The Window in the Brain (WiB) team studies brain wave tests (EEG) to better understand brain connectivity and how it is affected in different illnesses and injuries. This research aims to develop tools to help doctors and nurses to identify illness or injuries affecting the brain and treat their patients quicker and better. Our team includes a partnership of industry experts, clinical staff and researchers in engineering, neurology and intensive care. We also work closely with families with experience of EEG and hospital care. The brain controls everything that our body does, ranging from movements, breathing, your heart beating, digesting food, to thinking and emotions. The brain carries out all these functions by getting the neurons (a type of brain cells) to talk to each other, and to send messages to the different organs (like our heart, lungs, gut, muscles etc.) in the body.The neurons talk to each other through electrical waves. When a group of neurons in one part of the brain talks to another group of neurons in another part of the brain, they form a brain network (neuronal network). The electrical brain waves (EEG) from these networks can be picked up on the surface of the head (scalp) by electrodes and a special machine called an EEG machine.Looking at how well these brain networks connect (co-ordinate) with each other (brain connectivity) by studying brain waves produced by an EEG machine allows doctors, nurses, and scientists to better understand if the brain is working normally or if it has become ill or injured.When the brain is working normally, its brain networks have the perfect balance between being flexible and co-ordinated - just like a ballerina dancing. But when the brain is ill (for example having a seizure i.e. a ‘fits’), its brain networks lose flexibility and become highly co-ordinated (synchronised). When the brain is injured or under the influence of sedation, its brain networks lose co-ordination and become less synchronised.Click the menu on the left to find out more about our current Window in the Brain Projects. This article was published on 2024-10-15
