parameter identification procedure of a realistic Multi-Source/Multi-Channel (MSMC) hippocampal model that simulates the function of different areas of hippocampus. In the model it is supposed that the observed signals recorded using intracranial electrodes are generated by some hidden neuronal sources, according to some parameters. An algorithm is proposed to extract the intrinsic (solely relative to one hippocampal area) and extrinsic (coupling coefficients between two areas) model parameters, simultaneously, by a Maximum Likelihood (ML) method. Coupling coefficients are considered as the measure of effective synchronization. This work can be considered as an application of Dynamic Causal Modeling (DCM) that enables us to understand effective synchronization changes during transition from inter-ictal to pre -ictal state. The algorithm is first validated by using some synthetic datasets. Then by extracting the coupling coefficients of real depth-EEG signals by the proposed approach, it is observed that the coupling values show no significant difference between ictal, pre-ictal and inter-ictal states, i.e. either the increase or decrease of coupling coefficients has been observed in all states. However, taking the value of intrinsic parameters into account, pre-seizure state can be distinguished from inter-ictal state. It is claimed that seizures start to appear when there are seizure-related physiological parameters on the onset channel, and its coupling coefficient toward other channels increases simultaneously. As a result of considering both intrinsic and extrinsic parameters as the feature vector, inter-ictal, pre-ictal and ictal activities are discriminated from each other with an accuracy of 91.33% accuracy.

A model-based method for computation of correlation dimension, Lyapunov exponents and synchronization from depth-EEG signals.

In order to predict epileptic seizures many precursory features, extracted from the EEG signals, have been introduced. Before checking out the performance of features in detection of pre-seizure state, it is required to see whether these features are accurately extracted. Evaluation of feature estimation methods has been less considered, mainly due to the lack of a ground truth for the real EEG signals' features. In this paper, some simulated long-term depth-EEG signals, with known state spaces, are generated via a realistic neural mass model with physiological parameters. Thanks to the known ground truth of these synthetic signals, they are suitable for evaluating different algorithms used to extract the features. It is shown that conventional methods of estimating correlation dimension, the largest Lyapunov exponent, and phase coherence have non-negligible errors. Then, a parameter identification-based method is introduced for estimating the features, which leads to better estimation results for synthetic signals. It is shown that the neural mass model is able to reproduce real depth-EEG signals accurately; thus, assuming this model underlying real depth-EEG signals, can improve the accuracy of features' estimation.

Proposing a two-level stochastic model for epileptic seizure genesis.

By assuming the brain as a multi-stable system, different scenarios have been introduced for transition from normal to epileptic state. But, the path through which this transition occurs is under debate. In this paper a stochastic model for seizure genesis is presented that is consistent with all scenarios: a two-level spontaneous seizure generation model is proposed in which, in its first level the behavior of physiological parameters is modeled with a stochastic process. The focus is on some physiological parameters that are essential in simulating different activities of ElectroEncephaloGram (EEG), i.e., excitatory and inhibitory synaptic gains of neuronal populations. There are many depth-EEG models in which excitatory and inhibitory synaptic gains are the adjustable parameters. Using one of these models at the second level, our proposed seizure generator is complete. The suggested stochastic model of first level is a hidden Markov process whose transition matrices are obtained through analyzing the real parameter sequences of a seizure onset area. These real parameter sequences are estimated from real depth-EEG signals via applying a parameter identification algorithm. In this paper both short-term and long-term validations of the proposed model are done. The long-term synthetic depth-EEG signals simulated by this model can be taken as a suitable tool for comparing different seizure prediction algorithms.