System for the prediction, rapid detection, warning, prevention, or control of changes in activity states in the brain of a subject
First Claim
1. A method of detecting the occurrence of abnormal activity in the brain of a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving into a signal processor input signals indicative of the subject'"'"'s brain activity;
(b) determining ictal components in said input signals by applying to said input signals a first filter configured for extracting and enhancing ictal components from said input signals;
(c) measuring the ictal activity in a foreground epoch of said input signals by applying an order-statistic filter to said ictal components corresponding to said epoch to produce a foreground measure of ictal activity;
(d) determining whether said foreground measure reaches a threshold level, such being indicative of the occurrence of said abnormal activity and(e) performing steps (a)-(d) while said abnormal activity is occurring.
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Abstract
A system (10) analyzes signals representative of a subject'"'"'s brain activity in a signal processor (12) for information indicating the subject'"'"'s current activity state and for predicting a change in the activity state. One preferred embodiment uses a combination of nonlinear filtering methods to perform real-time analysis of the electro-encephalogram (EEG) or electro-corticogram (ECoG) signals from a subject patient for information indicative of or predictive of a seizure, and to complete the needed analysis at least before clinical seizure onset. The preferred system then performs an output task for prevention or abatement of the seizure, or for recording pertinent data.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method of detecting the occurrence of abnormal activity in the brain of a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving into a signal processor input signals indicative of the subject'"'"'s brain activity; (b) determining ictal components in said input signals by applying to said input signals a first filter configured for extracting and enhancing ictal components from said input signals; (c) measuring the ictal activity in a foreground epoch of said input signals by applying an order-statistic filter to said ictal components corresponding to said epoch to produce a foreground measure of ictal activity; (d) determining whether said foreground measure reaches a threshold level, such being indicative of the occurrence of said abnormal activity and (e) performing steps (a)-(d) while said abnormal activity is occurring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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28. A method of predicting the occurrence of a seizure in the brain of a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving into a signal processor input signals indicative of the subject'"'"'s brain activity; (b) analyzing said signals for at least one precursor predictive of the occurrence of a seizure in the subject; and (c) upon occurrence of said at least one precursor, producing an output in response before the occurrence of the seizure. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of analyzing the activity state of the brain of a subject, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving into a signal processor signals representative of the subject'"'"'s brain activity; (b) analyzing said signals in said signal processor for presence of information indicating the current activity state of the subject'"'"'s brain; (c) accomplishing step (b) while said activity state is occurring; and (d) producing an output in response to said presence in said information.
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40. A seizure detection, prediction and treatment apparatus for detecting the occurrence of a seizure in the brain of a subject, said method comprising:
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receiving means for receiving input signals indicative of the subject'"'"'s brain activity; signal processing means coupled with said receiving means for determining ictal components in said input signals by applying to said input signals a first filter configured for extracting and enhancing ictal components from said input signals, measuring the ictal activity in a foreground epoch of said input signals by applying an order-statistic filter to said ictal components corresponding to said epoch to produce a foreground measure of ictal activity, and determining whether said foreground measure exceeds a predetermined level, such being indicative of the occurrence of a seizure, and output means for producing an output indicating the occurrence of the seizure while the seizure is occurring.
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Specification