The Wonderful Brain

Brain Maps, Part 1: The Wonderful Brain (continued)

Knowing and Understanding
What Is “Normal” in a Person’s Brain

A Brain Map is as Unique as each Individual, and patterns of “normal” and “abnormal” emerge when compared within an extensive Brain Map database – just as an individual is considered relatively normal or abnormal when compared with other individuals in groups.

Scientists have studied thousands of Brain Maps of people who do not possess any neurological conditions considered as abnormal. From these extensive studies, benchmarks for normal ranges of brain functions are established for a multitude of things, including various ages, categories and gender.

Normal brain patterns, meaning what a normal brain should always look like, are then compared to each new EEG recording, to see how normal or abnormal each new person’s brain is in comparison to other people’s normal brains. In this way, the problem areas are found in the maps of each EEG recording.

The NxLink Brain Map Database

Memory Care of Arizona uses the information from The NxLink Brain Map database, that uses a color-based standard deviation model to identify abnormal brain wave patterns. On the NxLink standard deviation scale shown at right, “normal” corresponds to 0.0 and is shown by the color black. As you deviate by degrees away from the norm, problematic brain wave patterns emerge.

The Blue End
The blue side of the scale indicates brain waves that are lower in amplitude (size) as compared to normal waves. This means the brain is UNDER functioning – the brain waves are not up to par to do their jobs and are too small to be effective. The further down on the scale, the lower the amplitude (size) of the brain waves, and the greater the problems within the brain.

The Red End

Anything in this range is OVER functioning – the brain waves are too large in amplitude (size). Areas of the brain with these colors are considered as “hot spots” especially the higher up the chart to white. These areas of the brain are like a car with the gas peddle stuck on, and the car is racing out of control. The brain may also be stuck in “on” with the peddle to the metal, and the brain is racing and driving in a way that is out of control.

The brain is trying to make normal connections as is in speech, language, and memory, but the over active electrical signals don’t let it happen, and the brain wave signals just don’t connect as they should. As this happens, the brain is not functioning effectively, and inappropriate behavior is the result.

Deviation From Normal

Understanding “standard deviation” is important, as standard deviations help to show the severity of problems occurring within the brain. Consider the bell curve at right in conjunction with the standard deviation scale shown before. Beneath the apex of the bell curve, lies the average or normal range of behavior. Brain waves here are considered to be a normal height. Seventy percent of all people typically fall within this range. As you move toward the outer fringes of the curve, the averages change, and the brain waves become increasingly either too large or too small to be effective, meaning they become abnormal and cause mental/emotional problems to the person.

For example, when the color burgundy/red shows up on the brain map, the condition is one standard deviation away from normal. But if the brain map shows an orange color, the condition is two standard deviations away from normal and is much more severe. If the color shown is in the yellow/white range, then the condition is three standard deviations away from normal, and the problems of mental/emotional conditions are considered extremely severe.

A Brain Map Identifies
The Problem Areas of the Brain

From the Brain Map, we know what areas to improve. Changing and improving one’s life is important, and the EEG Brain Map identifies the most effective path to take to accomplish this. As each Brain Map is unique from all other Brain Maps, so too, is the course of action and treatment for improving the neurological areas.

The areas is reds are over active and thus constitute problem areas in the brain, that signal problem areas of behaviors, ranging from problems with the frontal lobes in theta to problems with beta.