.png){kind=small}
By Dr. Allen Novian
What if you knew what was going on behind that perfect haircut? Sometimes, it seems as if there is nothing but air, other times, it feels like the gears are turning so fast that you can’t shut them off! Well, we can actually take a look and see what your brain is doing, without even opening up the skull. We look at the brain’s activity electrically… yes, I said electrically.
Did you know that your brain works off of electricity, just like computers and lightbulbs? It does, just at different frequencies than that light or computer. Each neuron, or brain cell, starts an impulse as an electrical signal. When the signal reaches the end of the cell, it is converted into a chemical (hense the term electro-chemical) so that it can cross the gap, or synapse. When it reaches the next neuron, it is converted back into electricity. Electrodes placed on the scalp can read this electrical current because it is broadcast in all directions, including through the skull and scalp.
If 1 electrode can capture the electrical impulses in a small area of the brain, 19 electrodes can capture them accross the entire cerebrum! That is how we take a look at your brain’s activity. The process of collecting and analysing this data is called a Quantitative Electroencephalograph, or Q-EEG for short. This test costs about $850 and includes the office visit, analysis, and review visit, and it can give some real insight about what is going on, how it is happening, and how it is effecting your daily life. When paired with neurofeedback, it can have a huge impact on the healing process as well.