Mapping slow waves and spikes in chronically instrumented conscious dogs: automated on-line electrogram analysis

• Published in: Medical & biological engineering & computing Vol. 46; no. 2; pp. 121 - 129
• Main Authors: Lammers, Wim J. E. P., Michiels, B., Voeten, J., Ver Donck, L., Schuurkes, J. A. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.02.2008; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algorithms; Animals; Automation; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedicine; Computer Applications; Consciousness; Dogs; Duodenum - physiology; Electrodes; Electrodes, Implanted; Electromyography - methods; Human Physiology; Imaging; Intestine, Small - physiology; Mapping; Noise; Online Systems; Original Article; Propagation; R&D; Radiology; Real time; Research & development; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Small intestine; Studies; Values; Spikes; Electrical mapping; Conscious animal; Gastrointestinal system; Slow waves
• ISSN: 0140-0118; 1741-0444
• DOI: 10.1007/s11517-007-0294-7

Myoelectric recordings from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in conscious animals have been limited in duration and site. Recently, we have implanted 24 electrodes and obtained electrograms from these sites simultaneously (200 Hz sampling rate; 1.1 MB/min data stream). An automated electrogram analysis was developed to process this large amount of data. Myoelectrical recordings from the GI tract often consist of slow wave deflections followed by one or more action potentials (=spike deflections) in the same traces. To analyze these signals, a first module separates the signal into one containing only slow waves and a second one containing only spikes. The timings of these waveforms were then detected, in real time, for all 24 electrograms, in a separate slow wave detection module and a separate spike-detection module. Basic statistics such as timing and amplitudes and the number of spikes per slow wave were performed and displayed on-line. In summary, with this online analysis, it is possible to study for long periods of time and under various experimental conditions major components of gastrointestinal motility.