Faster, easier diagnosis could soon benefit people with neurological conditions

A new £2.45m project led by the University will test whether a brain-monitoring headset can deliver quicker and more accessible diagnosis
A new brain-monitoring headset is being developed by researchers at the University of Plymouth and partners across the UK to bring quicker, more accessible diagnosis of seizures and other neurological conditions to local communities
A new brain-monitoring headset is being developed to bring quicker, more accessible diagnosis of seizures and other neurological conditions to local communities.
Led by Professor John Terry and Professor Rohit Shankar at the University of Plymouth, the project will run feasibility studies in Cornwall – one of the UK’s most underserved regions for specialist neurology care.
Working with NHS Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CFT), the team is creating an affordable, easy-to-use brain monitoring system that could be made available in GP surgeries or even at home.
Currently, many Cornish patients face long waits and lengthy journeys for hospital-based EEG (electroencephalogram) tests, delaying diagnosis and treatment. In line with the 10-Year Health Plan, the new device aims to bring testing closer to where people live, supporting earlier detection of conditions like epilepsy, functional neurological disorder (FND) and even stroke.
The £2.45million project is being supported by a grant of around £1.9million from the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). It will be delivered through CIDER – Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research , a partnership between the University’s Peninsula Medical School and CFT focused on determining the best treatments and services to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of people with intellectual disabilities.

This project is about taking the EEG out of the hospital and into the community.

By combining digital biomarkers with a point-of-care headset we can give people easier access to faster answers and better care no matter where they live. In remote areas of the South West where access to healthcare can often be complex, costly and time-consuming, it could make a real difference to people’s health and outcomes.
Professor John Terry
Professor of Digital Health Care Innovation

Reports from the UK Neurological Alliance have routinely highlighted the stark inequalities in access to specialists, with rural and coastal areas like Cornwall often having far fewer neurologists, neuropsychiatrists and psychiatrists than urban centres. By exploring solutions that bring testing closer to home, this project represents a step towards levelling up neurological care in line with the NHS long-term plan. It offers renewed hope of timely support and fairer outcomes, and brings the hope of earlier diagnosis and more accessible care to communities that have long faced barriers.

Rohit ShankarProfessor Rohit Shankar
Professor of Neuropsychiatry

The current project builds on previous EPSRC research and includes collaborations with Neuronostics Ltd (a spinout company co-founded by Professor Terry), Epilepsy Action, the Epilepsy Research Institute UK, FND North, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Birmingham, and the University of Lancashire.
A proof-of-concept prototype headset has already been developed and tested and the team aims to scale this into a validated, community-ready version, alongside the development of digital biomarkers that enables clinically relevant information to be extracted from the recordings.
The ultimate aim is to reduce delays, cut NHS costs, and lower the carbon footprint of diagnostic care.

The Epilepsy Research Institute is delighted to support this important programme. Too many people experiencing seizures face long delays and uncertainty in accessing diagnosis and care. By bringing EEG into community settings, this project has the potential to reduce barriers, improve early diagnosis and make care more equitable. We look forward to working in partnership with colleagues at the University of Plymouth to ensure that people affected by suspected seizures benefit from these innovations.

Hannah Pickard
Research Partnerships Lead at the Epilepsy Research Institute UK
A new brain-monitoring headset is being developed by researchers at the University of Plymouth and partners across the UK to bring quicker, more accessible diagnosis of seizures and other neurological conditions to local communities
The work is one of six new research projects funded through the EPSRC, with each project receiving up to £2million to develop diagnostic tools that are simple, affordable and designed for everyday settings like GP surgeries, pharmacies, or even people’s homes.

Diagnosing health conditions early and in a way that works for people’s everyday lives is vital. This project will bring engineering and health expertise together with the experiences of patients and communities to develop practical, real-world tools that support the NHS Long Term Plan. By enabling care closer to home as well as earlier intervention, they will help shift the system from treatment to prevention, improve outcomes, tackle health inequalities, and ease pressure on hospitals.

Professor Charlotte Deane
Executive Chair of EPSRC
Each project aims to tackle a range of conditions, including asthma, dementia, chemotherapy-related nerve damage and musculoskeletal disorders, with the shared goal of supporting earlier diagnosis, easing pressure on hospitals, and improving outcomes for patients.
Together, the six projects reflect a growing shift towards health care that is preventative, personalised and place-based, which is especially important for rural regions like Cornwall where access to specialist services can be limited.
 

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