Automatic migraine classification using artificial neural networks

Background: Previous studies of migraine classification have focused on the analysis of brain waves, leading to the development of complex tests that are not accessible to the majority of the population. In the early stages of this pathology, patients tend to go to the emergency services or outpatient department, where timely identification largely depends on the expertise of the physician and continuous monitoring of the patient. However, owing to the lack of time to make a proper diagnosis or the inexperience of the physician, migraines are often misdiagnosed either because they are wrongly classified or because the disease severity is underestimated or disparaged. Both cases can lead to inappropriate, unnecessary, or imprecise therapies, which can result in damage to patients’ health. Methods: This study focuses on designing and testing an early classification system capable of distinguishing between seven types of migraines based on the patient’s symptoms. The methodology proposed comprises four steps: data collection based on symptoms and diagnosis by the treating physician, selection of the most relevant variables, use of artificial neural network models for automatic classification, and selection of the best model based on the accuracy and precision of the diagnosis. Results: The artificial neural network models used provide an excellent classification performance, with accuracy and precision levels >97% and which exceed the classifications made using other model, such as logistic regression, support vector machines, nearest neighbor, and decision trees. Conclusions: The implementation of migraine classification through artificial neural networks is a powerful tool that reduces the time to obtain accurate, reliable, and timely clinical diagnoses.