EEG – (Electro- Encephalo -Gram) is an instrumental test to evaluate the electrical activity of the brain.
By attaching
electrodes, the electrical pulses of the brain activities are measured. As
brain communicates via electrical impulses, the instrument can collect the
brain wave patterns based on the electrical voltage.
Today, it is used
for diagnosis of brain activities and validating scientific experiments.
For a person who
is in continuous coma, EEG can be used to know if they are brain dead. Other health
mental conditions such as epilepsy, impairment, and trauma are diagnosed via
EEG.
The brain waves
recorded in EEG form a distinctive pattern during different level of
consciousness.
Waves are
categorized depending on the electrical impulses’ frequency.
|
Name |
Frequency |
|
delta |
1–4 Hz |
|
theta |
4–8 Hz |
|
alpha |
8–13 Hz |
|
beta |
more than 13 Hz |
|
gamma |
Very high (30-40) |
Different types of waves can co-exist at the same time.
EEG helps to
understand the overall common pattern of the electrical activities happening in
the brain, due to external and internal stimuli.
The discovery of
the EEG is inspired by a lifesaving and a paranormal incident that occurred to
the inventor: Hans Berger.
When he was a
university student, he signed up for one year in cavalry. During a training,
his horse suddenly reared and he landed onto the path of a horse-drawn cannon.
The driver of the horse drawn cannon halted in time, leaving young Berger very
shaken up. However, his sister (whom he is very close) felt that he was in
danger though she was very far away. She asked her dad to telegram Berger to
find out about his safety. Berger himself felt there is a physic energy which
made the sister receive his signals. He began studying medicine to research
about this psychic energy, that can transmit his distress to his sister without
any barriers of distance.
It is very sad
that during the Nazi-era, on June 1, 1941, Hans Berger committed suicide in a
clinic.
We should really
feel gratitude for the efforts of Hans Berger.
He survived from
being trampled from a horse, only to end own life due to depression in a very
toxic times of NAZI ERA. Wherever his soul is now, he should be remembered for
the contribution of EEG instrument.
His work paved the
route for other necessary medical diagnostic tools such as positron emission
topography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Reading List :
Entangled Minds:Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality
