AUTHOR=Chen Wenjing , Kang Tongzhou , Heyat Md Belal Bin , Fatima Jamal E. , Xu Yuanning , Lai Dakun 

TITLE=Unsupervised detection of high-frequency oscillations in intracranial electroencephalogram: promoting a valuable automated diagnostic tool for epilepsy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1455613

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2025.1455613

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=ObjectiveThis study aims to develop an unsupervised automated method for detecting high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) in intracranial electroencephalogram (iEEG) signals, addressing the limitations of manual detection processes.MethodThe proposed method utilizes an unsupervised convolutional variational autoencoder (CVAE) model in conjunction with the short-term energy method (STE) to analyze two-dimensional time-frequency representations of iEEG signals. Candidate HFOs are identified using STE and transformed into time-frequency maps using the continuous wavelet transform (CWT). The CVAE model is trained for dimensionality reduction and feature reconstruction, followed by clustering of the reconstructed maps using the K-means algorithm for automated HFOs detection.ResultsEvaluation of the proposed unsupervised method on clinical iEEG data demonstrates its superior performance compared to traditional supervised models. The automated approach achieves an accuracy of 93.02%, sensitivity of 94.48%, and specificity of 92.06%, highlighting its efficacy in detecting HFOs with high accuracy.ConclusionThe unsupervised automated method developed in this study offers a reliable and efficient solution for detecting HFOs in iEEG signals, overcoming the limitations of manual detection processes of traditional supervised models. By providing clinicians with a clinically useful diagnostic tool, this approach holds promise for enhancing surgical resection planning in epilepsy patients and improving patient outcomes.