基于混沌优化算法的多信号分类脑磁图源定位方法

如何利用实验测得的脑磁图数据准确定位脑磁图源的真实活动位置是脑功能研究和临床应用中的一个关键问题.在脑磁活动源定位问题中,多信号分类算法是被广泛研究和采用的一类方法.为了克服多信号分类算法及其改进算法--递归多信号分类算法全局扫描时速度太慢的缺点,提出了一种基于混沌优化算法的脑磁图源定位新方法.该方法利用混沌运动遍历性的特点估计目标函数的全局最大值,进行初步的脑磁图源定位;然后,在小范围内结合网格的方法,进一步进行精确的定位.实验结果表明,此方法可实现多个脑磁图源的定位,并且定位速度大大加快,同时又能达到所要求的定位精度.     

基于混沌优化算法的MUSIC脑磁图源定位方法

如何利用实验测得的脑磁图数据准确定位脑磁图源的真实活动位置是脑功能研究和临床应用中的一个关键问题.在脑磁活动源定位问题中,多信号分类算法是被广泛研究和采用的一类方法.为了克服多信号分类算法及其改进算法--递归多信号分类算法全局扫描时速度太慢的缺点,提出了一种基于混沌优化算法的脑磁图源定位新方法.该方法利用混沌运动遍历性的特点估计目标函数的全局最大值,进行初步的脑磁图源定位;然后,在小范围内结合网格的方法,进一步进行精确的定位.实验结果表明,此方法可实现多个脑磁图源的定位,并且定位速度大大加快,同时又能达到所要求的定位精度.     

脑磁图神经活动源数目的估计

在脑磁图信号的分析中,正确估计出脑磁图神经活动源的数目是进一步分析脑磁图信号的前提。目前广泛采用的信息论方法和主成分分析方法都是根据特征值来确定源的数目,这两种方法在源数目较多、噪声较强的情况下,会导致误判。该文提出了一种噪声调节自动阈值的脑磁图源数目判断方法,利用基于噪声调节的主成分分析并结合聂曼- 皮尔逊准则对脑磁图源数目进行估计。同时,该方法采用了基于小波的噪声方差估计,实现了脑磁图信号中噪声方差的精确估计。通过对基于信息论方法、主成分分析方法以及该文所提议方法的实验结果的比较,表明该文所提议方法能更准确地估计脑磁图源数目,特别是在源数目较多、信噪比较小的情况下,仍能准确地估计脑磁图源数目,具有较大的实际意义。     

基于粒子群优化算法的脑磁图源定位

脑磁图作为一种新型的脑探测技术,具有较高定位精度和毫秒级时间分辨率的特点。快速准确地利用脑磁图技术对三维空间中的脑神经活动源进行定位,对于脑功能研究和医学临床应用都具有重要的应用价值。可是,目前的脑磁图源定位广泛采用了多信号分类方法,它要求对三维大脑空间进行全局扫描,需要大量的计算,存在速度慢的缺点。针对这一问题,提出了一种基于粒子群优化算法的脑磁图源定位方法。先利用粒子群优化算法全局搜索能力强的特点寻找出目标函数的全局最优值,进行初步的脑磁图源定位;然后,再在小范围内进行小网格的搜索,进一步实现精确的定位。实验结果表明,基于粒子群优化算法的脑磁图源定位能够很好地解决上述问题,具有计算速度快、定位精度高的特点。     

脑磁图的临床应用研究

脑磁图 (magnetoencephalogragphy,MEG) ,是一种通过测量脑磁场信号 ,对脑功能区进行定位及评价其状态的新技术 ,具有对人体无侵袭、无损伤等特点 ,目前已在人脑的功能研究和临床上进行应用。脑磁图临床的应用研究1　MEG的基础研究MEG可用于听觉、视觉、语言、运动、脑细胞信息     

脑磁源的定位研究

在脑电脑磁研究中,常将大脑视为一电磁系统,利用准静态近似下的麦克斯韦方程,可以发现代表脑神经元活动的原在电流密度与脑外磁场之间呈线性关系。在高斯哭喊杨存在的情况下,采用极大似然估计理论,讨论了一种基于脑磁场时域－罕注解磁源定位问题的一般方法。球对称导体模型下的模拟计算表明,这一方法是有效的。对于考虑真实头模型下的磁源定位问题求解磁源定位,提出了一种联合使用脑磁脑电数据的近似方法。     

