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There is evidence that biofeedback of electrodermal activity (EDA) can reduce seizure frequency in people with epilepsy. Prior studies have linked EDA biofeedback to a diffuse brain activation as a potential functional mechanism. Here, we investigated whether short-term EDA biofeedback alters EEG-derived large-scale functional brain networks in people with epilepsy. In this prospective controlled trial, thirty participants were quasi-randomly assigned to one of three biofeedback conditions (arousal, sham, or relaxation) and performed a single, 30-min biofeedback training while undergoing continuous EEG recordings. Based on the EEG, we derived evolving functional brain networks and examined their topological, robustness, and stability properties over time. Potential effects on attentional-executive functions and mood were monitored via a neuropsychological assessment and subjective self-ratings. Participants assigned to the relaxation group seemed to be most successful in meeting the task requirements for this specific control condition (i.e., decreasing EDA). Participants in the sham group were more successful in increasing EDA than participants in the arousal group. However, only the arousal biofeedback training was associated with a prolonged robustness-enhancing effect on networks. Effects on other network properties were mostly unspecific for the different groups. None of the biofeedback conditions affected attentional-executive functions or subjective behavioral measures. Our results suggest that global characteristics of evolving functional brain networks are modified by EDA biofeedback. Some alterations persisted after the single training session; however, the effects were largely unspecific across the different biofeedback protocols. Further research should address changes of local network characteristics and whether multiple training sessions will result in more specific network modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the temporal and spatial variability of the importance of brain regions in evolving epileptic brain networks. We construct these networks from multiday, multichannel electroencephalographic data recorded from 17 epilepsy patients and use centrality indices to assess the importance of brain regions. Time-resolved indications of highest importance fluctuate over time to a greater or lesser extent, however, with some periodic temporal structure that can mostly be attributed to phenomena unrelated to the disease. In contrast, relevant aspects of the epileptic process contribute only marginally. Indications of highest importance also exhibit pronounced alternations between various brain regions that are of relevance for studies aiming at an improved understanding of the epileptic process with graph-theoretical approaches. Nonetheless, these findings may guide new developments for individualized diagnosis, treatment, and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human brain is a complex network of interacting nonstationary subsystems, whose complicated spatial-temporal dynamics is still poorly understood. Deeper insights can be gained from recent improvements of time-series-analysis techniques to assess strength and direction of interactions together with methodologies for deriving and characterizing evolving networks from empirical time series. Wehere review these developments, and by taking the example of evolving epileptic brain networks, we discuss the progress that has beenmade in capturing and understanding brain dynamics that varies on time scales ranging from seconds to years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the long-term evolution of degree-degree correlations (assortativity) in functional brain networks from epilepsy patients. Functional networks are derived from continuous multi-day, multi-channel electroencephalographic data, which capture a wide range of physiological and pathophysiological activities. In contrast to previous studies which all reported functional brain networks to be assortative on average, even in case of various neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, we observe large fluctuations in time-resolved degree-degree correlations ranging from assortative to dissortative mixing. Moreover, in some patients these fluctuations exhibit some periodic temporal structure which can be attributed, to a large extent, to daily rhythms. Relevant aspects of the epileptic process, particularly possible pre-seizure alterations, contribute marginally to the observed long-term fluctuations. Our findings suggest that physiological and pathophysiological activity may modify functional brain networks in a different and process-specific way. We evaluate factors that possibly influence the long-term evolution of degree-degree correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Network theory provides novel concepts that promise an improved characterization of interacting dynamical systems. Within this framework, evolving networks can be considered as being composed of nodes, representing systems, and of time-varying edges, representing interactions between these systems. This approach is highly attractive to further our understanding of the physiological and pathophysiological dynamics in human brain networks. Indeed, there is growing evidence that the epileptic process can be regarded as a large-scale network phenomenon. We here review methodologies for inferring networks from empirical time series and for a characterization of these evolving networks. We summarize recent findings derived from studies that investigate human epileptic brain networks evolving on timescales ranging from few seconds to weeks. We point to possible pitfalls and open issues, and discuss future perspectives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Graph-theoretical analyses of complex brain networks is a rapidly evolving field with a strong impact for neuroscientific and related clinical research. Due to a number of confounding variables, however, a reliable and meaningful characterization of particularly functional brain networks is a major challenge. Addressing this problem, we present an analysis approach for weighted networks that makes use of surrogate networks with preserved edge weights or vertex strengths. We first investigate whether characteristics of weighted networks are influenced by trivial properties of the edge weights or vertex strengths (e.g., their standard deviations). If so, these influences are then effectively segregated with an appropriate surrogate normalization of the respective network characteristic. We demonstrate this approach by re-examining, in a time-resolved manner, weighted functional brain networks of epilepsy patients and control subjects derived from simultaneous EEG/MEG recordings during different behavioral states. We show that this surrogate-assisted analysis approach reveals complementary information about these networks, can aid with their interpretation, and thus can prevent deriving inappropriate conclusions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Epilepsy is a malfunction of the brain that affects over 50 