I don’t think I’ve ever blogged about Quantitative EEGs, a non-invasive way of examining the brain’s ability to function by examining it’s brainwaves. Here’s a more scientific description:

In the last decade or so, a more advanced form of EEG has been developed, called quantitative EEG or qEEG, in which the signal is converted to digital form and compared to a database of individuals without any known neurologically based disorder. In this way, we are able to analyze the background activity with sophisticated statistical techniques to reveal patterns invisible to the naked eye. The results of these analyses can then be presented in graphical form, resulting in topographical displays of brain electrical activity - sometimes called “brain maps".

LuLu has had three QEEGs done over the years and may have another in the coming year. They have revealed a great deal about the severity of her disorders/dysfunction, at least to those who believe the information they impart. Like many other useful tools, QEEGs aren’t widely accepted in the medical profession. But that is changing a bit:

Research in several university centers has demonstrated the ability of the qEEG to reveal aspects of brain function important to the understanding of a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders, including ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and addictive disorders. A recent study conducted at NYU has shown that a QEEG study can predict the occurrence of dementia in the elderly up to 10 years before symptoms appear with a very high degree of accuracy. QEEG measures of the relative degree of activation in the left versus the right frontal cortex are a good indicator of the current mood state of the person monitored, and of mood traits such as a tendency toward negative emotion or mood (depression, anxiety) or positive emotion or mood. The same measures distinguish children who were identified as having an anxious temperament in the second year of life from those without such a temperament.

Here’s some sites where you can find out more about QEEGs and about neurofeedback therapy:
http://www.crossroadsinstitute.org
http://www.q-metrx.com/
http://www.eegspectrum.com/