脑源定位技术的精度评估及其在实际中的应用

脑源定位技术旨在通过头皮表面的脑电、脑磁信号来识别大脑内的神经活动源，是研究大脑皮层神经活动、认知过程和病理功能的基础。其毫秒级的时间分辨率可以有效弥补功能核磁共振在低时间分辨率方面的不足。然而，理论分析层面中逆问题的不适定性，以及实践操作层面上不同的记录方式、电极数量和头模型构建等过程带来的误差，给脑源定位的准确性带来极大挑战，也在一定程度上限制了脑源定位方法在神经科学和心理学研究以及临床诊断治疗中的实际应用。因此，理论分析和实践操作层面中的精度评估在脑源定位方法的实际使用中至关重要。针对以上问题，本文在对现有脑源定位方法介绍的基础上，着重分析了脑源定位技术的精度评估方法以及其在基础研究和临床诊断治疗中的实际应用。具体地，本文在理论分析中总结了基于空间分辨率、基于点扩散以及串扰函数的评估方法对于不同脑源定位方法中源的重叠程度和其他源对目标源的影响；在实践操作中介绍了记录方式、电极数量和密度、头部容积传导模型等因素对源定位精度的影响；进一步介绍了脑源定位技术在时频分析、连通性分析中的应用，以及其在临床中的应用，包括癫痫、注意缺陷与多动障碍等脑部疾病。     

脑磁图的临床应用研究

脑磁图(magnetoencephalogragphy,MEG),是一种通过测量脑磁场信号,对脑功能区进行定位及评价其状态的新技术,具有对人体无侵袭、无损伤等特点,目前已在人脑的功能研究和临床上进行应用。     

基于小波变换的单次诱发电位信号时频分析

比较小波变换和平均叠加两种方法提取“模拟自然阅读”刺激模式下的诱发脑电信号,分析其时频特性,并进行脑功能源分布定位分析。结果显示,采用平均叠加法来提取和分析诱发电位信号,损失了某些重要的诱发电位成分,且其功能源分布定位反映的只是等效功能源的静态过程;而使用小波变换和脑功能源定位来提取和分析单次诱发电位信号,既能观察到丰富的诱发电位成分,又能反映脑功能源的实时动态活动过程。这表明,小波变换下的时频分析是脑电信号处理的一种可行的新方法。     

基于独立元分析的MEG(脑磁图)数据分析和处理

独立元分析(independent component analysis,ICA)可用于分离混迭的MEG(Magnetoencephalography)多通道信号中的信号源。从ICA分解的结果中消除干扰源和噪声,并将剩余分量投影回MEG多通道数据空间,可得到净化的MEG信号,表示各个信号源的各独立元分别投影回多通道,可对各活动源进行空间定位。特别是,响应于外界刺激的诱发活动源亦可从重叠的MEG多通道信号中得到分离,这对脑功能研究及脑医学临床应用极有吸引力。提出了一个简单有效的基于ICA的MEG数据分析和处理方法,研究和分析了一些实际应用问题,特别是给出了听觉诱发响应的一些有意义的分析结果。     

MEG Source Localization Using Invariance of Noise Space

We propose INvariance of Noise (INN) space as a novel method for source localization of magnetoencephalography (MEG) data. The method is based on the fact that modulations of source strengths across time change the energy in signal subspace but leave the noise subspace invariant. We compare INN with classical MUSIC, RAP-MUSIC, and beamformer approaches using simulated data while varying signal-to-noise ratios as well as distance and temporal correlation between two sources. We also demonstrate the utility of INN with actual auditory evoked MEG responses in eight subjects. In all cases, INN performed well, especially when the sources were closely spaced, highly correlated, or one source was considerably stronger than the other.     

