Using Data Assimilation for Quantitative Electroencephalography Analysis

Lizbeth Peralta-Malváez et al. Brain Sci. 2020.

Abstract

We propose a method based on the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) together with quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) coherence and power spectrum analysis for evaluating changes in brain activity associated with cognitive processes. Such analysis framework has been widely used in the context of data assimilation (DA) in areas such as geosciences, meteorology, and aerospace. However, the use of this approach is less common in neurosciences. In our case, EnKF highlights the spectral contribution of brain signals that are more likely (according to their coherence analysis) to be related to the cognitive process of interest. The power enhancement, due to the cognitive activity, is later validated in the power spectrum analysis by comparing through statistical tests relevant frequency content in two datasets in which assessing the development of cognitive abilities is of interest: the process of getting concentrated and of learning a new skill. Our results show that our DA-based methodology can highlight important frequency characteristics of the electroencephalogram (EEG) data that have been related to different cognitive processes. Hence, our proposal has the potential to understand of neurocognitive phenomena that is tracked through QEEG.

Keywords: Ensemble Kalman filter; data assimilation; neurocognitive processes; quantitative electroencephalography.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1

The proposed methodology that combines EnKF and QEEG features.

Figure 2
Figure 2

Histograms of User 1 pre-recording.

Figure 3
Figure 3

PSD results from EnKF outputs of User 1.

Figure 4
Figure 4

Sessions with significant change in Dataset LGR.

Figure 5
Figure 5

Histograms of User 5 first recording.

Figure 6
Figure 6

PSD results from EnKF outputs of User 5.

Figure 7
Figure 7

Sessions with significant change in Dataset DM.

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