Smartphone Behavior and Epilepsy Management
Smartphone Behavior and Epilepsy Management
In this prospective cohort study smartphone behavior surrounding epileptic seizures will be
 quantified, using a smartphone app, in order to optimize epilepsy evaluation and treatment
Rationale:

 The unpredictability of seizures and the unclear behavioral outcomes are major concerns for
 people with epilepsy and may surface as increased anxiety about independence. This
 unpredictability is also a true obstacle in capturing and studying seizure-related
 neurobehavioral alterations themselves. Also, seizures often impact consciousness and thus
 may go unnoticed. As a result, subjective seizure diaries are unreliable. Continuous
 smartphone-based monitoring of behavioral output is a fast-emerging topic and proven fruitful
 in monitoring other neurological disease states. In the field of epilepsy, these tools are
 yet to be introduced.

 Objective:

 The investigators hypothesize that quantifying smartphone behavior will help obtain a
 detailed and objective behavioral map of seizures that can complement existing subjective
 seizure diaries and thereby improve the way epilepsy treatments are evaluated in daily
 practice.

 Study design:

 A multicentre observational prospective cohort study with at least 3 months follow-up.

 Study population:

 100 subjects with refractory focal epilepsy with a seizure frequency of at least one per
 month.

 Main study parameters/endpoints:

 Change in touchscreen interactions (tapping speed, texting speed, apps used, location,
 sleep-wake cycles) surrounding reported epileptic seizures.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  ≥ 18 years of age

 -  diagnosed with refractory focal epilepsy

 -  have a seizure frequency of ≥ 1 per month

 -  only one seizure type, or in case of multiple seizure types only seizures that
 correspond to one probable onset zone (e.g. focal and focal to bilateral tonic-clonic
 seizures)

 -  have daytime seizures (exclusively or both daytime and night-time seizures)

 -  those with at least one seizure that has been recorded during a video-EEG, or those
 who undergo a presurgical evaluation during the study period including a video-EEG
 recording with tapering of antiseizure medication

 -  mentally competent and with no learning disabilities

 -  able to keep a seizure diary including time and date (as judged by the treating
 physician)

 -  have an Android-operating smartphone

 -  use their phone with at least 5 distinct smartphone apps at a minimum of 5 days a week

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  not fulfilling the above mentioned inclusion criteria