High-density EEG in Neurological Disorders

The purpose of the study is to use a new method of high-density electroencephalogram (HD-EEG) recording to map brain areas important for movement, sensation, language, emotion, and cognition.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Epilepsy; Healthy; Tumor
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: High-density electroencephalogram (HD-EEG)

Detailed Description

This study will measure brain waves using high-density EEG. Participants will be asked wear a cap with electrodes attached to it. During the recording, participants may be asked to rest, sleep, or complete a task. The tasks involve viewing pictures, answering questions, speaking, or moving an arm or leg. Recordings generally last between 60-120 minutes.*

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 122
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New Hampshire
    • Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States, 03756
      • Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Able to perform the tasks
• Able to give own consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any neurologic or psychiatric diagnosis such as stroke, tumor, or psychosis judged to interfere with high-density EEG.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

5

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: High-density EEG localization in epilepsy; High-density EEG will be used for brain localization in epilepsy patients	Diagnostic test: High-density electroencephalogram (HD-EEG); This study will focus on obtaining a special type of high-density scalp electroencephalography (HD-EEG) recordings in patients with neurological disorders (i.e., epilepsy, brain tumor, stroke, etc.) and appropriately matched controls. HD-EEG is a scalp EEG which uses up to 256 channels compared to the standard 21 channels used for routine clinical applications. The reason for using more channels to record is for more precise localization of epileptogenic foci and/or more precise mapping of brain functions. This type of EEG requires the use of patient's own MRI scan to precisely localize activity. Therefore, all patients and controls getting an HD-EEG will require a structural MRI scan.
Active Comparator: High-density EEG localization in healthy controls; High-density EEG will be used for brain localization in healthy controls	Diagnostic test: High-density electroencephalogram (HD-EEG); This study will focus on obtaining a special type of high-density scalp electroencephalography (HD-EEG) recordings in patients with neurological disorders (i.e., epilepsy, brain tumor, stroke, etc.) and appropriately matched controls. HD-EEG is a scalp EEG which uses up to 256 channels compared to the standard 21 channels used for routine clinical applications. The reason for using more channels to record is for more precise localization of epileptogenic foci and/or more precise mapping of brain functions. This type of EEG requires the use of patient's own MRI scan to precisely localize activity. Therefore, all patients and controls getting an HD-EEG will require a structural MRI scan.
Experimental: High-density EEG localization in tumor patients; High-density EEG will be used for brain localization in tumor patients	Diagnostic test: High-density electroencephalogram (HD-EEG); This study will focus on obtaining a special type of high-density scalp electroencephalography (HD-EEG) recordings in patients with neurological disorders (i.e., epilepsy, brain tumor, stroke, etc.) and appropriately matched controls. HD-EEG is a scalp EEG which uses up to 256 channels compared to the standard 21 channels used for routine clinical applications. The reason for using more channels to record is for more precise localization of epileptogenic foci and/or more precise mapping of brain functions. This type of EEG requires the use of patient's own MRI scan to precisely localize activity. Therefore, all patients and controls getting an HD-EEG will require a structural MRI scan.
Experimental: High-density EEG localization in peripheral nerve patients; High-density EEG will be used for brain localization in patients with peripheral nerve dysfunction	Diagnostic test: High-density electroencephalogram (HD-EEG); This study will focus on obtaining a special type of high-density scalp electroencephalography (HD-EEG) recordings in patients with neurological disorders (i.e., epilepsy, brain tumor, stroke, etc.) and appropriately matched controls. HD-EEG is a scalp EEG which uses up to 256 channels compared to the standard 21 channels used for routine clinical applications. The reason for using more channels to record is for more precise localization of epileptogenic foci and/or more precise mapping of brain functions. This type of EEG requires the use of patient's own MRI scan to precisely localize activity. Therefore, all patients and controls getting an HD-EEG will require a structural MRI scan.
Experimental: High-density EEG localization in stroke patients; High-density EEG will be used for brain localization in patients who have recently experienced a stroke	Diagnostic test: High-density electroencephalogram (HD-EEG); This study will focus on obtaining a special type of high-density scalp electroencephalography (HD-EEG) recordings in patients with neurological disorders (i.e., epilepsy, brain tumor, stroke, etc.) and appropriately matched controls. HD-EEG is a scalp EEG which uses up to 256 channels compared to the standard 21 channels used for routine clinical applications. The reason for using more channels to record is for more precise localization of epileptogenic foci and/or more precise mapping of brain functions. This type of EEG requires the use of patient's own MRI scan to precisely localize activity. Therefore, all patients and controls getting an HD-EEG will require a structural MRI scan.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Localizing Brain Regions That Generate Interictal Spikes	The frequency of detecting interictal spikes in HD-EEG The distance between the source location determined by electrical source imaging and the spike locations determined by SEEG studies	From 30-60 min HD-EEG recording, pre-operatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Localize Brain Functions in Patients and Healthy Controls	Localize brain functions using high-density EEG recordings	At baseline for approximately 60 - 90 minutes
Localize Brain Areas Involved in Language	Localize brain areas involved in language using high-density EEG recordings	At baseline for approximately 60 - 90 minutes
Localize Brain Areas Involved in Movement	Localize brain areas involved in movement using high-density EEG recordings	At baseline for approximately 60 - 90 minutes
Localize Brain Areas Involved in Sensation	Localize brain areas involved in sensation using high-density EEG recordings	At baseline for approximately 60 - 90 minutes
Localize Brain Areas Associated With Lesions	Localize brain areas associated with lesions using high-density EEG recordings	At baseline for approximately 60 - 90 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 9, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): December 13, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 10, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 10, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): February 12, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): December 12, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 26, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Epilepsy; Language; stroke; Lesion; Brain; Movement; Mapping; Electroencephalogram (EEG); Electrical Impedance Tomography; Sensation; Dense-array EEG; High-density EEG; HD-EEG
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Cerebrovascular Disorders; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Behavior; Communication; Stroke; Neoplasms; Epilepsy; Language
• Other Study ID Numbers: D18111 30813

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: Yes
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No