EEG Signals to Detect Epilepsy

EEG Signals to Detect Epilepsy

Problem Statement

Epilepsy is a very common and dangerous medical condition, which refers to the condition of seizures. Epilepsy is considered as the diverse collection of various neurological disorders. Epilepsy can also be defined as the paroxysmal behavioral spell that is caused by the excessive discharge of the nerve cells of the brain. Seizures that are characterized in the condition of epilepsy are recurrent and unprovoked. A number of studies have been conducted to evaluate the causes of seizures, but a cause of seizure is unidentified. However, many studies have investigated a number of factors that are responsible to trigger the condition of epilepsy. These factors include the condition of stroke, brain trauma, illicit or licit drug dependence or abuse, brain cancer, and many others. There is no particular treatment of epilepsy, so control of epilepsy through different approaches is used as the treatment process. However, around 25% to 30% of the epileptic patients do not have control over the seizures even with the best approaches. The approaches may include the best available medications, exercises, diet, and behavioral therapies. Cerebral surgery is also considered as the treatment approach for epilepsy (Papazian & Oscar, 1991).

Undetected or misjudged detection of epilepsy will convert into epilepsy syndrome. There are four major groups of epileptic syndrome that are divided into frontal lobe epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, infantile spams, rolandic epiulepsy, childhood absence epilepsy, juvenile absence epilepsy, hot water epilepsy, dravet syndrome, reflex epilepsy, massive bilateral myoclonus, photosensitive epilepsy, and status epileptcius. Epilepsy syndrome can also be divided into symptomatic, idiopathic, and cryptogenic. Various studies have suggested that death is directly associated with epilepsy in four ways. One way is the problem of status epilepticus. Othery way is association of suicide with depression will lead the patient towards death. Third way is the trauma from epilepsy and seizures, and last way is unexpected death in epilepsy. The extent of epilepsy is extremely high in United States of America. Epilepsy should be detected at the initial stages to start the treatment process as soon as possible, and to reduce the risk of death and other epileptic diseases (Papazian & Oscar, 1991).

Background

Epilepsy is a serious and critical condition that causes the problem of fits or seizures in the patient. There is a chance of neurological impairment from the prevalence of fits or seizures. Various studies have investigated the process of seizures that shows the increased electrical activity in the brain. Epilepsy can also be defined as the paroxysmal episodes of involuntary and sudden contraction of muscle that alter the consciousness, sensation, systemic functioning and behavior. The episodes of the seizures may be simple or complex or generalized. Seizures can also be categorized as the absence, tonic, myoclonic, tonic clonic, or clonic (Nigam & Graupe, 2004).

A study was conducted to evaluate the extent and prevalence of epilepsy. The study suggested that the meaning of epilepsy is to attack or to seize. The study further described that it is the ...