http://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/september/seizure-music-research-092413.html
In a recent experiment, Stanford professors Chris Chafe and Josef Parvizi created audio EEG recordings of both normal brain activity and seizure states. During the state of seizure, tones became more pronounced and their tempo became chaotic. “We could instantly differentiate seizure activity from non-seizure states with just our ears,” Chafe said. “It was like turning a radio dial from a static-filled station to a clear one.”
Since some seizures can occur without immediate, behavioral symptoms, Chafe and Parvizi have decided to use this research to develop a tool for caregivers to use real time brain data to hear and recognize undetected seizures.
The EEGs Parvizi conducts register brain activity from more than 100 electrodes. Chafe selects certain electrode/neuron pairings and allows them to modulate notes sung by a female singer. As the electrode captures increased activity, it changes the pitch and inflection of the singer’s voice.
Before the seizure begins (during the pre-ictal stage) the notes from each “singer” almost synchronize and fall into a clear rhythm. In the moments leading up to the seizure event, each of the singers begins to improvise. The notes become progressively louder and more scattered as the full seizure event occurs (the ictal state). One can hear the electrical storm originate on one side of the brain and eventually cross over into the other hemisphere. After about 30 seconds of chaos, the singers begin to calm, tapering off into their post-ictal rhythm. Occasionally, one or two will behave erratically, but on the whole, the choir sounds extremely fatigued.
According to Professor Parvizi, this is the perfect representation of the three phases of a seizure event.
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