A wearable EEG system for closed-loop neuromodulation of sleep-related oscillations

Abstract

Abstract Objective. Healthy sleep plays a critical role in general well-being. Enhancement of slow-wave sleep by targeting acoustic stimuli to particular phases of delta (0.5–2 Hz) waves has shown promise as a non-invasive approach to improve sleep quality. Closed-loop stimulation during other sleep phases targeting oscillations at higher frequencies such as theta (4–7 Hz) or alpha (8–12 Hz) could be another approach to realize additional health benefits. However, systems to track and deliver stimulation relative to the instantaneous phase of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals at these higher frequencies have yet to be demonstrated outside of controlled laboratory settings. Approach. Here we examine the feasibility of using an endpoint-corrected version of the Hilbert transform (ecHT) algorithm implemented on a headband wearable device to measure alpha phase and deliver phase-locked auditory stimulation during the transition from wakefulness to sleep, during which alpha power is greatest. First, the ecHT algorithm is implemented in silico to evaluate the performance characteristics of this algorithm across a range of sleep-related oscillatory frequencies. Secondly, a pilot sleep study tests feasibility to use the wearable device by users in the home setting for measurement of EEG activity during sleep and delivery of real-time phase-locked stimulation. Main results. The ecHT is capable of computing the instantaneous phase of oscillating signals with high precision, allowing auditory stimulation to be delivered at the intended phases of neural oscillations with low phase error. The wearable system was capable of measuring sleep-related neural activity with sufficient fidelity for sleep stage scoring during the at-home study, and phase-tracking performance matched simulated results. Users were able to successfully operate the system independently using the companion smartphone app to collect data and administer stimulation, and presentation of auditory stimuli during sleep initiation did not negatively impact sleep onset. Significance. This study demonstrates the feasibility of closed-loop real-time tracking and neuromodulation of a range of sleep-related oscillations using a wearable EEG device. Preliminary results suggest that this approach could be used to deliver non-invasive neuromodulation across all phases of sleep.