Networked information interactions of epileptic EEG based on symbolic transfer entropy

Abstract

Identifying networked information exchanges among brain regions is important for understanding the brain structure. We employ symbolic transfer entropy to facilitate the construction of networked information interactions for EEGs of 22 epileptics and 22 healthy subjects. The epileptic patients during seizure-free interval have lower information transfer in each individual and whole brain regions than the healthy subjects.Among all of the brain regions, the information flows out of and into the brain area of O1 of the epileptic EEGs are significantly lower than those of the healthy (p<0.0005), and the information flow from F7 to F8 (p<0.00001) is particularly promising to discriminate the two groups of EEGs. Moreover, Shannon entropy of probability distributions of information exchanges suggests that the healthy EEGs have higher complexity and irregularity than the epileptic brain electrical activities. By characterizing the brain networked information interactions, our findings highlight the long-term reduced information exchanges, degree of brain interactivities and informational complexity of the epileptic EEG.

Functional Connectivity Estimation by Phase Synchronization and Information Flow Approaches in Coupled Chaotic Dynamical Systems

“…TE is an analytical method based on information theory that uses conditional probability to detect causal interaction or information flow between two signals. In contrast, several studies have shown that TE analysis can be applied to reveal disease-specific changes in functional connectivity in patients with Lewy body dementia or epilepsy [27], [28]. Both PLI and TE have revealed different aspects of functional connectivity concerning cognitive function in healthy as well as pathologically altered brain networks [26]- [28].…”

“…In contrast, several studies have shown that TE analysis can be applied to reveal disease-specific changes in functional connectivity in patients with Lewy body dementia or epilepsy [27], [28]. Both PLI and TE have revealed different aspects of functional connectivity concerning cognitive function in healthy as well as pathologically altered brain networks [26]- [28]. However, the relationship between the PLI and TE remains unclear.…”