EEG Analysis Apparatus for Mood Disorder Detection During Sleep
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing mood disorders like depression and schizophrenia based on electroencephalograms (EEGs) are limited as they require patients to be in a wakeful state, making it difficult for early detection and self-assessment, and may burden patients with continuous measurement.
Innovation Solution
An electroencephalogram analysis apparatus and method that acquires and compares EEGs from specific regions on the head, particularly the prefrontal and frontal regions, during sleep stages 2 to 4, using the frequency band of slow sleep spindles (10.5 Hz to 12.5 Hz) to differentiate between mood disorder and normal states by comparing power distributions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If electroencephalograms are measured when patients are in a wakeful state to evaluate mood disorders, then the evaluation can be based on right and left front qEEG asymmetry, but patients have to take time for measuring in their daily lives and bear the burden of continuous measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs EEG measurements during sleep stages (particularly stages 2-4) before the patient needs to make a clinical judgment. By capturing brain activity during sleep when mood-related neural patterns are naturally expressed, the system eliminates the need for time-consuming wakeful state measurements while maintaining diagnostic accuracy for mood disorders
2Measurement precision
If electroencephalograms are measured when patients are in a wakeful state to diagnose mood disorders, then right and left front qEEG asymmetry can be evaluated, but it is difficult for patients to judge mood disorders by themselves and they lose opportunities for early consultation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-assessment by automatically analyzing EEG data collected during sleep and providing objective mood disorder evaluation results that patients can interpret themselves. The system processes the complex neural asymmetry patterns without requiring patient expertise, allowing individuals to monitor their own mental health status and seek timely medical consultation when needed
3Ease of operation
If electroencephalograms are measured during sleep stages to evaluate mood disorders, then patient burden is reduced and early detection is facilitated, but the measurement must capture specific sleep stage characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adapts the measurement and analysis process to the patient's actual sleep stage. The system continuously monitors EEG patterns to identify when the patient enters stages 2-4 of sleep, then activates the mood disorder evaluation protocol at the optimal moment. This dynamic approach ensures accurate capture of sleep-specific neural characteristics while minimizing measurement intrusion and patient burden
Data Source
AI summary
An electroencephalogram analysis apparatus includes an electroencephalogram acquisition part and a comparison part. The electroencephalogram acquisition part is configured to acquire a first electroencephalogram measured at a first region on a head of a test subject and a second electroencephalogram measured at a second region positioned behind the first region on the head of the test subject. The comparison part is configured to compare a power of the first electroencephalogram in a specific frequency band with a power of the second encephalogram in the specific frequency band.