In a traumatic brain injury, the inner tissues and parts of the brain can get damaged. TBI can result into many problems associated with the cognitive functioning of different parts of the brain. TBI also leads to post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) and post-traumatic seizures (PTS) in some cases. Changes in the movement of the body or functions such as sensing objects around, attentiveness, awareness and behavior of the patient can be caused due to PTS. PTS can also lead to numbness in a particular body part, long-term and short-term memory loss and vision defects. The diagnosis of PTS is very vital in TBI patients and the recommended method to detect PTS is Electroencephalography (EEG). EEG is a test in which the electrical activity of the brain is recorded. The activity is recorded spontaneously over a period of 20 to 40 minutes. TBI patients are often the victims of sleep disorders and in such cases; EEG can be used to evaluate sleeping problems. After a head injury, a person can get unconscious and even land up in coma. EEG can be used to investigate the activity of the brain in such cases.
The Method of performing EEG
All the cells in the brain maintain communication with each other by sending small electrical impulses. While performing an EEG test, electrodes are fixed using a sticky paste on the scalp for the measurement of faint electrical impulses between brain cells. Around 16 to 25 metal disks called as electrodes are placed at different places on the scalp. An amplifier is connected to each electrode through wires and the movement of brain cells is recorded on a recording machine. The electrical impulses released by brain cells are converted into some patterns which are visible on a computer screen by the recording machine.
Evaluation of Results
The electrical activity in the brain has some frequencies that are measured in terms of number of waves per second and are different for various levels of consciousness. The EEG test checks for these frequencies and helps in analyzing whether they are normal. Brain waves are faster when a person is awake and a bit slower during sleep. After a head injury, the electrical activities in the brain may get disturbed. If the results of EEG are found to be abnormal, then the problems such as seizures, internal bleeding in the brain and sleep disorders in TBI patients can be diagnosed.
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Electroencephalography
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