Date of Award

8-25-2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Applied Science

First Advisor

M Hudson

Abstract

An in-utero neurological assessment would aid clinicians in an early detection of fetal neurological distress. However, accessing the fetal brain signal has remained a major challenge. With the advent of Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) technology, magnetoencephalogram (MEG), is now an established technique for recording human brain activity. This technique is non-invasive and records the magnetic fields corresponding to electric currents generated by the neurons in the brain. Based on MEG technology, a first-of-a-kind device, named SARA (SQUID Array for Reproductive Assessment), was specifically designed and installed in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, to non-invasively record fetal neurological activity. The signal obtained from SARA sensors is a mixture of bio-magnetic signals of different origin (maternal heart, fetal heart, fetal brain, and other pertinent signals related to fetal development) and environmental noise. With appropriate signal processing algorithms, it is possible to study the signal of interest by attenuating the interfering signals and noise. The primary objective of this research is to develop computer-based procedures capable of detecting the neurological maturational signatures in brain and heart rate data obtained from fetal magnetoencephalographic recordings. Further, the co-varying nature of these signatures was also investigated. With the establishment of a neurological maturational index based on the co-variation of fetal brain and heart rate maturational signatures (if any) on a large low-risk fetal population the variations from the norm in high-risk fetal population can be detected. This index would then enable the clinicians in an early detection of fetal neurological distress and optimize the timing of delivery in such cases, and in future would lead to the development of potential perinatal neuroprotective therapy.

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