Quantitative Electroencephalography and Brainwave Network Activation
The Brain is an amazing and critical organ when considering normal health,
well-being, and optimizing performance. Consider the proportion of the
body’s resources commanded by the brain for normal function. While
its weight is only 2% of total body mass, the brain uses:
- about 20% of the body’s total energy;
- about 30% of the body’s total oxygen consumption;
- and about 40% of the body’s total glucose consumption.
And the metabolic activity of the brain is remarkably consistent over time.
Brainwave activity can be assessed by recording and processing electrical
information at rest and after stimulation. And this information provides
us with a wealth of information about the efficiency and overall health
of an individual’s brain. As one might imagine, a very well organized
and efficient brain uses these energy, oxygen, and glucose resources for
optimal function. And individuals in this category are typically very
high functioning. Conversely, individuals with relative disorganization
in brainwave activity, or with poor efficiency and less desirable responses
to stimuli tend to struggle with performance. Worse yet and in more severe
cases, they may have specific pathological diagnoses. Dr. Williams can
perform EEG-based assessments of the electrical activity in one’s
brain and use the information to guide his recommendations regarding a
number of things including, but not limited to an individual’s:
- Sleep Health and Fatigue
- Depression and/or Anxiety-like Tendencies
- Focus and Concentration
- Decision-Making Profile
- Resilience
- Cognitive Function and Speed of Mental Processing
- Sensory Network Activity
- Working Memory Network Activity
- Attention Network Activity
- Likely/Predicted Response to Medications for Certain Behavioral Conditions
- Response to Treatment
Dr. Williams uses specific tests for different reasons in different individuals
and situations. For instance,
Brain Network Activation (BNA) provides information on the health and activity of some of the major networks
in the brain and how different neurons in different areas are connected
and work together (rather than focus on the function of a specific location
or structure). BNA can provide objective baseline or benchmark (preseason)
assessment data that can be compared to after injury, at mid-season, or
post-season and assist in evaluating for presence and/or resolution of
concussion and safe return to play. For others, BNA can be used to provide
objective information regarding likelihood of response to certain medications
used for behavioral disorders or response to interventions for pain.
Quantitative Electroencephalography
(QEEG) can provide real-time and detailed information on the brain-clock (the
rhythmic and regular background rates of firing of neurons), and how synchronous
the electrical signals are at different rates and in different regions.
This is often used in Dr. Williams’ Center to guide protocols in
injured or symptomatic individuals being treated with our
MeRT form of Trans-Cranial Magnetic Stimulation. Baseline QEEG is followed by repeat testing after initial treatments
and periodically thereafter to show the brain’s electrical response
to treatments. In these cases, Dr. Williams’ uses QEEG to demonstrate
improvements in synchrony, speed, and efficiency of the brain clock as
well as correlating these improvements to resolution of symptoms and improvement
in function. In other cases, QEEG is used in otherwise healthy individuals
to show how they might benefit from MeRT, Neurofeedback, and other Peak
Performance training. The QEEG may assist with sequencing interventions
(determining the optimal order in which to pursue the various training
and interventions). Still other scenarios call for QEEG to asses an individual’s
overall profile relative to their Neurological organization and efficiency
with an eye toward player/prospect assessment. This data can assist trainers,
coaches, and other clients in determining how individual athletes are
most likely to learn efficiently, and to what kind of coaching strategies
they’re predisposed to best and most efficiently internalized.
QEEG and BNA are non-invasive, inexpensive, and accurate methods of assessment
that can be used to compare individuals to normative data in the general
population and to themselves in response to treatment interventions, helping
guide our journey to Peak Performance. These assessment tools have tremendous
utility in the general population over and above athletes. Students, Professionals,
CEOs, and even the elderly benefit from Brainwave Network Activation.
If you’re interested in optimizing sleep, focus, speed of mental
processing, and/or clarity of thought, these kinds of assessments can
provide vital and objective data to determine current status, plan training/interventions,
and reassess as needed on an ongoing basis.