Interface cerveau-machine pour compenser les déficits moteurs chez des patients ayant des troubles moteurs, avec des implantations chroniques d'électrodes corticales. Etude expérimentale sur animaux. Une interface cerveau-machine (ICM) est définie comme un système de communication qui permet à l'activité cérébrale seule de contrôler des effecteurs externes. L'objectif immédiat des ICM est de fournir des capacités de communication aux personnes gravement handicapées qui sont totalement paralysées par des troubles neuromusculaires, tels que la sclérose latérale amyotrophique, l'accident vasculaire cérébral ou une lésion de la moelle épinière. Des résultats prometteurs (des patients pilotent un joystick grâce à la modulation de leur activité corticale) permettre d'accroître l'espoir dans de futures applications d'ICM avec une matrice de microélectrodes implantées chroniquement à la surface du cortex. Des expériences récentes ont démontré la capacité d'un tétraplégique à contrôler un bras robotisé. Ce travail de thèse contribue aux études précliniques, réalisées en parallèle du développement technique afin de fournir la validation du protocole expérimental chez l'homme par étapes successives. Il permet de développer un dispositif d'enregistrement ElectroCorticoGramme (ECoG) chez des rats, pour l'implanter chez ces animaux et enregistrer leur activité ECoG lors d'expériences comportementales pour contrôler un effecteur externe. Deux types d'études en ligne ont été effectués: le contrôle du distributeur directement par l'activité corticale ou par la combinaison de la tâche motrice (appuyer sur la pédale) et la détection de la signature. Dans les études de contrôle direct par la détection, la Performance Générale (PG) de notre ICM a été de 21,01% ± 4,33 (10 animaux 69 expériences), mais le nombre d'appuis par minute est tombé à 0,57±0,47 rendant plus difficile l'interprétation de ces résultats. C'est pourquoi les expériences, plus complexes, nécessitant l'activation du levier et la détection de signature ont été réalisés. La PG, dans ce cas, est de 37,76% ± 9,64 avec un nombre d'appuis qui a augmenté à 3,24 ± 0,7. La comparaison avec une détection aléatoire nous a permis d'être sûr que ces résultats ne sont pas aléatoires (environ 25-30 fois plus que l'analyse aléatoire). L'une des caractéristiques la plus intéressante de ces expériences est que la zone qui semble en évidence concernée par l'exécution de la tâche motrice est la région du cervelet et non la zone motrice et sensori-motrice, zones qui étaient attendues, comme pour les humains. Un aspect de notre étude sur la neuroplasticité a été de démontrer que la signature, une fois identifiée sur le cervelet, peut être détectée en temps réel dans d'autres régions du cerveau. Nos résultats ont montré une PG de 15,16% ± 3,75 dans 97 expériences faites sur 8 rats. Ces résultats ont montré que l'activité cérébrale en corrélation avec la tâche comportementale, identifiée en premier lieu dans le cervelet, peut être détectée dans une zone différente du cerveau. La caractéristique principale de ce travail de thèse est la démonstration que l'activité neuronale enregistrée en continu au niveau d'une électrode corticale unique peut être efficacement utilisée pour piloter un effecteur avec un degré de liberté, au cours d'expériences longue durant jusqu'à une heure, avec un animal libre de ses mouvements capable de prendre des décisions de manière aléatoire sans indication. Ce travail est une étape déterminante, un premier pas, vers un programme plus vaste visant à fournir un certain niveau de mobilité pour des jeunes patients tétraplégiques. / Brain computer interface with chronic cortical electrode arrays for motor deficit compensation in motor disabled patients. Experimental study in rodents. A brain-computer interface (BCI) is currently defined as a hardware and software communication system that permits cerebral activity alone to control external devices. The immediate goal of BCI research is to provide communication capabilities to severely disabled people who are totally paralyzed or ‘locked in' by neuromuscular disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, brain stem stroke, or spinal cord injury. Promising results (patients piloting a joystick through modulation of their cortical activity) increase the hope of BCI with an array of microelectrodes chronically implanted at the cortex's surface, which doesn't exist yet. Recent experiments demonstrated the capacity for a tetraplegic to control a robotic arm. This PhD work contributes to preclinical studies, performed in parallel of technical development to provide validation of the human experimental protocol in successive steps. It contributes to develop ECoG recording device for rats, to implant them in the corresponding animals and record their ECoG activity during freely moving behavioural experiments to control an external effector. Two kinds of on-line studies have been done: the control of the dispenser directly by cortical activity or by the combination of motor task (push the lever) and detection of the signature. In studies of direct control by the detection the Overall Performance (OP) was 21,01%±4,33 (10 animals 69 experiments) but the number of push per minute fell to 0,57±0,47 making more difficult the interpretation of these results. That's why the experiments, more complicated, requiring both lever activation and signature detection have been realized. The OP, in this case, is 37,76%±9,64 with a number of push which increased back to 3,24±0,7. The comparison with random detection permitted us to be sure that these results are not random (around 25-30 fold more than random analysis). One of the most intriguing features of these experiments is that the area which seems prominently concerned by the execution of the motor task is the cerebellar area and not the central, motor and sensorimotor, areas which would be expected, as in human beings. An aspect of our neuroplasticity study has been to demonstrate that the signature, once identified on cerebellum, can be detected in real-time in other areas of the brain. Our results showed an OP of 15,16%±3,75 in 97 experiments done on 8 rats. These results showed that brain activities correlated with behavioural task identified firstly in cerebellum can be detected in a different area of the brain. The main feature of this report is the demonstration that neural activity continuously recorded at the level of one single cortical electrode can be efficiently used to pilot an effector with one degree of freedom, during experiments up to 1 hour, in a freely moving individual making decisions in a random unsupervised manner. This work is a determining first step towards a larger program aiming at providing a certain level of mobility to young cervical spinal-cord injured patients with tetraplegia.

