The use of complex networks in the epileptogenic zone detection of epileptic patients

• Grant number: 19/05790-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2019
• End date: July 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Andriana Susana Lopes de Oliveira Campanharo
• Grantee: Giovanni Simonetto Nascimento
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Epilepsy is defined as a neurological disorder of the brain that affects approximately 1% of the population. Clinically, epilepsy is characterized by spontaneous and recurrent crises, convulsive or non-convulsive, which are caused by partial or generalized discharges in the brain. Such convulsions are poorly controlled in more than 30% of epilepsy patients, and medical intervention is often required. In most cases, the alternative is to remove the epileptogenic zone of the epileptic patient, that is, the neuronal region responsible for epileptic seizures. Studies have shown that approximately 60% of surgical resection procedures performed are successful. However, the location of the epileptogenic region, necessary for its subsequent removal, is obtained through intracranial EEG information, which is an invasive technique, therefore, non-invasive techniques have been proposed in the literature. Since in most cases the results remain non convergent and/or inconclusive, it is necessary the propose of new methods of treatment of this disorder. Recently, Campanharo et al. proposed a mapping that allows the study of the time series dynamics with the use of the network topological properties. In this research project, it is proposed a non-invasive EEG data analysis technique based on this mapping for the epileptogenic zone detection in epileptic patients.