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Centenary of the First Human EEG

Context:

Electroencephalography has recently garnered attention due to the centenary year of the first human EEG, pioneered by German physiologist Hans Berger. While Vladimir Pravdich-Neminsky achieved the first mammalian EEG in 1912 using a dog’s brain, Hans Berger followed in 1924 with the first human EEG, marking a significant milestone in neurological research.

Relevance:

GS III: Science and Technology

Dimensions of the Article:

  1. Electroencephalography (EEG)

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Definition and Working:

  • Definition: EEG stands for electroencephalography, where ‘electro-‘ relates to electricity, ‘encephalo-‘ to the brain, and ‘-graphy’ signifies showing or representing.
  • Tool Description: EEG is a non-invasive tool used in physics and neurobiology to monitor electrical activity in the brain, offering insights into brain function without invasive procedures.
  • Setup: Simple, cost-effective, non-invasive, portable, space-efficient, and emits no high-energy radiation or sounds, unlike MRI.
  • Working Principle: Neurons in the brain generate electrical impulses that create waves of electrical activity. Electrodes placed on the scalp detect these signals, which are recorded as an electroencephalogram (EEG).

Applications:

  • Diagnosis: Primary tool for diagnosing epilepsy by detecting abnormal brain activity associated with seizures.
  • Medical Monitoring: Assessing effects of anesthesia, monitoring sleeping patterns, and evaluating neurological activity during coma or brain death.
  • Research: Used in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, neurolinguistics, and neuromarketing to study brain function and develop brain-computer interfaces.

Challenges:

  • Spatial Resolution: Primarily captures activity from the brain’s surface and dendrites, making precise localization of brain activity challenging.
  • Integration with Other Methods: Often combined with MRI and advanced techniques to improve spatial resolution and accuracy in pinpointing brain activity origins.

-Source: The Hindu


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