abstract: When surgical resection becomes necessary to alleviate a patient's epileptiform activity, that patient is monitored by video synchronized with electrocorticography (ECoG) to determine the type and location of seizure focus. This provides a unique opportunity for researchers to gather neurophysiological data with high temporal and spatial resolution; these data are assessed prior to surgical resection to ensure the preservation of the patient's quality of life, e.g. avoid the removal of brain tissue required for speech processing. Currently considered the "gold standard" for the mapping of cortex, electrical cortical stimulation (ECS) involves the systematic activation of pairs of electrodes to localize functionally specific brain regions. This method has distinct limitations, which often includes pain experienced by the patient. Even in the best cases, the technique suffers from subjective assessments on the parts of both patients and physicians, and high inter- and intra-observer variability. Recent advances have been made as researchers have reported the localization of language areas through several signal processing methodologies, all necessitating patient participation in a controlled experiment. The development of a quantification tool to localize speech areas in which a patient is engaged in an unconstrained interpersonal conversation would eliminate the dependence of biased patient and reviewer input, as well as unnecessary discomfort to the patient. Post-hoc ECoG data were gathered from five patients with intractable epilepsy while each was engaged in a conversation with family members or clinicians. After the data were separated into different speech conditions, the power of each was compared to baseline to determine statistically significant activated electrodes. The results of several analytical methods are presented here. The algorithms did not yield language-specific areas exclusively, as broad activation of statistically significant electrodes was apparent across cortical areas. For one patient, 15 adjacent contacts along superior temporal gyrus (STG) and posterior part of the temporal lobe were determined language-significant through a controlled experiment. The task involved a patient lying in bed listening to repeated words, and yielded statistically significant activations that aligned with those of clinical evaluation. The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that unconstrained conversation may be used to localize areas required for receptive and productive speech, yet suggests a simple listening task may be an adequate alternative to direct cortical stimulation. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Bioengineering 2013

