Inferring spatiotemporal network patterns from intracranial EEG data

ObjectiveThe characterization of spatial network dynamics is desirable for a better understanding of seizure physiology. The goal of this work is to develop a computational method for identifying transient spatial patterns from intracranial electroencephalographic (iEEG) data.MethodsStarting with bivariate synchrony measures, such as phase correlation, a two-step clustering procedure is used to identify statistically significant spatial network patterns, whose temporal evolution can be inferred. We refer to this as the composite synchrony profile (CSP) method.ResultsThe CSP method was verified with simulated data and evaluated using ictal and interictal recordings from three patients with intractable epilepsy. Application of the CSP method to these clinical iEEG datasets revealed a set of distinct CSPs with topographies consistent with medial temporal/limbic and superior parietal/medial frontal networks thought to be involved in the seizure generation process.ConclusionsBy combining relatively straightforward multivariate signal processing techniques, such as phase synchrony, with clustering and statistical hypothesis testing, the methods we describe may prove useful for network definition and identification.SignificanceThe network patterns we observe using the CSP method cannot be inferred from direct visual inspection of the raw time series data, nor are they apparent in voltage-based topographic map sequences.