million people worldwide. Epileptic seizures are usually characterized by an abnormal synchronized firing of neurons involved in the epileptic process. In human epilepsy the exact mechanisms underlying seizure generation are still uncertain as are mechanisms underlying seizure spreading and termination. There is now growing evidence that an improved understanding of the epileptic process can be achieved through the analysis of properties of epileptic brain networks and through the analysis of interactions in such networks. In this overview, we summarize recent methodological developments to assess synchronization phenomena in human epileptic brain networks and present findings obtained from analyses of brain electromagnetic signals recorded in epilepsy patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We apply the method of frequency-selective excitation waves in excitable media to characterize synchronization phenomena in interacting complex dynamical systems by measuring coincidence rates of induced excitations. We relax the frequency-selectivity of excitable media and demonstrate two applications of the method to signals with broadband spectra. Findings obtained from analyzing time series of coupled chaotic oscillators as well as electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings from an epilepsy patient indicate that this method can provide an alternative and complementary way to estimate the degree of phase synchronization in noisy signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assess electrical brain dynamics before, during, and after 100 human epileptic seizures with different anatomical onset locations by statistical and spectral properties of functionally defined networks. We observe a concave-like temporal evolution of characteristic path length and cluster coefficient indicative of a movement from a more random toward a more regular and then back toward a more random functional topology. Surprisingly, synchronizability was significantly decreased during the seizure state but increased already prior to seizure end. Our findings underline the high relevance of studying complex systems from the viewpoint of complex networks, which may help to gain deeper insights into the complicated dynamics underlying epileptic seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the applicability of the permutation entropy H and a synchronization index γ that is based on the changing tendency of temporal permutation entropies to analyze noisy time series from nonstationary dynamical systems with poorly understood properties. Using model systems, we first study the interdependencies of parameters involved in the calculation of both measures. Having identified appropriate parameter settings we then analyze long-lasting EEG time series recorded from an epilepsy patient. Our findings indicate that γ could be of interest for studies on the predictability of epileptic seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the relative merit of different linear and nonlinear synchronization measures for a characterization of the spatio-temporal dynamics of the epileptic process. Analyzing long-lasting multichannel electroencephalographic recordings from more than 20 epilepsy patients we show that all measures are able to identify brain regions of pathological synchronization associated with epilepsy, even during the seizure-free interval, and are able to detect a long-lasting transitional preseizure state. These findings render synchronization measures attractive for future prospective studies on seizure prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring the directionality of coupling between dynamical systems is one of the challenging problems in nonlinear time series analysis. We investigate the relative merit of two approaches to assess directionality, one based on phase dynamics modeling and one based on state space topography. We analyze unidirectionally coupled model systems to investigate the ability of the two approaches to detect driver-responder relationships and discuss certain problems and pitfalls. In addition we apply both approaches to the intracranial electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded from one epilepsy patient during the seizure-free interval to demonstrate the general suitability of directionality measures to reflect the pathological interaction of the epileptic focus with other brain areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inferring strength and direction of interactions from electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings is of crucial importance to improve our understanding of dynamical interdependencies underlying various physiological and pathophysiological conditions in the human epileptic brain. We here use approaches from symbolic analysis to investigate--in a time-resolved manner--weighted and directed, short- to long-ranged interactions between various brain regions constituting the epileptic network. Our observations point to complex spatial-temporal interdependencies underlying the epileptic process and their role in the generation of epileptic seizures, despite the massive reduction of the complex information content of multi-day, multi-channel EEG recordings through symbolization. We discuss limitations and potential future improvements of this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate assortativity of functional brain networks before, during, and after one-hundred epileptic seizures with different anatomical onset locations. We construct binary functional networks from multi-channel electroencephalographic data recorded from 60 epilepsy patients; and from time-resolved estimates of the assortativity coefficient, we conclude that positive degree-degree correlations are inherent to seizure dynamics. While seizures evolve, an increasing assortativity indicates a segregation of the underlying functional network into groups of brain regions that are only sparsely interconnected, if at all. Interestingly, assortativity decreases already prior to seizure end. Together with previous observations of characteristic temporal evolutions of global statistical properties and synchronizability of epileptic brain networks, our findings may help to gain deeper insights into the complicated dynamics underlying generation, propagation, and termination of seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the suitability of selected measures of complexity based on recurrence quantification analysis and recurrence networks for an identification of pre-seizure states in multi-day, multi-channel, invasive electroencephalographic recordings from five epilepsy patients. We employ several statistical techniques to avoid spurious findings due to various influencing factors and due to multiple comparisons and observe precursory structures in three patients. Our findings indicate a high congruence among measures in identifying seizure precursors and emphasize the current notion of seizure generation in large-scale epileptic networks. A final judgment of the suitability for field studies, however, requires evaluation on a larger database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]