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) offers the opportunity to paralyzed patients to control their movements without any neuromuscular activity. Signal processing of neuronal activity enables to decode movement intentions. Ability for patient to control an effector is closely linked to this decoding performance. In this study, I tackle a recent way to decode neuronal activity: Deep learning. The study is based on public data extracted by Schalk et al. for BCI Competition IV. Electrocorticogram (ECoG) data from three epileptic patients were recorded. During the experiment setup, the team asked subjects to move their fingers and recorded finger movements thanks to a data glove. An artificial neural network (ANN) was built based on a common BCI feature extraction pipeline made of successive convolutional layers. This network firstly mimics a spatial filtering with a spatial reduction of sources. Then, it realizes a time-frequency analysis and performs a log power extraction of the band-pass filtered signals. The first investigation was on the optimization of the network. Then, the same architecture was used on each subject and the decoding performances were computed for a 6-class classification. I especially investigated the spatial and temporal filtering. Finally, a preliminary study was conducted on prediction of finger movement. This study demonstrated that deep learning could be an effective way to decode brain signal. For 6-class classification, results stressed similar performances as traditional decoding algorithm. As spatial or temporal weights after training are slightly described in the literature, we especially worked on interpretation of weights after training. The spatial weight study demonstrated that the network is able to select specific ECoG channels notified in the literature as the most informative. Moreover, the network is able to converge to the same spatial solution, independently to the initialization. Finally, a preliminary study was conducted on prediction of movement position and gives encouraging results.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:30:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_jose_ricardo_souza_costa.pdf: 527246 bytes, checksum: bd1a3cda0fad72a210bcde5a02712f43 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-12-09 / The aim of the present study was to verify the prevalence of oral alterations in oncologic patients that had underwent hospital care, according to their general clinical conditions, which were measured by the Performance Status (PS) ECOG score. Another proposal was that this analysis would subsidize the creation of the dental protocols for the prevention, care and management of these oral alterations in a specific group of individuals. The prospective and observational study was performed in a period of six months, and consisted by weekly exams of the patients with oral neoplasms through the individual Performance Status ECOG scores and the identifications of the occurrence of oral alterations related to oral cancer and its treatment in each level. Fifty-four patients were examined and classified in PS 1 (185%), PS 2 (27.77%), PS 3 (59.26%), and PS 4 (33.33%). It was observed level changes in some individuals. The oral conditions were xerostomia (41.54%), dysgeusia (4.62%), oral ulcers (16.92%), mucositis (3.08%), haemostatic disturbances (15.38%), and infections (12.31%). Based on our findings, this study suggested that the presence of oral conditions were directly proportional to the PS ECOG levels and that this association providing conditions to create dental care programs characterized by the significant equity among the oncologic patients undergoing intensive care / O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a prevalência de alterações bucais em pacientes oncológicos sob internação hospitalar de acordo com a condição clínica geral, mensurada pela escala de Performance Status ECOG, além de subsidiar a criação de condutas odontológicas para a prevenção, suporte e tratamento de tais alterações neste seleto grupo de pacientes. O estudo foi prospectivo e observacional realizado no período de 6 meses, através de avaliação semanal de pacientes portadores de neoplasia para classificação Performance Status ECOG individual e a verificação da ocorrência de alterações bucais relacionados ao câncer e ao seu tratamento em cada nível. Foram examinados 54 pacientes, distribuídos nos níveis de Performance Status 1 (1,85%), 2 (27,77%), 3 (59,26%) e 4 (33,33%), com alteração de nível em um mesmo paciente, e que apresentaram a ocorrência de alterações bucais como xerostomia (41,54%), disgeusia (4,62%), úlceras (16,92%), mucosite (3,08%), distúrbios hemostáticos (15,38%) e infecções (12,31%). De acordo com os resultados obtidos o estudo sugere que a ocorrência de alterações bucais foi diretamente proporcional aos níveis de PS ECOG e que está associação subsidia a elaboração de programas de assistência odontológica com significativa equidade a pacientes oncológicos internados

Comment le sens est-il extrait de l'information visuelle ? Cette thèse est focalisée sur la capacité du système visuel d'humains et de singes à extraire et représenter l'information visuelle sur différents niveaux de complexité. Nous avons étudié différent niveaux de représentations visuelles, de la production de représentations visuelles primaires jusqu'à l'élaboration de représentations visuelles conscientes. Ce manuscrit présente six travaux dans lesquels nous avons exploré : (1) les attributs visuels nécessaires pour réaliser la tâche de catégorisation ultra-rapide chez l'homme et le singe au moyen de méthodes psychophysiques, (2) la dynamique spatio-temporelle de l'attention visuelle chez l'homme au moyen de méthodes psychophysiques, (3) les corrélats neuronaux des représentations de haut niveau en EEG grâce au développement d'une nouvelle technique appelée SWIFT, (4) les corrélats neuronaux de la conscience visuelle dans la rivalité binoculaire en EEG, (5) la synchronie des signaux cérébraux en fonction de la reconnaissance consciente au moyen d'enregistrements intracrâniens chez des patients épileptiques et (6) les corrélats neuronaux associés à la prise de conscience chez le singe au moyen d'enregistrements intracrâniens. Les résultats de ces travaux nous ont permis d'ébaucher un modèle de la perception visuelle, cherchant à dissocier l'attention et la conscience.

