From diagnosing brain disorders to improving cognitive function, 100 years of EEG has transformed neuroscience
EEG has shaped researchers’ understanding of all aspects of cognition, from perception to memory.
The following essay is conversationAn online publication covering the latest research.
Electroencephalography (EEG) Invented 100 years agoSince the invention of this device to monitor brain electricity, Incredible impact How scientists study the human brain.
Since it was first used, EEG has improved researchers’ understanding of cognition, from perception to memory, and has also become important in guiding the diagnosis and treatment of various brain disorders, including epilepsy.
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I Cognitive neuroscientist Researchers use brainwaves to study how people remember past events. The 100th anniversary of the EEG is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of this discovery in neuroscience and medicine.
On July 6, 1924, psychiatrist Hans Berger First human electroencephalogramA 17-year-old boy undergoes neurosurgery. At the time, Berger and other researchers were making electrical recordings from animal brains.
What sets the burger apart is The physical basis of what he called psychic energyThrough a series of experiments conducted early in his career, Berger measured brain volume and temperature and studied changes in mental processes such as intellectual effort, attention, and desire.
He then began to record electrical activity, recording the first EEG traces of the human brain in 1924. Results published until 1929During the intervening five years, Berger lost confidence in the source of EEG signals in the brain and struggled to refine his experimental equipment, recording hundreds of EEGs on subjects, including his own children, and experiencing both successes and failures.
Eventually, he became confident in his findings and published a series of papers in journals. Psychiatry Archives He was even considered a candidate for a Nobel Prize. Unfortunately, the research community was skeptical of his results, and many years passed before anyone else began using EEG in their own research.
Berger was nominated for a Nobel Prize in 1940. Not awarded that year World War II and the German occupation of Norway dealt a blow in every category.
When many neurons activate at the same time, Generate an electrical signal It’s so powerful that it travels instantly to the conductive tissues of the brain, skull, and scalp. EEG electrodes attached to the head can record these electrical signals.
Since the discovery of EEG, researchers have shown that neural activity oscillates at specific frequencies. In the first EEG recording made in 1924, Berger noted the predominance of cyclical activity oscillating 8 to 12 times per second, or 8 to 12 Hertz, which he named “brain waves.” Alpha OscillationSince the discovery of alpha waves, there have been many attempts to understand how and why neurons oscillate.
Neural oscillations are thought to be important for effective communication between certain regions of the brain. For example, theta oscillations, which cycle between 4 and 8 Hertz, are important for communication between brain regions. Involved in memory encoding and retrieval In animals and humans.
Researchers have investigated whether it is possible to alter neural oscillations and thereby affect the communication between neurons. Studies have shown that many behavioral and non-invasive methods can alter neural oscillations, leading to changes in cognitive abilities. Engaging in a particular mental activity can induce neural oscillations at the frequencies used by that mental activity. For example, in my team’s research, Mindfulness Meditation Can Increase Theta Frequency Reduces vibration and improves memory recall.
Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques can target frequencies of interest. For example, my team’s ongoing research shows that brain stimulation at theta frequencies Improves memory recovery.
EEG has also led to major discoveries about how the brain processes information. Many other cognitive domainsIt includes how people perceive the world around them, how they focus their attention, how they communicate through language, and how they process emotions.
EEG is now commonly used for diagnosis Sleep Disorders and Epilepsy And lead Treatment of brain disorders.
Scientists are using EEG to see if non-invasive brain stimulation can improve memory. Research is still in its early stages, but the results are promising. For example, one study showed that non-invasive brain stimulation at gamma frequencies (25 Hertz) improved memory. Memory and neurotransmitter signaling in Alzheimer’s disease.
A new type of non-invasive brain stimulation method Temporal interference Two high frequencies are used to induce neural activity equal to the difference between the stimulation frequencies. High frequencies penetrate the brain more easily and reach the target area. Researchers recently tested this method on people by using 2,000 and 2,005 hertz to send a theta frequency of 5 hertz to the hippocampus, an area of the brain important for memory. This resulted in: Remembering names associated with faces.
Although these results are promising, further research is needed to understand the precise role that neural oscillations play in cognition and whether altering neural oscillations can lead to long-term cognitive improvements.
The 100th anniversary of the EEG provides an opportunity to reflect on what it has taught us about brain function and what the technology may bring in the future.
What will EEG be capable of in the next 100 years?
Some researchers, including myself, predict that EEG will be used to diagnose and target treatments for brain diseases. Affordable wearable EEG Widely used or seamlessly used to enhance cognitive function at home Integrated into Virtual Reality Applications. The possibilities are endless.
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