Bio-signals

What are bio-signals ?

All types of biomedical systems either generate the
signals to influence the human body,or analyze
biosignals to extract useful information about
functioning of human body.

 Signal – is the parameter that is observable from

the object.
 Bio signal is a description of physiological
phenomenon of any nature.
 Bio+Signal = “living object” + “function that carries
information about the behavior or state”. Bio
signals are the key objects in Biosystems.
Why biosignals?
Biosignal carries all information
about the living object. We analyze
signals which are coming from the
body (ECG, EEG etc.) or are
connected to the body (X- ray images,
ultrasonic images).

Biosignal can be used to understand

the underlying physiological
mechanisms
of a specific biological event or
system
According to the system of origin of bio-
signals
1. Endocrine system
2. Nervous system (Central and
Peripheral)
3. Cardiovascular system
4.  Vision system
5. Auditory system
6. Musculoskeletal system
7. Respiratory system
8. Gastrointestinal System
9. Blood system
Anatomical View
Anatomical View
• Most of a neuron’s organelles are in the cell body
• Most neurons have dendrites, highly branched extensions that receive
signals from other neurons
• The axon is typically a much longer extension that transmits signals to
other cells at synapses
• The cone-shaped base of an axon is called the axon hillock
• The synaptic terminal of one axon passes information across the
synapse in the form of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters
• A synapse is a junction between an axon and another cell
• Information is transmitted from a presynaptic cell (a neuron) to a
postsynaptic cell (a neuron, muscle, or gland cell)
Generation of Action potential

Key
Na
K
Sodium-  Every cell has a voltage across its
potassium membrane called membrane
pump potential
OUTSIDE
OF CELL
Potassium  Resting potential is the membrane
channel potential of neuron not sending
signals (-70mv) , K+ inside the cell
and Na+ outside the cell
Sodium
channel  Na- K pumps use ATP to maintain
these ions gradients across the
membrane

INSIDE
OF CELL
Phases of Action potential

1. Graded potentials
2. Depolarisation
3. Repolarisation
4. Hyperpolarisation
5. Refractory period
Neural Signals and types

fMRI – functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

MEG(Magneto encephalogram) EEG(Electro encephalogram)

Local Field Potentials (LFP)

PET scan- Positron emission

tomography
 Electroencephalography

Good time resolution ; Portable and affordable

More tolerant to subject movement,

Can be combined with fMRI or TMS

Low spatial resolution ; Artifacts/ Noise

EEG fMRI
 Electroencephalography

 Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive measurement of

electrical potentials above the scalp that has been shown to
represent the macroscopic activity of the underlying surface layer
of the brain.
 Clinically, EEG refers to recording electrical activity in the brain
over a period, recorded by multiple electrodes placed on the scalp.
 The EEG measures the sum of the postsynaptic potentials
generated by thousands to billions of neurons with the same
orientation as the scalp.
 Content Content Content Content

1929
Hans Berger developed electroencephalography, the graphic representation of the
difference in voltage between two different cerebral locations plotted over time

He described the human alpha and beta rhythms

Richard Caton (1842-1926) Adolf Beck (1890)

From Liverpool published findings
about electrical phenomena of the
exposed cerebral hemispheres of
rabbits and monkeys in the British
Medical Journal in 1875.
.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Pravdich-
In 1890 published findings of
spontaneous electrical activity and
rhythmic oscillations in response to
light in the brains of rabbits and dogs.
Napoleon Cybulski and Jelenska-

Hans Berger Neminsky

In 1912 published the first animal EEG
study described evoked potential in
the mammalian brain
Macieszyna
In 1914 photographed EEG recordings
of experimentally induced seizures.
Cortical Areas
EEG ELECTRODE – CAP        LOCATIONS OF
THE  10/20 SYSTEM

• Needs a standard configuration of

electrodes on the brain
• 10-20 system is accepted worldwide
• The top of head is divided into grids of 20%,
20% and 10% from the center to the sides
 EEG Acquisition
Electrodes: Usually made of silver (or stainless steel) – active electrodes
placed on the scalp using a conductive gel or paste. Signal-to-noise ratio
(impedance) reduced by light abrasion. Can have 32, 64,128, 256 electrodes.
More electrodes = richer data set. Reference electrodes (arbitrarily chosen
“zero level”, analogous to sea level when measuring mountain heights)
commonly placed on the midline, ear lobes, nose, etc.

