Assessing Repeatability of NeuroCatch Platform™ Measurements: An Initial Assessment
Condition: Brain Health
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      EEG signals have been collected and studied since the early 1990's as a way of assessing
      brain function at a gross level. As early as the 1930's a derivative of the raw EEG signal -
      event-related potentials (ERPs) - have been computed. These scalp-recorded ERPs are the
      brains response to a stimulus of interest (e.g. a flashing checkerboard or an angry face).
      The timing and topographical location of ERP components lends insight into the timing and
      complexity of various cognitive processes. At NeuroCatch Inc., research is primarily focused
      on three ERP components: the N100, P300 and N400.

      To elicit the ERP components of interest in this study (N100, P300, N400), proprietary
      auditory stimulus sequences will be administered using the investigational device, the
      NeuroCatch Platform™. Each sequence consists of pure tones and word pairs to elicit the
      various components associated with different attention abilities (sensory processing, target
      detection & semantic processing). A secondary objective of the study will be to validate the
      auditory stimulus sequences tested.

      Understanding the degree to which these neurophysiological components fluctuate over time is
      crucial to our understanding of typical brain functioning. Research and medicine is moving
      away from behavioural responses to assess brain health (e.g. verbal responses, reaction time,
      etc.) and are moving toward more neuroimaging focused measures, such as CT, and MRI scans.
      The strength of utilizing EEG technology is two-fold: i) it is portable and ii) has high
      temporal resolution. Looking forward, EEG-based brain assessment technology could be
      implemented field-side, at the site of an accident for a quick assessment of brain and
      cognitive functioning, or within a clinicians' office to evaluate treatment efficacy.
      However, for this type of technology to be useful in quantifying brain health, we must first
      quantify the degree to which a healthy brain naturally fluctuates in it processing
      capability. For example, should technology such as the NeuroCatch Platform™ be used as a
      monitoring tool, we must have an idea of what normal variation is.
    


Intervention name(s): NeuroCatch Platform™
Intervention type(s): Device
Intervention description(s): NeuroCatch Platform™ consists of software and hardware that captures brain health information. The platform intends to provide a quick, portable and easy to use solution for the acquisition, display, analysis, storage, reporting and management of electroencephalograph (EEG) and event-related potential (ERP) information.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Intervention model description: All participants will be asked to attend 4 separate experimental sessions over the course of approximately 4 weeks (i.e. one session/week). During each session, participants will listen to three different auditory stimulus sequences including sounds and words while EEG activity is recorded. There will be 5-minute break between each audio sequence. Each experimental session will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Device Feasibility