Anyone heard of this or had experience with it. Apparently some of the top hospitals have a new method of figuring out what imbalances are going on in the brain. It's different than what's "usually" being done.

Thanks for any insite...............carole

Hi Caroleye,

Sorry, I have not heard of this, yet. Most of what info I deal with for Alzheimers/Dementia is on the mid level of knowledge. My mother would not pay for advanced medical tests and procedures! The other more knowledgeable ladies and gentlement will prob. answer later.

Take care. And good luck. Love, Wannabe

I just did a quick search and found this:

What is Brain Mapping?

One thing it is not, is painful. Quantitative EEG brain mapping (QEEG) or quantitative electroencephalogram is a cutting edge diagnostic procedure that can actually pinpoint the abnormal brainwaves in ADD/ADHD, Autism, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, and substance abuse. We gently place electrodes on the scalp and then record, from these multiple sites, data as to your whole pattern of functioning and establish a record. The record of your specific patterns is then put into an extensive normative database that compares your patterns with the norm. It is through this process and the ensuing analytical interpretation that we see how you brain site functioning differs from that standard. In many cases these variations are at the seat of behavioral malfunctions that can be significantly improved or corrected. The biochemical imbalances, that the drug ads would like you to believe they correct, often have serious side effects while the benefits are usually temporary.

From reading further and in other areas, it is usually reserved for ADD/ADHD, epilepsy, psychosis and chronic pain/tremors.

They appear to utilise the MRI system (because it's clearer and more precise) and I know it's been used in diagonising different forms of dementia because of brain shrinkage (thats usually the first obvious sign) or TIA's. I also found this:

What Is Brain Mapping?
Brain mapping is a technique to create a computer-generated image of how electrical activity is distributed across the brain. It enables the surgeon to "see" which areas of the brain are active during specific tasks, thus allowing the surgeon to protect vital areas of the brain during surgery.

Brain mapping may be done during surgery with the patient awake, using medication to keep the person relaxed and pain-free. This is done so that the patient can help the surgeon find and avoid areas of the brain responsible for vital functions. While the patient is awake, the doctor uses special probes to stimulate different areas of the brain. At the same time, the patient is asked to count, identify pictures or perform other tasks. The surgeon can then identify the area of the brain associated with each task.

Hope this helps clear up the picture :wave:

Sally

Thanks Sally. Can you tell me where this was being done? I'm in the San Francisco area, and want to explore this more.

carole :confused:

Can't sorry .. against the rules and regulations of Healthboards, however if you do a G*O*O*G*L*E search, all will be revealed.

Cheers
Sally

Thanks Sally.................I'm just amazed at some of the rules, when all we're tryiing to do is to "help" sick people. Oh well, they're the ones in control.