Your brain is electric. Every thought, every emotion, and every sensation you have is due to the electrical firing of neurons in your brain.
Electroencephalography (EEG) is the measurement of your brain’s electrical patterns, commonly referred to as brainwaves, at the surface of the scalp which reflect cortical activity.
The EEG or electroencephalograph shows this activity instantaneously, within a few thousandths of a second after it occurs in the brain. Although EEG’s are used medically by neurologists to evaluate neurological disorders like epilepsy, they are increasingly being used in behavioral and mental health fields.
EEG shows us the activity and the coordination of activity of the cortex – the outermost layer of the brain. This is the part of the brain responsible for higher functions like thinking, deciding, and acting. It can show areas of the brain where there is too little or too much activity. It can also show when areas of the brain are not coordinating their activity properly. By studying the EEG in 19 areas of your brain, we are often able to see the reason for your struggles. And once we can see it, we can target it for change with neurofeedback.
QEEG: Quantitative analysis of the EEG
Your brain is incredibly complex. Just looking at the EEG is not enough to get to the bottom of it. We can “see” your brain much more clearly when we use sophisticated computerized analysis tools to study your brain’s electrical activity. This process is called quantitative EEG or qEEG. It’s an extension of the analysis of the visual EEG interpretation which may assist and even augment our understanding of the EEG and brain function. Complicated mathematical and statistical analysis of EEG activity is now a primary tool in neuroscience. It is used in computational neuroscience research centers all over the world to study ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, depression and bipolar disorder, PTSD and other anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, and memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
QEEG is also called brain mapping.
The procedure that processes the recorded EEG activity from a multi-electrode recording using a computer. This multi-channel EEG data is processed with various algorithms, such as the “Fourier” classically, or in more modern applications “Wavelet” analysis). The digital data is statistically analyzed, sometimes comparing values with “normative” database reference values. The processed EEG is commonly converted into color maps of brain functioning called brain maps.
EEG/qEEG gives us the ability to view the dynamic changes taking place throughout the brain during cognitive processing tasks, and this novel approach can be used to assist us in determining which areas of the brain are engaged and processing efficiently.
Various analytic approaches exist, from commercial databases to database free approaches, such as EEG phenotype analysis or the more classic European Vigilance model of Bente (1964) are used in modern clinical application of the EEG/qEEG. The EEG and the derived qEEG information can be interpreted and used by experts as a clinical tool to evaluate brain function, and to track the changes in brain function due to various interventions such as neurofeedback or medication.
Quantitative Electroencephalography (qEEG) processing techniques and the use of modern analytic software to processes the The use of advanced techniques such as Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and neuro-imaging techniques such as Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (LORETA) can map the actual sources of the cortical rhythms. These advanced approaches are changing our understanding of the dynamics and function of the human brain.
QEEG helps us understand how we live
Hundreds of studies have been done investigating EEG activity and many important areas of our daily life functioning, including our attention, mood, anxiety, social functioning, and learning and thinking skills. EEG can be used to identify the basis in the brain for attention deficits. Distinct EEG patterns have been identified for depression, and for positive response to anti-depressant medication. Quantitative analysis of EEG activity has revealed the brain basis for processing problems in autism spectrum disorder. Early studies have shown reduced complexity in the brain activity of infants at higher risk for autism as early as nine months of age. So the EEG is giving us very important information about the brain.
QEEG helps us find ways to live better
Unless you are a neuroscientist, you may not get so excited about all this qEEG research. So, really, for the rest of us, what’s the big deal? Here it is: if a specific EEG pattern is linked to your problem AND you can change your EEG patterns with neurofeedback, then you should be able to solve the problem.
To prepare for your QEEG session
It is critically important for obtaining a valid quantitative EEG study of brain function that you follow the steps below prior to your QEEG recording. The brain mapping results are only as good as the recording, so it is imperative that you carefully follow each of the steps below:
- If you are taking stimulant medication, it is preferable to do the QEEG recording after a 48-hour medication washout. Please check with your prescribing physician to determine if it is possible to stop taking the stimulants 48 hours prior to recording the QEEG. Do not make changes in any other medication, but be sure to bring medication type and dosage information to provide to the technician to record before the QEEG is done.
- Avoid taking any over the counter medication or supplements for three to four days prior to the Qeeg.
- Do not drink coffee, tea, red bull, caffeinated soft drinks, or any other substance with caffeine less than 15 hours prior to the QEEG.
- Call to reschedule the QEEG if you are ill. We do not want to conduct the recording, even if you only have a cold.
- Be sure to get a good night’s sleep before the QEEG is done. Let the technician know if there has been any sleep disturbance.
- Drink plenty of water the day before the QEEG recording to hydrate the skin.
- The evening before your QEEG, wash your hair 3 times with a ph neutral shampoo, such as Neutrogena non-residue shampoo (available at CVS). Do not use crème rinse or any other hair products on your hair until after your appointment. Do not wash your hair again in the morning of your appointment.
- Make sure hair is completely dry before coming for the QEEG.
- Do not put any products on your hair such as hair spray or gel of any kind the morning of your mapping.
- Use the restroom if you need prior to the start of the QEEG because we will not be able to stop once the recording begins.
