System and method for automatically adjusting detection thresholds in a feedback-controlled neurological event detector

1. A method for approximating a target detection rate for a neurological event with a neurological event detector intended for use with a human patient, comprising:

identifying a target detection rate for the neurological event;

monitoring electrographic signals incident on the neurological event detector;

comparing, with a processor, each electrographic signal to a threshold value for a parameter the variation of which has a predictable effect on a detection rate of the neurological event;

measuring a rate at which the electrographic signals exceed the threshold value to determine a measured detection rate;

comparing the measured detection rate to the target detection rate; and

automatically adjusting the threshold value to minimize a difference between the measured detection rate and the target detection rate based on the parameter and the predictable effect that the variation of the parameter has on the rate of detection of the neurological event.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing each electrographic signal to a threshold value for a parameter the variation of which has a predictable effect on a detection rate of the neurological event includes:

comparing each electrographic signal to a threshold value for a line length parameter which corresponds to a percentage difference between accumulated line lengths for a first electrographic signal in a window of time and accumulated line lengths for a second electrographic signal in the window of time.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing each electrographic signal to a threshold value for a parameter the variation of which has a predictable effect on a detection rate of the neurological event includes:

comparing each electrographic signal to a threshold value for a line length parameter which corresponds to a percentage difference between accumulated line lengths for an electrographic signal in a first window of time and accumulated line lengths for the electrographic signal in a second window of time.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the accumulated line lengths for the electrographic signal in a first window of time are normalized based on a duration of the first window of time and the accumulated line lengths for the electrographic signal in the second window of time are normalized based on a duration of the second window of time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing each electrographic signal to a threshold value for a parameter the variation of which has a predictable effect on a detection rate of the neurological event includes:

comparing each electrographic signal to a threshold value for an area parameter which corresponds to the difference between an accumulated area under the curve for a first electrographic signal in a window of time and an accumulated area under the curve for a second electrographic signal in the window of time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing each electrographic signal to a threshold value for a parameter the variation of which has a predictable effect on a detection rate of the neurological event includes:

comparing each electrographic signal to a threshold value for an area parameter which corresponds to a difference between an accumulated area under the curve for an electrographic signal in a first window of time and an accumulated area under the curve for the electrographic signal in a second window of time.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the accumulated area under the curve for an electrographic signal in the first window of time is normalized based on a duration of the first window of time and the accumulated area under the curve for an electrographic signal in the second window of time is normalized based on a duration of the second window of time.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing each electrographic signal to a threshold value for a parameter the variation of which has a predictable effect on a detection rate of the neurological event includes:

comparing each electrographic signal to one or more of an amplitude threshold and a persistence threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target detection rate is expressed as a number of neurological events per unit of time.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically adjusting the threshold value to minimize a difference between the measured detection rate and the target detection rate based on the parameter and the predictable effect that the variation of the parameter has on the rate of detection of the neurological event includes:

decreasing the threshold value when the measured detection rate is less than the target detection rate.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically adjusting the threshold value to minimize a difference between the measured detection rate and the target detection rate based on the parameter and the predictable effect that the variation of the parameter has on the rate of detection of the neurological event includes increasing the threshold value when the measured detection rate is greater than the target detection rate.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the neurological event is selected from the group consisting of epileptiform activity characteristic of an onset of a seizure, epileptiform activity characteristic of an occurrence of a seizure, electrocortical signals predictive of a tic disorder, electrographic signals characteristic of an occurrence of a symptom of a tic disorder, electrocortical signals predictive of a movement disorder, electrographic signals characteristic of an occurrence of a symptom of a movement disorder; electrocortical signals predictive of a sleep disorder, electrographic signals characteristic of an occurrence of a sleep disorder, electrocortical signals predictive of a mood disorder, electrographic signals characteristic of an occurrence of a symptom of a mood disorder, and electrocortical signals predictive of an anxiety disorder, electrographic signals characteristic of an occurrence of a symptom of an anxiety disorder.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the predictable effect that the variation of the parameter has on the rate of detection of the neurological event is to increase or decrease a sensitivity of the neurological event detector.

14. In a neurological event detector intended for use with a human patient, a method for minimizing the difference between a target detection rate and a measured detection rate for a neurological event, comprising:

identifying a target detection rate for the neurological event;

monitoring electrographic signals sensed from the human patient by the neurological event detector;

comparing, with a processor, each electrographic signal to a threshold value for a parameter the variation of which has a known relationship to a sensitivity of the neurological event detector to register a detection of the neurological event;

measuring a rate at which the electrographic signals exceed the threshold value to determine a measured detection rate;

comparing the measured detection rate to the target detection rate; and

automatically adjusting the threshold value to minimize a difference between the measured detection rate and the target detection rate based on the parameter and the known relationship that the variation of the parameter has on the sensitivity of the neurological event detector to register a detection of the neurological event.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein automatically adjusting the threshold value to minimize a difference between the measured detection rate and the target detection rate based on the parameter and the known relationship that the variation of the parameter has on the sensitivity of the neurological event detector to register a detection of the neurological event includes:

decreasing the threshold value when the measured detection rate is less than the target detection rate.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein automatically adjusting the threshold value to minimize a difference between the measured detection rate and the target detection rate based on the parameter and the known relationship of the variation of the parameter to a sensitivity of the neurological event detector to register a detection of the neurological event includes:

increasing the threshold value when the measured detection rate is greater than the target detection rate.

17. A neurological event detector intended for use with a human patient to detect a neurological event, comprising:

at least one sensor configured to receive electrographic signals from the human patient;

a detector configured to analyze the electrographic signals to identify an occurrence of the neurological event whenever a threshold value for a parameter is exceeded, wherein variation of the parameter has a predictable effect on a detection rate of the neurological event, wherein an output of the detector is a measured detection rate;

a memory configured to store a target detection rate and from which the target detection rate is accessible;

a comparator configured to compare the measured detection rate to the target detection rate; and

a parameter adjuster configured to automatically adjust the threshold value to minimize a difference between the measured detection rate and the target detection rate based on the parameter and the predictable effect that the variation of the parameter has on the rate of detection of the neurological event.

18. The neurological event detector of claim 17 , wherein the parameter is a difference in line length between accumulated line lengths for a first electrographic signal in a window of time and accumulated line lengths for a second electrographic signal in the window of time.

19. The neurological event detector of claim 17 , wherein the parameter is a difference in line length between accumulated line lengths for an electrographic signal in a first window of time and accumulated line lengths for the electrographic signal in a second window of time.

20. The neurological event detector of claim 19 , wherein the accumulated line lengths for the electrographic signal in the first window of time are normalized based on a duration of the first window of time and the accumulated line lengths for the electrographic signal in the second window of time are normalized based on a duration of the second window of time.

21. The neurological event detector of claim 17 , wherein the parameter is a difference in area between accumulated area under the curve for a first electrographic signal in a window of time and accumulated area under the curve for a second electrographic signal in the window of time.

22. The neurological event detector of claim 17 , wherein the parameter is a difference in area between accumulated area under the curve for an electrographic signal in a first window of time and accumulated area under the curve for the electrographic signal in a second window of time.

23. The neurological event detector of claim 22 , wherein the accumulated area under the curve for the electrographic signal in the first window of time is normalized based on a duration of the first window of time and the accumulated area under the curve for the electrographic signal in the second window of time is normalized based on a duration of the second window of time.

24. The neurological event detector of claim 17 , wherein the parameter is one or more of an amplitude threshold and a persistence threshold.