pyActigraphy: Open-source python package for actigraphy data visualization and analysis

• Published in: PLoS computational biology Vol. 17; no. 10; p. e1009514
• Main Authors: Hammad, Grégory, Reyt, Mathilde, Beliy, Nikita, Baillet, Marion, Deantoni, Michele, Lesoinne, Alexia, Muto, Vincenzo, Schmidt, Christina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 19.10.2021; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Actigraphy - methods; Activity patterns; Algorithms; Alzheimer's disease; Biology and Life Sciences; Brain research; Circadian rhythm; Circadian rhythms; Computational Biology - methods; Computer and Information Sciences; Data analysis; Data Visualization; Datasets; Diaries; Engineering and Technology; Humans; Methods; Neurosciences & behavior; Neurosciences & comportement; Open source software; Patient monitoring; Physical Sciences; Python (Programming language); Research and Analysis Methods; Science Policy; Sciences sociales & comportementales, psychologie; Scientific visualization; Signal processing; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Sleep; Sleep - physiology; Social & behavioral sciences, psychology; Software; Visualization; Belgium
• ISSN: 1553-7358; 1553-734X; 1553-7358
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009514

Over the past 40 years, actigraphy has been used to study rest-activity patterns in circadian rhythm and sleep research. Furthermore, considering its simplicity of use, there is a growing interest in the analysis of large population-based samples, using actigraphy. Here, we introduce pyActigraphy , a comprehensive toolbox for data visualization and analysis including multiple sleep detection algorithms and rest-activity rhythm variables. This open-source python package implements methods to read multiple data formats, quantify various properties of rest-activity rhythms, visualize sleep agendas, automatically detect rest periods and perform more advanced signal processing analyses. The development of this package aims to pave the way towards the establishment of a comprehensive open-source software suite, supported by a community of both developers and researchers, that would provide all the necessary tools for in-depth and large scale actigraphy data analyses.