Electro/magnetoencephalography beamforming with spatial restrictions based on sparsity

We present a source localization method for electroencephalographic (EEG) and magnetoencephalographic (MEG) data which is based on an estimate of the sparsity obtained through the eigencanceler (EIG), which is a spatial filter whose weights are constrained to lie in the noise subspace. The EIG provides rejection of directional interferences while minimizing noise contributions and maintaining specified beam pattern constraints. In our case, the EIG is used to estimate the sparsity of the signal as a function of the position, then we use this information to spatially restrict the neural sources to locations out of the sparsity maxima. As proof of the concept, we incorporate this restriction in the “classical” linearly constrained minimum variance (LCMV) source localization approach in order to enhance its performance. We present numerical examples to evaluate the proposed method using realistically simulated EEG/MEG data for different signal-to-noise (SNR) conditions and various levels of correlation between sources, as well as real EEG/MEG measurements of median nerve stimulation. Our results show that the proposed method has the potential of reducing the bias on the search of neural sources in the classical approach, as well as making it more effective in localizing correlated sources.     

Investigation of a two-point maximum entropy regularization method for signal enhancement applied to magnetoencephalography data

A two-point maximum entropy method (TPMEM) was investigated for post-acquisition signal recovery in magnetoencephalography (MEG) data, as a potential replacement of a low-pass (LP) filtering technique currently in use. We first applied TPMEM and the LP filter for signal recovery of synthetically noise corrupted MEG “phantom” data sets in which the true underlying signal was known. Results were quantified with the use of visual plots, percent error histograms, and the statistical parameters root mean squared error and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Synthetically noise corrupted data from a simulated magnetic dipole was used to quantify the improvements gained in using TPMEM over LP filters in reconstructing known dipole parameters such as position, orientation, and magnitude. Finally, we applied TPMEM and LP filters to a sample MEG patient data set. Our results show that TPMEM has improved noise-reduction and signal recovery capabilities than those of the LP filter, and furthermore data processed with TPMEM shows less error in the reconstructed dipole parameters. We propose that TPMEM can be used for MEG signal processing, resulting in improved MEG source characterization.     

Assessment of Subcortical Source Localization Using Deep Brain Activity Imaging Model with Minimum Norm Operators: A MEG Study

Subcortical structures are involved in many healthy and pathological brain processes. It is crucial for many studies to use magnetoencephalography (MEG) to assess the ability to detect subcortical generators. This study aims to assess the source localization accuracy and to compare the characteristics of three inverse operators in the specific case of subcortical generators. MEG has a low sensitivity to subcortical sources mainly because of their distance from sensors and their complex cyto-architecture. However, we show that using a realistic anatomical and electrophysiological model of deep brain activity (DBA), the sources make measurable contributions to MEG sensors signals. Furthermore, we study the point-spread and cross-talk functions of the wMNE, sLORETA and dSPM inverse operators to characterize distortions in cortical and subcortical regions and to study how noise-normalization methods can improve or bias accuracy. We then run Monte Carlo simulations with neocortical and subcortical activations. In the case of single hippocampus patch activations, the results indicate that MEG can indeed localize the generators in the head and the body of the hippocampus with good accuracy. We then tackle the question of simultaneous cortical and subcortical activations. wMNE can detect hippocampal activations that are embedded in cortical activations that have less than double their amplitude, but it does not completely correct the bias to more superficial sources. dSPM and sLORETA can still detect hippocampal activity above this threshold, but such detection might include the creation of ghost deeper sources. Finally, using the DBA model, we showed that the detection of weak thalamic modulations of ongoing brain activity is possible.     

High-resolution magnetoencephalography--studies with a small-volume phantom]