Amplification: one pair of electrodes make up one channel on the differential

amplifier, i.e. there is one amplifier per pair of electrodes. The amplifier
amplifies the difference in voltage between these two electrodes, or signals
(usually between 1000 and 100 000 times). This is usually the difference
between an active electrode and the designated reference electrode. 
Montage

Unipolar measurement​(indifferential right ear ​electrode ) 

Bipolar measurement
Synchrony of EEG and Event
Related Potentials
Continuous Brain Waves
• Generally grouped by frequency: (amplitudes are about 100µV max)
Type Frequency Location Use
Delta <4 Hz everywhere occur during sleep, coma

Theta 4-7 Hz temporal and parietal correlated with emotional stress

(frustration & disappointment)
Alpha 8-12 Hz occipital and parietal reduce amplitude with sensory stimulation or
mental imagery
Beta 12-36 Hz parietal and frontal can increase amplitude during intense
mental activity
Mu 9-11 Hz frontal (motor cortex) diminishes with movement or intention of
movement
Lambda sharp, jagged occipital correlated with visual attention

Vertex higher incidence in patients with epilepsy or

encephalopathy
EEG, Alpha bursts when eyes closed,
alpha desynchronisation when eyes opened
EEG Artifacts are signals recorded by EEG which are not derived
from cortical activity (some circumstances neural process

Artifacts generated by themselves can be artefacts but only

confined to specific research contexts).  
EEG artifacts: Eye blinks, muscle tension
EEG EEG artifacts: movement, electrode
Artifacts drifting​
EEG EEG artifacts: mains interference, 50/60Hz
noise
Artifacts
Filtering
• Low pass Filter : Attenuates high frequencies
• High pass Filter : Attenuates low frequencies

Methods •
•
Band Pass Filter : Attenuates both high and low frequencies
Band stop/ Notch : Opposite to Band pass
Electrocardiography
(ECG or EKG*)
the process of recording the electrical
activity of the heart over a period of time
using electrodes placed on a patient's
body.
These electrodes detect the tiny electrical
changes on the skin that arise from the
heart muscle depolarizing during each
heartbeat.
 Suspected heart attack​

Reasons for Suspected pulmonary embolism​

performing A third heart sound, fourth heart sound, a cardiac murmur  or other
electrocardiog findings to suggest structural heart disease​
Perceived cardiac dysrhythmias​
raphy include:​
Fainting or collapse

Seizures

Monitoring the effects of a heart medication

Assessing severity of electrolyte abnormalities, such as hyperkalemia

Important clinical considerations
Correct Correct lead-placement and good skin contact are essential.

Avoid Avoid electrical interference (machine to be earthed).

Compare Compare serial tracings, if available.

Relate Relate any changes to age, gender, clinical history, etc.

Consider Consider co-morbidities and intercurrent illnesses that may have an effect on the ECG.

Obtain Obtain a photocopy for future reference.

Interpret Interpret the ECG systematically to avoid errors.

Types of Leads used
in Obtaining ECG
 1. Standard 12 Lead 
Most commonly used tool to diagnose:
Dysrhythmias
Conduction abnormalities
Enlarged heart chambers
Myocardial ischemia or infarction
High / low calcium and Potassium level
Effects of some medications
Electrocardiography
(ECG or EKG*)
• In a conventional 12 lead ECG, ten electrodes are
placed on the patient's limbs and on the surface
of the chest recorded over a period of time
(usually 10 seconds).

• A typical ECG tracing is a repeating cycle of three

electrical entities:
a. a P wave (atrial depolarization)
b. a QRS complex (ventricular
depolarization)
c. a T wave (ventricular repolarization).
Cardiac
Pulse
 Electroretinogra
m (ERG)
The electroretinogram (ERG) is a
diagnostic test that measures the
electrical activity of the retina in
response to a light stimulus.
The ERG arises from currents
generated directly by retinal neurons
in combination with contributions
from retinal glia.
Electrogastrogram Electrogastrography is a non-invasive technique for recording
gastric myoelectrical activity using cutaneous electrodes placed
(EGG)- Gastric on the abdominal skin over the stomach. The surface recording
Myoelectric Activity obtained using electrography is called the electrogastrogram.