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!