Student from the Epilepsy Classroom at SickKids had a question for our scientists:

Q: What are all those squiggly lines on an EEG and how do you know what they mean?

Here is the answer from Dr. Miguel A. Cortez, Clinical & Experimental Neurophysiologist and Co-Director of the Epilepsy Fellowship in the Division of Neurology, Project Director in Neurosciences & Mental Health at the SickKids Research Institute and Assistant Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto.

A: “The squiggly lines on an EEG (electroencephalogram) represent electrical signals of the brain, which are unique for every person, just like fingerprints. The lines go up or down and allow us to measure size, shape and frequency and understand the tiny electrical signals from the 100 billion neurons working together in your brain. These electrical signals move very quickly, like the blink of an eye.

The beauty of an EEG is that it changes as you grow older. Before you were born, the squiggly lines on your EEG were discontinuous and then during the first two months after birth, electrical brain signals become continuous and the ones at the back of your head or the posterior, react every time you close your eyes. Throughout elementary school, these squiggly lines learn to react every time you move your hands or do a mathematical operation like addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. As you continue learning, you can continue to change the electric signals in your brain.

When you are sleeping the electrical signals at the top of your head get bigger and faster. This shows that you are resting for energy recovery so you will be able to function well the following day. During rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the time when you dream, brain signals are similar to when you are awake.  REM sleep is special sleep when the brain treasures what you have learned during the day. Instead of saying “practice makes perfect” you can say to yourself that “practice and a good sleep makes perfect”!

The squiggly lines of the EEG are beautiful signals of the electrical activity of the brain, always in tune with your age, whether you are healthy or sick.”

Have you ever had a burning question about your body or about your health and didn’t know how to find the answer? This might just be the opportunity to get to the bottom of it!

You have the chance to submit your question and it will be answered by a scientist at SickKids who specializes in that area. The best questions and answers will be featured on the Research Institute website.

Check the website often to see if your question gets posted. You can learn about what others want to know and if you read enough answers, you may even become a health expert yourself!

Q: What are the risks of diabetes during pregnancy? ~ Lily, 25, Canada

Here is the answer from Dr. Jill Hamilton, Staff Endocrinologist in Endocrinology at SickKids, Associate Scientist in Physiology & Experimental Medicine at the SickKids Research Institute and Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto.

A: “About 1 to 3 per cent of pregnant women develop diabetes during pregnancy. This is also known as “gestational diabetes”. Most women with gestational diabetes develop it because they cannot produce enough insulin, a hormone important for blood sugar control. High blood sugar levels can be unhealthy for both mom and the baby. If the diabetes isn't treated, the baby may be more likely to have certain problems at birth. For example, the baby may have a low blood sugar level, low calcium level, jaundice, or may weigh much more than normal.

Gestational diabetes can also affect the mother’s health.  If the baby is very large, there is a greater chance of having a difficult delivery or needing a cesarean section (C-section). Gestational diabetes also increases mom’s risk of developing preeclampsia (high blood pressure, swelling and protein in the urine).

Fortunately, the risk of complications during pregnancy can be reduced by controlling the level of sugar in the blood. This is done by following a diet suggested by the doctor or dietitian, exercise regularly and checking blood sugars at home with a small device called a glucometer. Sometimes medicine, such as insulin, is needed to control the blood sugar level.

After delivery, gestational diabetes usually disappears, however, women who have gestational diabetes are at greater risk for diabetes with future pregnancies and for type 2 diabetes later in life.  Babies who are born to mothers with gestational diabetes may be at increased risk for obesity and diabetes as they get older.”

The scientists at SickKids are experts in most areas of health and life science. They spend their days asking tough questions and searching out the answers. Now it is your turn to ask them the tough questions.

Have you ever had a burning question about your body or about your health and didn’t know how to find the answer? This might just be the opportunity to get to the bottom of it!

You have the chance to submit your question and it will be answered by a scientist who specializes in that area. The best questions and answers will be featured on the Research Institute website: http://www.sickkids.ca/research.

Check the website often to see if your question gets posted. You can learn about what others want to know and if you read enough answers, you may even become a health expert yourself!

Q: “I hear a lot of talk about atoms and the atomic level. In terms of scope, just how small is an atom?” ~ Jason, 29, Toronto, ON.

Here is the answer from Dr. John Rubinstein, Scientist in Molecular Structure & Function at the SickKids Research Institute and Associate Professor in the Departments of Biochemistry and Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto.

A: “It is hard to give the exact size of an atom because, like clouds, they don't have well-defined edges.  Atoms are made of three types of particles: electrons, which are very light (about 0.00000000000000000000000000091 grams) and have a negative charge; protons, which are almost 2000 times heavier than electrons, and have a positive charge; and neutrons, which are only slightly heavier than protons, and have no charge.  In an atom, the neutrons and protons are clustered in the centre and the electrons surround this "nucleus" in a sort of cloud.

Different atoms have different numbers of electrons and hold their electron cloud more or less tightly, which leads to different atoms having different sizes.  I'll choose carbon atoms as an example because most biological molecules are partially made of carbon atoms.  Carbon atoms have 6 electrons, 6 protons, and usually have 6 neutrons.  For carbon atoms, the distance across the electron cloud is approximately 140 picometers or 0.00000000014 meters.  That could also be said as 14 thousandths of a thousandth of a thousandth of a hundredth of a meter.  That's very small, but we can actually build microscopes that use electrons instead of light and are capable of directly imaging atoms.”

The scientists at SickKids are experts in most areas of health and life science. They spend their days asking tough questions and searching out the answers. Now it is your turn to ask them the tough questions.

Have you ever had a burning question about your body or about your health and didn’t know how to find the answer? This might just be the opportunity to get to the bottom of it!

You have the chance to submit your question and it will be answered by a scientist who specializes in that area. The best questions and answers will be featured on the Research Institute website: http://www.sickkids.ca/research.

Check the website often to see if your question gets posted. You can learn about what others want to know and if you read enough answers, you may even become a health expert yourself!