By measuring sweat‚ a wristband detects – and possibly predicts – seizures‚ scientists say

Thursday, 10 May 2012 11:44

News & Events - Engineering News

May 10, 2012

Scientists unveiled a new device that could help detect fatal seizures in at risk patients.

New Scientist reports that a wristband designed by researchers at MIT's Media Lab is capable of discerning whether the wearer is suffering from a potentially serious seizure. The device tests samples of sweat to determine if a seizure is rather benign or severe enough to kill someone, scientists at the Media Lab noted.

Additionally, they said that it is as effective as an electroencephalogram (EEG) in ascertaining the seriousness of a seizure. Physicians currently use EEGs to assess seizures, but the new wristbands could provide clinicians with enhanced information about a particular patient. They could also cut costs and improve existing monitoring methods, experts say.

There are many different kinds of seizures, with some more severe than others. Grand mal seizures, for instance, are characterized as those that cause a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions, according to the Mayo Clinic. Grand mal seizures sometimes occur because of underlying health problems such as a stroke or low blood sugar, but they are most often triggered in people with epilepsy.

By measuring the skin's conductivity, the wristband is able to register how much the wearer is sweating. Scientists said that because increased sweating is associated with a heightened emotional state, the device is able to more effectively detect abnormal brain activity. It is also less cumbersome than tests that rely on EEGs, which record brain waves through wires attached to a person's scalp.

Though scientists are increasingly optimistic that the wristbands would improve seizure treatments, they were originally designed to study the emotional states of children with autism, according to New Scientist. Rosalind Picard, a Media Lab scientist, said that a researcher at the center who developed the device discovered it was effective at detecting seizures after one of her undergraduate students tested it on his autistic brother.

After noticing a discrepancy between data collected from two of the wristbands, the scientists sought to determine what had caused a precipitous uptick in activity in one of the wristbands. The undergraduate then revealed his brother had suffered a seizure approximately 20 minutes after the device sensed a peak in irregular brain activity. The researchers quickly recognized the engineering tool could be used outside of treating autism.

Javier Hernandez Rivera, a Media Lab scientist, affirmed testing the wristbands has been relatively simple.

"The sensors are wireless and comfortable, so we can do experiments in the field," he said.

The scientists noted that the wristbands have already helped them more clearly understand the connection between skin conductance and brain functioning, Popular Science reports. New data suggest that how quickly the brain recovers from a seizure could indicate the likelihood it is deadly. In fatal seizures, brainwave activity is often low even after the seizure has ended, according to PopSci. The faster that brainwaves return to normal, the better the chances a person will live.

In tests conducted on 11 children who were being evaluated for brain surgery, the scientists linked higher skin conductance during seizures with a longer subsequent recovery time in brainwave activity. They also said that in the 34 seizures they recorded during the research trial, the wristbands were at times faster at detecting seizures than EEGs.

Researchers are also optimistic that the wristband could one day be used to predict seizures. The ability to do so would serve as a major breakthrough in engineering research, and could drastically reduce hospital visits among at risk patient populations. They also conceded the research is still in the early stages, and that they had thus far not conclusively proven that they could predict seizures.

Still, scientists said the research is promising, especially for those suffering from seizure disorders.