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An Ambulatory Electroencephalography System for Freely Moving Horses: An Innovating Approach.
Abstract: Electroencephalography (EEG) that has been extensively studied in humans presents also a large interest for studies on animal brain processes. However, since the quality of the recordings is altered by muscular activity, most EEG recordings on animals are obtained using invasive methods with deeply implanted electrodes. This requires anesthesia and can thus only be used in laboratory or clinical settings. As EEG is a very useful tool both for detecting brain alterations due to diseases or accidents and to evaluate the arousal and attentional state of the animal, it seemed crucial to develop a tool that would make such recordings possible in the horse's home environment, with a freely moving horse. Such a tool should neither be invasive nor cause discomforts to the horse as the usual other practice which consists, after shaving the zone, in gluing the electrodes to the skin. To fulfill these requirements, we developed a novel EEG headset adapted to the horse's head that allows an easy and fast positioning of the electrodes and that can be used in the home environment on a freely moving horse. In this study, we show that this EEG headset allows to obtain reliable recordings, and we propose an original evaluation of an animal's "EEG profile" that allows comparisons between individuals and situations. This EEG headset opens new possibilities of investigation on horse cognition, and it can also become a useful tool for veterinarians to evaluate cerebral disorders or check the anesthesia level during a surgery.
Publication Date: 2017-05-02 PubMed ID: 28512633PubMed Central: PMC5411420DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2017.00057Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Anesthesia
- Animal Health
- Animal Studies
- Biotechnology
- Brain
- Clinical Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Electroencephalography
- Equine Health
- Equine Science
- Horses
- Noninvasive Procedures
- Physiology
- Technology
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Procedure
- Veterinary Research
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research article presents the development of a novel non-invasive EEG headset for horses that allows for brain activity monitoring in their home environment while moving freely. The device aims to offer a viable alternative to such invasive existing methods that disrupt natural behaviour due to attached muscular activity-related impediments.
Research Background
- The research article starts with the mention of Electroencephalography (EEG), a tool commonly used to study brain processes and detect abnormalities in humans and animals.
- However, in animals, EEG recordings often get disrupted due to muscular activity.
- This necessitates invasive methods like deeply implanting electrodes to obtain quality readings, which further requires anesthesia and can be performed only in a clinical setting.
- The researchers point out that there is a need for a tool that allows EEG recordings in an animal’s natural habitat, without causing any discomfort.
Novel EEG Headset for Horses
- To address the shortcomings of the current EEG methods for animals, the researchers created a novel EEG headset specifically adapted for horses.
- This headset allows for easy and quick electrode positioning and can be used in the horse’s home environment while the horse is freely moving.
- The new tool neither necessitates the invasive gluing of electrodes to the skin nor requires any shaving.
Results and Implications
- The study shows that the developed EEG headset can successfully capture reliable EEG readings from a horse in its natural setting.
- The researchers have also proposed an original “EEG profile” for an animal, which offers a standard format for comparing EEG readings between different individuals and situations.
- This innovative EEG headset opens up new avenues for studying horse cognition, offering a more accurate and less invasive method of gathering data.
- Furthermore, this tool could potentially be useful for veterinarians for diagnosing brain disorders or monitoring anesthesia levels during surgeries on horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Cousillas H, Oger M, Rochais C, Pettoello C, Ménoret M, Henry S, Hausberger M.
(2017).
An Ambulatory Electroencephalography System for Freely Moving Horses: An Innovating Approach.
Front Vet Sci, 4, 57.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2017.00057 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS UMR 6552 - Ethologie Animale et Humaine EthoS, Rennes Cedex, France.
- IETR, Université de Rennes 1, UMR CNRS 6164, Rennes Cedex, France.
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS UMR 6552 - Ethologie Animale et Humaine EthoS, Station Biologique, Paimpont, France.
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS UMR 6552 - Ethologie Animale et Humaine EthoS, Station Biologique, Paimpont, France.
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS UMR 6552 - Ethologie Animale et Humaine EthoS, Rennes Cedex, France.
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS UMR 6552 - Ethologie Animale et Humaine EthoS, Station Biologique, Paimpont, France.
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS UMR 6552 - Ethologie Animale et Humaine EthoS, Rennes Cedex, France.
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Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Henshall C, Randle H, Francis N, Freire R. Habit Formation and the Effect of Repeated Stress Exposures on Cognitive Flexibility Learning in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Oct 18;12(20).
- Wijnen B, Martens P. Animals in Animal-Assisted Services: Are They Volunteers or Professionals?. Animals (Basel) 2022 Sep 26;12(19).
- Greening L, McBride S. A Review of Equine Sleep: Implications for Equine Welfare. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:916737.
- Henshall C, Randle H, Francis N, Freire R. The effect of stress and exercise on the learning performance of horses. Sci Rep 2022 Feb 4;12(1):1918.
- Zanker A, Wöhr AC, Reese S, Erhard M. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of polysomnographic measurements in foals. Sci Rep 2021 Aug 11;11(1):16288.
- Stomp M, d'Ingeo S, Henry S, Lesimple C, Cousillas H, Hausberger M. EEG individual power profiles correlate with tension along spine in horses. PLoS One 2020;15(12):e0243970.
- d'Ingeo S, Quaranta A, Siniscalchi M, Stomp M, Coste C, Bagnard C, Hausberger M, Cousillas H. Horses associate individual human voices with the valence of past interactions: a behavioural and electrophysiological study. Sci Rep 2019 Aug 9;9(1):11568.
- Rochais C, Sébilleau M, Menoret M, Oger M, Henry S, Hausberger M, Cousillas H. Attentional state and brain processes: state-dependent lateralization of EEG profiles in horses. Sci Rep 2018 Jul 5;8(1):10153.
- d'Ingeo S, Siniscalchi M, Quaranta A, Cousillas H, Hausberger M. Chronic State and Relationship to Humans Influence How Horses Decode Emotions in Human Voices: A Brain and Behavior Study. Animals (Basel) 2025 Nov 5;15(21).
- Itoh K, Kikumura N, Maeda T, Hirata S, Ringhofer M. Non-invasive scalp recording of electroencephalograms and evoked potentials in unanesthetized horses using a 12-channel active electrode array. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1470039.
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