Ebook: Epilepsy as a Dynamic Disease

A "brain defibrillator" may be closer than we think. An epileptic seizure involves a paroxysmal change in the activity of millions of neurons. Feedback control of seizures would require an implantable device that could predict seizure occurrence and then deliver a stimulus to abort it. To examine the feasibility of building such a device, this text brings together experts in epilepsy, bio-engineering, and dynamical systems theory. Topics include the development of epileptic systems, seizure prediction, neural synchronization, wave phenomena in excitable media, and the control of complex neural dynamics using brief electrical stimuli.

---

A "brain defibrillator" may be closer than we think. An epileptic seizure involves a paroxysmal change in the activity of millions of neurons. Feedback control of seizures would require an implantable device that could predict seizure occurrence and then deliver a stimulus to abort it. To examine the feasibility of building such a device, this text brings together experts in epilepsy, bio-engineering, and dynamical systems theory. Topics include the development of epileptic systems, seizure prediction, neural synchronization, wave phenomena in excitable media, and the control of complex neural dynamics using brief electrical stimuli.

---

A "brain defibrillator" may be closer than we think. An epileptic seizure involves a paroxysmal change in the activity of millions of neurons. Feedback control of seizures would require an implantable device that could predict seizure occurrence and then deliver a stimulus to abort it. To examine the feasibility of building such a device, this text brings together experts in epilepsy, bio-engineering, and dynamical systems theory. Topics include the development of epileptic systems, seizure prediction, neural synchronization, wave phenomena in excitable media, and the control of complex neural dynamics using brief electrical stimuli.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XXXII
Medically Intractable Epilepsy....Pages 1-14
Insights into Seizure Propagation from Axonal Conduction Times....Pages 15-23
Dynamic Epileptic Systems Versus Static Epileptic Foci?....Pages 25-36
Neuroglia, the Other Brain Cells....Pages 37-49
The Electroencephalogram (EEG): A Measure of Neural Synchrony....Pages 51-68
Electrocorticographic Coherence Patterns of Epileptic Seizures....Pages 69-81
Synchronization of Synaptically Coupled Neural Oscillators....Pages 83-114
Controlling Neural Synchrony with Periodic and Aperiodic Stimuli....Pages 115-130
Modeling Pattern Formation in Excitable Media: The Legacy of Norbert Wiener....Pages 131-164
Are Cardiac Waves Relevant to Epileptic Wave Propagation?....Pages 165-188
Pattern Formation in the Microbial World: Dictyostelium Discoideum ....Pages 189-211
Predicting Epileptic Seizures....Pages 213-235
Comparison of Methods for Seizure Detection....Pages 237-247
Direct Deep-Brain Stimulation: First Steps Towards the Feedback Control of Seizures....Pages 249-261
Seizure Control using Feedback and Electric Fields....Pages 263-282
Aborting Seizures with a Single Stimulus: The Case for Multistability....Pages 283-295
Unstable Periodic Orbits (UPOs) and Chaos Control in Neural Systems....Pages 297-322
Prospects for Building a Therapeutic Cortical Stimulator....Pages 323-339
Brain Defibrillators: Synopsis, Problems and Future Directions....Pages 341-352
Back Matter....Pages 353-417

---

A "brain defibrillator" may be closer than we think. An epileptic seizure involves a paroxysmal change in the activity of millions of neurons. Feedback control of seizures would require an implantable device that could predict seizure occurrence and then deliver a stimulus to abort it. To examine the feasibility of building such a device, this text brings together experts in epilepsy, bio-engineering, and dynamical systems theory. Topics include the development of epileptic systems, seizure prediction, neural synchronization, wave phenomena in excitable media, and the control of complex neural dynamics using brief electrical stimuli.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XXXII
Medically Intractable Epilepsy....Pages 1-14
Insights into Seizure Propagation from Axonal Conduction Times....Pages 15-23
Dynamic Epileptic Systems Versus Static Epileptic Foci?....Pages 25-36
Neuroglia, the Other Brain Cells....Pages 37-49
The Electroencephalogram (EEG): A Measure of Neural Synchrony....Pages 51-68
Electrocorticographic Coherence Patterns of Epileptic Seizures....Pages 69-81
Synchronization of Synaptically Coupled Neural Oscillators....Pages 83-114
Controlling Neural Synchrony with Periodic and Aperiodic Stimuli....Pages 115-130
Modeling Pattern Formation in Excitable Media: The Legacy of Norbert Wiener....Pages 131-164
Are Cardiac Waves Relevant to Epileptic Wave Propagation?....Pages 165-188
Pattern Formation in the Microbial World: Dictyostelium Discoideum ....Pages 189-211
Predicting Epileptic Seizures....Pages 213-235
Comparison of Methods for Seizure Detection....Pages 237-247
Direct Deep-Brain Stimulation: First Steps Towards the Feedback Control of Seizures....Pages 249-261
Seizure Control using Feedback and Electric Fields....Pages 263-282
Aborting Seizures with a Single Stimulus: The Case for Multistability....Pages 283-295
Unstable Periodic Orbits (UPOs) and Chaos Control in Neural Systems....Pages 297-322
Prospects for Building a Therapeutic Cortical Stimulator....Pages 323-339
Brain Defibrillators: Synopsis, Problems and Future Directions....Pages 341-352
Back Matter....Pages 353-417
....