Mobile-EEG based identification and tracking of Multiple Sclerosis

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Feasibility of Mobile-EEG and machine learning methods for the identification and tracking of Multiple Sclerosis

  • IRAS ID

    163674

  • Contact name

    Barry Devereux

  • Contact email

    b.devereux@qub.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Queen's University Belfast, Research Governance, Ethics and Integrity

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 11 months, 29 days

  • Research summary

    Multiple Sclerosis is a debilitating condition that can appear without warning, and that develops in unpredictable ways for individuals that have the disease. It may be diagnosed quite late using expensive and invasive methods (fMRI, lumbar puncture), and sufferers lack an easy way to monitor and predict the progress of their condition.

    EEG (electroencepholography, or "brainwave" technology) has long been used as a diagnostic tool in clinics and research labs. Now wearable EEG headsets are available as consumer products, and can be used in the home. Computational methods (including signal processing and machine learning) can be used to extract diagnostic biomarkers from these recordings.

    In this pilot study we will investigate the feasibility of using mobile EEG technology to:
    a) tell if a person may have Multiple Sclerosis or not
    b) discriminate whether a person is in an early or late stage of the disease

  • REC name

    HSC REC B

  • REC reference

    15/NI/0234

  • Date of REC Opinion

    16 Nov 2015

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion