Eletroencephalography I – Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra

Base Knowledge

– Understanding transport phenomena in biomembranes and their application in human physiology;

– Ion diffusion and bioelectricity: ion current density; Nernst-Planck and Nernst equations; electrochemical potential; Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation; action potential and resting potential;

– Describe the anatomical structures of the central nervous system, including the brain, ventricular system, arterial and venous vessels and meninges, and their anatomical and physiological relationships.

Teaching Methodologies

The methodology adopted in the theoretical-practical component is of the expository type, using slides, videos and texts, which will be made available to students.

The practical component is provided with the application of surface electrodes for the execution of electroencephalogram and practical application of programmatic contents developed in theoretical practice and the use of electroencephalography equipment in associated software.

Learning Results

The objectives include the acquisition of knowledge of:

– Origin of electroencephalographic signal (EEG);

– Distinguish normal characteristics of the EEG signal from wakefulness and sleep in adults and children;

– Existence and origin of multiple interferences (artifacts) during the EEG acquisition;

– Distinguish normal EEG patterns from benign variants in adults and children;

– Recognize and classify pathological EEG patterns in adults and children.

The student must acquire the skills of:

– Perform an EEG, developing the necessary methodology for patient preparation, i.e. practical patient education and electrode placement, following the International 10-20 System and the latest recommendations of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN);

– Optimize the placement of electrodes, particularly in low-cooperating patients;

– Analyze and integrate the results of an EEG in the clinical context, knowing the usefulness and limitations of this complementary diagnostic medium in the study of neurological and systemic pathologies;

– Act according to professional ethics.

Program

THEORETICAL-PRACTICAL CONTENTS

– Historical perspective and origin of electroencephalographic recording (EEG);

– Neurophysiological basis and neuroanatomical basis of the EEG signal;

– The most important clinical indications of the EEG;

– Specificity and sensitivity, positive and negative predictive value;

– The International System 10-20 and the recommendation of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN);

– Montages and signal filtering;

– EEG patterns: an orderly approach to visual analysis;

– The main brain rhythms and benign variants, awake and asleep;

– Artifacts;

– Activation methods (hyperventilation and intermittent photic stimulation) and expected responses (normal

and pathological);

– Basic epileptology, clinical semiology of seizures, non-epileptic paroxysmal phenomena and differential

diagnosis;

– Epileptic syndromes in childhood, adolescence and adulthood.

PRACTICAL CONTENTS

– Application of surface electrodes according to the International 10-20 System and the IFCN latest recommendations;

– Recording the electroencephalogram and performing activation tests;

– Identification and eliminate the most common artefactual activities;

– Preparation of a technical report on the electroencephalogram.

Curricular Unit Teachers

Gabi Alexandra de Deus Rodrigues

Internship(s)

NAO

Bibliography

PRIMARY:

– Schomer D, Lopes da Silva F. Niedermeyer’s Electroencephalography: Basic Principles, Clinical Applications, and Related Fields. 6th Ed. 2011. Wolters Kluwer Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore.

– Ebersole JS, Husain A, Nordli DR. Current Practice of Clinical Electroencephalography. 4th Ed. 2014. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore.

SECONDARY:

– Blume W, Holloway G, Young GB, Kaibara M. Blume’s Atlas of Pediatric and Adult Electroencephalography. 2010. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore.

– Nunez P, Srinivasan R. Electric Fields of the Brain: The Neurophysics of EEG. 2nd Ed. 2006. Oxford University Press.

– Libenson MH. Practical Approach to Electroencephalography. 1st Ed. 2009. Saunders, Philadelphia, USA

– Bureau M, Genton P, Delgado-Escueta AV, Dravet C, Guerrini R, Tassinari CA, Thomas P, Wolf P. Epileptic Syndromes in Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence. 6th Ed. 2019. John Libbey Eurotext.