Machine Learning Techniques for Brain Data Analysis Using EEG, EMG or Image Data

A special issue of Algorithms (ISSN 1999-4893). This special issue belongs to the section "Algorithms and Mathematical Models for Computer-Assisted Diagnostic Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 1307

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School of Engineering and Computer Science, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
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Department of Mathematics, Escola d’Enginyeria de Barcelona Est (EEBE), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Campus Diagonal-Besòs (CDB), Eduard Maristany, 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), holds promising leads for unsealing novel horizons in precise diagnosis and disease prediction in the clinical domain. Many recent advancements in machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms are being applied to brain data analysis, particularly in applications related to neurological disorder diagnosis, cognitive state monitoring, brain–computer interfaces, and neuroimage analysis. The primary sources of data for brain data analysis have been extracted from electroencephalogram (EEG), electromyography (EMG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography scans (CT Scans). Traditional machine learning (ML) models, such as Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forest, and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), are primarily used for emotional detection from EEG, movement classification, and pattern recognition in EEG/EMG-based classification. Techniques like PCA and ICA are used for dimensionality reduction. The application of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) transforms brain data analysis by leveraging EEG, EMG, and medical imaging to enhance the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of neurological disorders. Several applications based on EEG analysis are focused on epilepsy detection, sleep disorder diagnosis, and cognitive and mental health assessment. Additionally, models developed based on EMG analysis aid in diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases, controlling prosthetic and assistive devices, and detecting muscle fatigue. Other applications of MRI, CT scans, and PET scans help to detect brain tumors and lesions, Alzheimer’s and dementia prediction, stroke detection and prognosis, etc. ML-driven EEG, EMG, and imaging analysis enable early detection, personalized treatments, and real-time monitoring of neurological disorders. The increasing prevalence of neurological disorders and the challenges involved in their diagnosis accentuate the need for early detection and more effective therapeutic measures. These technologies can revolutionize neurological care by enabling faster and more accurate diagnoses, as well as enhanced patient outcomes. EEG, EMG, and image analysis with ML are being daunted by variability in data, noise, and limited labeled datasets. Model generalizability, interpretability, and real-time processing remain significant challenges. Ethical concerns, regulatory approval, and clinician trust are hindering large-scale adoption. Future advancements, including federated learning and multimodal AI, will enhance diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.

We welcome research papers related to EEG or EMG data analysis by machine learning methods. These data are particularly important and useful for analyzing brain signals associated with various diseases, as mentioned in the summary. We would appreciate high-quality papers related to these datasets and AI techniques for processing and analyzing such data.

Prof. Dr. Kalpdrum Passi
Prof. Dr. Francesc Pozo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • electroencephalogram (EEG)
  • electromyography (EMG)
  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • computed tomography scan (CT Scan)
  • brain tumors and lesions
  • Alzheimer’s and dementia prediction
  • stroke detection and prognosis

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 3434 KB  
Article
EEG-Based Decoding of Neural Mechanisms Underlying Impersonal Pronoun Resolution
by Mengyuan Zhao, Hanqing Wang, Yingyi Qiu, Wenlong Wu, Han Liu, Yilin Chang, Xinlin Shao, Yulin Yang and Zhong Yin
Algorithms 2025, 18(12), 778; https://doi.org/10.3390/a18120778 - 10 Dec 2025
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Abstract
Pronoun resolution is essential for language comprehension, yet the neural mechanisms underlying this process remain poorly characterized. Here, we investigate the neural dynamics of impersonal pronoun processing using electroencephalography combined with machine learning approaches. We developed a novel experimental paradigm that contrasts impersonal [...] Read more.
Pronoun resolution is essential for language comprehension, yet the neural mechanisms underlying this process remain poorly characterized. Here, we investigate the neural dynamics of impersonal pronoun processing using electroencephalography combined with machine learning approaches. We developed a novel experimental paradigm that contrasts impersonal pronoun resolution with direct nominal reference processing. Using electroencephalography (EEG) recordings and machine learning techniques, including local learning-based clustering feature selection (LLCFS), recursive feature elimination (RFE), and logistic regression (LR), we analyzed neural responses from twenty participants. Our approach revealed differential EEG feature patterns across frontal, temporal, and parietal electrodes within multiple frequency bands during pronoun resolution compared to nominal reference tasks, achieving classification accuracies of 78.52% for subject-dependent and 60.10% for cross-subject validation. Behavioral data revealed longer reaction times and lower accuracy for pronoun resolution compared to nominal reference tasks. Combined with differential EEG patterns, these findings demonstrate that pronoun resolution engages more complex mechanisms of referent selection and verification compared to nominal reference tasks. The results establish potential EEG-based indicators for language processing assessment, offering new directions for cross-linguistic investigations. Full article
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16 pages, 1975 KB  
Article
Explainable Schizophrenia Classification from rs-fMRI Using SwiFT and TransLRP
by Julian Weaver, Emerald Zhang, Nihita Sarma, Alaa Melek and Edward Castillo
Algorithms 2025, 18(11), 701; https://doi.org/10.3390/a18110701 - 4 Nov 2025
Viewed by 549
Abstract
Schizophrenia is challenging to identify from resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) due to subtle, distributed changes and the clinical need for transparent models. We build on the Swin 4D fMRI Transformer (SwiFT) to classify schizophrenia vs. controls and explain predictions with Transformer Layer-wise Relevance [...] Read more.
Schizophrenia is challenging to identify from resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) due to subtle, distributed changes and the clinical need for transparent models. We build on the Swin 4D fMRI Transformer (SwiFT) to classify schizophrenia vs. controls and explain predictions with Transformer Layer-wise Relevance Propagation (TransLRP). We further introduce Swarm-LRP, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) scheme that tunes Layer-wise Relevance Propagation (LRP) rules against model-agnostic explainability (XAI) metrics from Quantus. On the COBRE dataset, TransLRP yields higher faithfulness and lower sensitivity/complexity than Integrated Gradients, and highlights physiologically plausible regions. Swarm-LRP improves single-subject explanation quality over baseline LRP by optimizing (α,γ,ϵ) values and discrete layer-rule assignments. These results suggest that architecture-aware explanations can recover spatiotemporal patterns of rs-fMRI relevant to schizophrenia while improving attribution robustness. This feasibility study indicates a path toward clinically interpretable neuroimaging models. Full article
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