What is a QEEG Assessment?

 

• A QEEG (Quantitative Electroencephalogram) is a non-invasive assessment method that records brain electrical activity in the form of brain wave patterns. It is also referred to as “brain mapping.”  

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• Brain waves are the rhythmic electrical impulses generated when the millions and millions of neurons inside your brain communicate with each other. Brain waves can reveal important information about our overall brain functioning. 

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• The QEEG assessment gives a general indication of typical brain functioning, levels of alertness, self- regulation capacity, and can identify different patterns associated with difficulties in impulsivity, cognitive functions/flexibility, sleep disorders, and changes in mood and behaviour, including stress levels, thought patterns, and emotions.  

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• The report of brain wave analysis is a diagnostic aid that gives health care practitioners an objective scientific tool for use in assessing mental health. The report provides information about exactly what is functionally out of balance in a given patient’s brain, and, in turn, may be causing that individual's symptoms. With this more precise understanding of the underlying physiology, the clinician can make a more confident diagnosis and determination of the most appropriate treatment. 

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• Importantly, recent studies have concluded that QEEG findings are highly correlated with other types of brain analysis. Moreover, with brain wave analysis, subtle brain dysfunction can be detected where it is not discernible with other methods. It is important to make a clear differentiation between QEEG tests of the brain and other commonly used, and perhaps more familiar, imaging techniques in medicine. For example, X-rays, CAT scans, and MRIs are all used to measure brain anatomy, or structure. The QEEG, on the other hand, measures  brain physiology, or function. 

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• It is also important to understand that a QEEG is not the same as a "clinical EEG," which is used in medical practice to evaluate epilepsy or to determine if there is serious brain pathology, such as a tumour. By contrast, the QEEG does not assess the structure of the brain, but rather, evaluates the manner in which a particular person’s brain functions. It is not designed to diagnose tumours, epilepsy, or other structural medical conditions. 

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• QEEG measures the minute electrical activity of a person's brain and then, using proprietary software, compares that unique pattern to known databases of "normal" and "abnormal" patterns. This type of computer-driven statistical analysis is particularly useful in evaluating difficult and borderline cases. 

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• A QEEG assessment usually takes about 2 hours to complete. 

 

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          What to expect before the QEEG assessment: 

 

• Please complete the attached questionnaires, and intake and consent forms prior to your assessment.  

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• Consider possible risks that may be associated with the QEEG assessment. If you have any concerns, please have a discussion with your clinician prior to the assessment. Risks to consider may include:  

  • Skin sensitivity/allergies to the products that are used to complete the assessment 

  • Sensory sensitivities (the assessment requires the clinician touching the head and ears)​​

  • A full cap would be placed on your head, which may feel counterphobic for some people ​​

  • Sitting still for a period of time might be challenging for some, especially children​​

  • Consider that other professionals might still be developing their understanding of this intervention

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• Please discuss your goals with your clinicians prior to the assessment to ensure a shared understanding and to provide the opportunity for clarification if needed.  

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• In order to measure your brain activity reliably, it is important that you follow the steps below before your assessment. Your cooperation is very important.  

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• Get enough sleep the night before.

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• Wash and dry your hair the day before your appointment. Do not put any gel or heavy hair products such as conditioner on your hair.

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• Have something to eat before the assessment.

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• Do not apply make-up or greasy cream on your face. 

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• Do not consume any caffeinated drinks (e.g. colas, energy drinks, tea, coffee, etc.) or any food that contains these products at least 2 hours before the assessment.

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• Do not consume any alcohol or recreational drugs.

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• Continue taking your medications (if any) as prescribed by your doctor.

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• Arrive on time as a failure to do so may result in an incomplete assessment or the need for further sessions.

 

• Many children visit our clinic for the QEEG assessments. Sunelle is a Play Therapist with 20 years’ experience working with children and families, with an aim to intergrate a firm but playful approach to ensure the process is stress-free for both the parent and child. Connections is located in Nerang, on the Gold Coast, Australia, and is a non-clinical setting designed to support a relaxed and safe environment. 

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 Information for parents:  

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• Parents are asked to stay in the room during the QEEG assessment recording, so you can support your child during the process.  

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• Please ensure that you explain to your child what will happen during the assessment so they can come prepared. Please see attached photos of the building and equipment.  

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• It is good to have a snack packed for your trip here and a treat for after the appointment. 

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• Your child can bring any comfort toys, books, iPad, DVD, etc to keep them calm during the recording. Please note that this can be used during the initial set up time but needs to be taken away during the recording if the child fidgets with it.  

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• If the child has a therapy animal, the animal can assist too. Please discuss this option with us prior to the appointment.  

  

              

 

What to expect during the QEEG assessment: 

 

• On arrival, we collect your written consent for the assessment to be completed. 

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• When you come to the clinic you will be asked to sit in a comfortable chair and will be given a colourful EEG recording cap to wear (similar to a swimming cap). The clip-on sensors will then be placed on your ears. 

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• The cap has many sensors on it and each sensor has a hole in the middle. The EEG technician will apply a special gel through these holes and the gel will touch the skin on your scalp to enable contact.  

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• The only electricity involved in the cap comes from electrical activity produced by the patient’s own brain. No electricity flows towards the patient. In fact, there is no possibility of the patient receiving electrical currents from the connections, as the patient and the cap are specifically isolated from all of the other equipment.  

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• The setup may take up to 40 minutes, and the EEG recording 50 minutes.

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• You will be asked to relax your muscles while the sensors are measuring your brain wave activity during the recording.

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• It is important that you are still during the EEG recording to enable a good quality recording. If you move too much during the recording, it might be hard to do the analysis of your EEG. 

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• Once a sample of the electrical activity data of the patient’s brain has been collected, the proprietary software of the acquisition device performs a computerised transformation of the raw, analogy brain waves into digital form, which can be analysed by the computer. The first phase of analysis is designed to identify, characterise, and highlight brainwave activity on the basis of its prominent features. Next, the analysis uses computerised statistical procedures to make over a thousand statistical analyses to compare patient EEG patterns with those of a scientific normative database that have been developed over the past 20 years in major research laboratories and hospitals. 

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• This procedure provides a sensitive and specific method to detect subtle variations in the activity of the brain and quantifies the likelihood that a particular patients profile is consistent with one or more of the clinical groups in the original database studies. 

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• The results of a brain wave analysis allow us to determine, in a highly scientific and objective manner whether, and how, the patient’s brainwave patterns are significantly different from what is considered normal for the patient's age group. 

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• After the assessment is completed, there is a bathroom available if you want to remove the excess electrode gel.  

 

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