Les pointes épileptiques intercritiques (IES) représentent une signature neuronale de l'activation transitoire hypersynchrone et excessive d'un grand ensemble de neurones corticaux hétérogènes. Elles sont considérées comme la signature de l’épileptogénicité du réseau neuronal sous-jacent. Dans cette étude, des changements sur la configuration neurale ont été observés chez des modèles animaux et humains au cours de l'IES. Pour la première fois, ces changements ont été détectés à l'aide de la spectroscopie optique rapide (FOS), qui correspond aux variations de la lumière diffusée par le tissu neural pendant l'activation. Ces chages [i.e. changements] sont associés à des mécanismes cellulaires plutôt qu'à des réponses hémodynamiques à haute résolution spatiale et temporelle. Pour étudier le mécanisme IES, une analyse simultanée multimodale des changements optiques rapides (FOS) et électriques (EEG/ECoG: temps et fréquence) a été développée chez des modèles animaux (15 rats) et humains (IES frontales,3 enfants). Pour évaluer de manière indépendante nos méthodes, un potentiel évoquant somatosensoriel et une réponse optique ont été conçus dans des modèles animaux et humains (5 volontaires sains).Les résultats suggèrent une relation entre la (dé)synchronisation et les changements optiques quel que soit le modèle épileptique. Nous avons démontré que cette approche multimodale non invasive multi-échelles (FOS, ECoG / EEG) permet d'étudier la physiopathologie de l'IES chez les patients et de mieux comprendre les mécanismes qui propulsent les neurones vers l'hypersynchronisation chez les modèles épileptiques humains et animaux / Interictal epileptic spikes (IES) represent a signature of the transient synchronous and excessive discharge of a large ensemble of cortical heterogeneous neurons and are widely accepted diagnostically as a signature of an epileptic underlying network. In this study, changes on neural configuration were observed in an animal and human models during the IES. For the first time, these changes were detected using Fast Optical Spectroscopy (FOS), which correspond to variations of scattered light from neural tissue during activation. These chages [i.e. changes] are associated with cellular mechanisms rather than hemodynamic responses with high spatial and temporal resolution. To investigate IES mechanism, a multimodal simultaneous analysis of the fast optical (FOS) and electrical (EEG/ECoG: time and frequency domain) changes was developed in both animal (15 rats) and human models (frontal IES, 3 children). To independently evaluate our methods, a control somatosensory evoked potential and optical response was designed in both animal and human models (5 healthy volunteers). The results suggest a relationship between (de)synchronization and optical changes whatever the epileptic model. This also proposed that changes in the fast optical signal which reflect changes in membrane configuration, are associated with the complex perturbations of the neuronal activation of the epileptic networks. We demonstrated that this non-invasive multiscale multimodal approach (FOS, ECoG/EEG) is suitable to study the pathophysiology of the IES in patients and shed new light on the mechanisms that propel neurons to the hypersynchronization in both animal and human epileptic models

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of an actual sound stimulus. Recent developments have shifted the focus to the central nervous system and the neural correlate of tinnitus. Broadly, tinnitus involves cortical map rearrangement, pathological neural synchrony, and increased spontaneous firing rates. Various cortical regions, such as Heschl’s gyrus in the auditory cortex, have been found to be associated with different aspects of tinnitus, such as perception and loudness. I propose a cortical stimulation mapping study of Heschl’s gyrus using a depth and subdural electrode montage to conduct electrocorticography. This study would provide high-resolution data on abnormal frequency band oscillations characteristic of tinnitus and pinpoint regions where they occur. The validity of the neural synchrony model would also be tested in this study.

The goal of the study was to use electrical signals from primary motor cortex to generate accurate predictions of the movement onset time of performed movements, for potential use in asynchronous brain-machine interface (BMI) systems. Four subjects, two with electroencephalogram and two with electrocorticogram electrodes, performed various movements while activity from their primary motor cortices was recorded. An analysis program used several criteria (change point, fractal dimension, spectral entropy, sum of differences, bandpower, bandpower integral, phase, and variance), derived from the neural recordings, to generate predictions of movement onset time, which it compared to electromyogram activity onset time, determining prediction accuracy by receiver operating characteristic curve areas. All criteria, excepting phase and change-point analysis, generated accurate predictions in some cases.

The goal of the study was to use electrical signals from primary motor cortex to generate accurate predictions of the movement onset time of performed movements, for potential use in asynchronous brain-machine interface (BMI) systems. Four subjects, two with electroencephalogram and two with electrocorticogram electrodes, performed various movements while activity from their primary motor cortices was recorded. An analysis program used several criteria (change point, fractal dimension, spectral entropy, sum of differences, bandpower, bandpower integral, phase, and variance), derived from the neural recordings, to generate predictions of movement onset time, which it compared to electromyogram activity onset time, determining prediction accuracy by receiver operating characteristic curve areas. All criteria, excepting phase and change-point analysis, generated accurate predictions in some cases.

1 ABSTRACT The presented dissertation deals with prognostic factors influencing a favorable postoperative outcome in patients undergoing surgical treatment of epilepsy and the possibilities of improving the methods used in the localization of epileptogenic lesions. This work is based on the results of four published studies. The first study evaluated the factors influencing the long-term outcomes of epilepsy surgery in MRI-negative (nonlesional) extratemporal lobe epilepsy (nETLE). The aim of the study was to evaluate the benefit of non-invasive diagnostic tests and their relationship with a favorable surgical outcome in a group nETLE patients. Univariate analysis showed that localized interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) on the scalp EEG were associated with a favorable surgical outcome. Diagnostic difficulty in this group of patients is highlighted by the fact that, although 9 of 24 patients undergoing surgery had a favorable outcome, and only nine of 85 patients with nETLE achieved such a favorable outcome. The second work evaluated the benefit of SPECT (Single Photon Emission Tomography) statistical processing over traditional subtraction methods in patients with MRI-negative temporal lobe epilepsy (nTLE) and MRI-negative extratemporal epilepsy (nETLE). 49 consecutive patients who underwent...