To investigate the spatiotemporal organisation of neuronal processes in an animal model using magnetoencephalography (MEG), a high temporal resolution (ms) and an appropriate spatial resolution of about 1 mm is necessary. With the aim of determining the localization error and the resolution power of high-resolution MEG systems, we developed a phantom capable of simulating the characteristics of animal models. The phantom enables us to variably position at least two magnetic field sources to within 0.1 mm. For source localization on the basis of the magnetic field data, a spatial filtering algorithm was used. The investigation of a 16-channel micro SQUID-MEG system with a current dipole orientated tangentially to the phantom surface produced the following localization data (min ... max, x, y--horizontal plane, z--depth); systematic localization error e(x) = 1.16 ... 1.67 mm, e(y) = -1.01 ... -1.28 mm, e(z) = -5.22 ... -7.64 mm, standard deviation of the individual measurements perpendicular to the dipole axis s(perp) = 0.05 ... 0.22 mm, along this axis s(long) = 0.20 ... 1.73 mm, in the depths sz = 0.17 ... 3.17 mm. The "goodness of fit" was > 95%. Separation of two dipoles was still possible for parallel dipoles at a distance apart of d(parallel) = 0.03 mm and for those oriented perpendicularly to each other at a distance apart of d(perp) = 0.10 mm. On the basis of these results we conclude that the MEG system can achieve a resolution sufficient to permit the investigation of neuronal microstructures. The spatial errors detected were related to sensor position in the cryostatic vessel as well as to external low-frequency noise.     

Seizure source localization using a hybrid second order blind identification and extended rival penalized competitive learning algorithm

Localization of seizure sources prior to neurosurgery is crucial. In this paper, a new method is proposed to localize the seizure sources from multi-channel electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. Blind source separation based on second order blind identification (SOBI) is primarily applied to estimate the brain source signals in each window of the EEG signals. A new clustering method based on rival penalized competitive learning (RPCL) is then developed to cluster the rows of the estimated unmixing matrices in all the windows. The algorithm also includes pre and post-processing stages. By multiplying each cluster center to the EEG signals, the brain signal sources are approximated. According to a complexity value measure, the main seizure source signal is separated from the others. This signal is projected back to the electrodes’ space and is subjected to the dipole source localization using a single dipole model. The simulation results verify the accuracy of the system. In addition, correct localization of the seizure source is consistent with the clinical tests derived using the simultaneous intracranial recordings.     

Magnetoencephalography and its Achilles' heel

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) has practically unlimited temporal resolution. Fundamental physical reasons, however, restrict the capability of MEG to separate simultaneously active sources. After a brief tutorial introduction into MEG, various aspects of spatial resolution are reviewed with the help of examples. First the estimation of a single current dipole is examined. A consideration of the resolution field shows that the spatial selectivity of the estimated dipole moment is highly dependent on methodological issues. A subsequent consideration of various two-dipole configurations illustrates how the topography of the magnetic field depends on the distance between the two dipoles and their relative orientations. The resolution fields associated with the estimation of the dipole moments reveal a strong interference for closely spaced dipoles. A simple model suggests that the standard deviations of the estimated moments are inversely proportional to the distance of the dipoles. Spatial information provided by techniques like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) could help to overcome problems resulting from the limited spatial resolution of MEG (multimodal integration). But a straightforward synthesis, according to the principle that fMRI provides the spatial structure of the sources and MEG adds the temporal information, is probably doomed to failure in many situations. A serious dilemma, among other problems, is that the fMRI signal generally represents a temporal integral over several seconds: The knowledge that a certain brain region was active sometime or other is not necessarily helpful for disentangling the MEG activity within a specified short time window. An intriguing fact is that the spatio-temporal pattern of the MEG signals can be considered as a signature of the brain which is suitable for hypothesis testing with high temporal and spatial resolution.     

Harmony: EEG/MEG Linear Inverse Source Reconstruction in the Anatomical Basis of Spherical Harmonics

EEG/MEG source localization based on a “distributed solution” is severely underdetermined, because the number of sources is much larger than the number of measurements. In particular, this makes the solution strongly affected by sensor noise. A new way to constrain the problem is presented. By using the anatomical basis of spherical harmonics (or spherical splines) instead of single dipoles the dimensionality of the inverse solution is greatly reduced without sacrificing the quality of the data fit. The smoothness of the resulting solution reduces the surface bias and scatter of the sources (incoherency) compared to the popular minimum-norm algorithms where single-dipole basis is used (MNE, depth-weighted MNE, dSPM, sLORETA, LORETA, IBF) and allows to efficiently reduce the effect of sensor noise. This approach, termed Harmony, performed well when applied to experimental data (two exemplars of early evoked potentials) and showed better localization precision and solution coherence than the other tested algorithms when applied to realistically simulated data.