Feature library for behavioural characterization of early and late seizures in an experimental model of post-traumatic epilepsy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To generate a behavioral feature library for a more granular description of seizure semiology in rats with traumatic brain injury (TBI). To compare the new approach to the Racine score. NEW METHOD: A library of 59 seizure-related behavioral features was generated by annotating 329 seizures in 31 rats with TBI, which were monitored using high-resolution video-electroencephalogram. Of the 329 seizures, 149 were early, 85 post-electrode implantation (6th post-injury month), and 95 late seizures (7th post-injury month). Of the 59 behavioral features, 3 were pre-ictal, 43 ictal, and 13 post-ictal. Of the 43 ictal features, 7 related to consciousness, 5 to mouth and whiskers, 2 to eyes, 7 to head, 2 to ears, 6 to paws, 12 to body and tail, 2 to autonomic function, and 1 to wet-dog shakes. RESULTS: Early, post-implantation, and late seizures showed different behavioral phenotypes (p&#x202f;<&#x202f;0.001). The number of behavioral features in post-electrode implantation and late seizures was greater than that in early seizures (p&#x202f;<&#x202f;0.05). Behavioral features did not reliably differentiate transitions from pre-ictal to ictal or from ictal to post-ictal phases. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Ninety-one percent of early, 45&#x202f;% of post-electrode implantation, and 18&#x202f;% of late seizures with a Racine score of 0 showed up to 6-7 ictal-related behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The Proposed feature list can be applied for the harmonization of data analysis and reporting, and training of video-based seizure detection algorithms to speed up non-invasive, affordable epilepsy diagnosis and assessment of treatment effects in TBI models.