Deactivation of Brain Areas During Self-Regulation of Slow Cortical Potentials in Seizure Patients

Abstract

This study investigates the neurophysiological basis of EEG feedback for patients with epilepsy. Brain areas are identified that become hemodynamically deactivated when epilepsy patients, trained in EEG self-regulation, generate positive slow cortical potentials (SCPs). Five patients were trained in producing positive SCPs, using a training protocol previously established to reduce seizure frequency in patients with drug refractory epilepsy. Patients attempted to produce positive SCP shifts in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. Two patients were able to reliably produce positive SCP shifts. When these successful regulators were prompted to produce positive SCPs, blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response indicated deactivation, in comparison to a control state, around the recording electrode, frontal lobe, and thalamus. Unsuccessful regulators' BOLD response indicated no deactivation in cortical areas proximal to the active electrode. No thalamic deactivation was found in poor regulators. Decreased seizure frequency from SCP training may be the result of positively reinforced inhibition in cortical areas proximal to active electrode placement, the frontal cortex, and the thalamus.

Inferring hand movement kinematics from MEG, EEG and intracranial EEG: From brain-machine interfaces to motor rehabilitation

“…For instance, training patients to gain control over specific EEG features was tested as an intervention to decrease seizure frequency in epilepsy patients, or as a treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders [108][109][110][111]. These studies have focused mainly on producing long-term changes, such as a lasting increase or decrease in a given EEG feature rather than training the patients to rapidly change features of their ongoing brain activity as is needed for the real-time control of a BCI system.…”

Comparison of Discrete-Trial-Based SMR and SCP Training and the Interrelationship Between SCP and SMR Networks: Implications for Brain–Computer Interfaces and Neurofeedback

“…In contrast to our study, these studies used full-cap EEG systems for training their participants. The variability in the success of self-regulation of the SCP is also observed in patients with epilepsy (Rockstroh et al, 1993;Strehl et al, 2006) and patients with ALS (Neumann & Birbaumer, 2003).…”

Deep Belief Networks Based Brain Activity Classification Using EEG from Slow Cortical Potentials in Stroke

“…Kotchoubey et al analysed the influencing factors in epilepsy using twenty sessions SCP training and detected the positive trials are more important than the negative trials [7,8]. Strehl et al used functional magnetic resonance imaging and the BOLD signal in the SCP and reduced epileptic seizure frequency [17], Siniatchkin et al evaluated the analysis of individual differences in migraine and experienced the negative trials from the SCP differed significantly between the individual habitat [9], Schneider et al determined the efficiency of the SCP training with self-regulation task utilizing biofeedback and instrumental conditioning in psychiatric patients with alcohol dependency [10], Hinterberger et al developed a tough translation device for ALS patients using the SCP trials [3], Pham et al developed an auditory braincomputer stimuli for paralysed patients using the SCP and discussed auditory stimuli characteristics may have to be adapted to optimize brain-computer interface performances [5]. The studies based on cognitive functions, motor performance of the brain and many neurological disorders in literature are indicated the efficiency and the importance of the SCP training and classification of the brain activities from the SCP training such as negativity trials or positivity trials in stroke patients.…”

“…Ergenoglu et al worked on determining the relationship between SCP and P300 amplitude [12], Khader et al analysed the relations between the SCP and Blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal changes [16], Devrim et al investigated the detection of visual stimuli at sensory threshold using the SCP [6], Kotchoubey et al used the SCP training in the research on epilepsy with analysis of influencing factors [7,8]. Strehl et al used functional magnetic resonance imaging and the BOLD signal in the SCP to reduce epileptic seizure frequency [17], Siniatchkin et al evaluated the analysis of migraine [9], Schneider et al determined the efficiency of the SCP training in psychiatric patients with alcohol dependency [10], Cosch et al associated the SCP with the eventrelated potentials such as object, spatial, and verbal information [4], Hinterberger et al suggested a robust and steady communication method between computer and brain for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients using the SCP and studied on developing a tough translation device [3], Pham et al developed an auditory brain-computer stimuli for paralysed patients using the SCP [5]. Stroke is a brain disorder that causes when the blood supply of brain cells is either cut off or reduced and the cells began to die.…”