Open AccessDynamical Hurst analysis identifies EEG channel differences between PTSD and healthy controls
Author(s) -
Bahareh Rahmani,
Chung Ki Wong,
Payam Norouzzadeh,
Jerzy Bodurka,
Brett A. McKinney
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0199144
Subject(s) - hurst exponent , detrended fluctuation analysis , electroencephalography , psychology , audiology , statistics , medicine , mathematics , neuroscience , geometry , scaling
We employ a time-dependent Hurst analysis to identify EEG signals that differentiate between healthy controls and combat-related PTSD subjects. The Hurst exponents, calculated using a rescaled range analysis, demonstrate a significant differential response between healthy and PTSD samples which may lead to diagnostic applications. To overcome the non-stationarity of EEG data, we apply an appropriate window length wherein the EEG data displays stationary behavior. We then use the Hurst exponents for each channel as hypothesis test statistics to identify differences between PTSD cases and controls. Our study included a cohort of 12 subjects with half healthy controls. The Hurst exponent of the PTSD subjects is found to be significantly smaller than the healthy controls in channel F3. Our results indicate that F3 may be a useful channel for diagnostic applications of Hurst exponents in distinguishing PTSD and healthy subjects.