The Electroencephalogram (EEG)

1. The Electroencephalogram(EEG) Sandy , Stephanie

2. Description • It’s one of the first and oldest technique to study the brain out • The EEG printout is a representation of brainwave activity • There is an electrical charge from neurons that transport information in the brain • EEG registers patterns of voltage change in the brain • With the EEG psychologists have been able to better understand behaviors like sleep, emotions and epilepsy

3. Pictures..

4. Strengths and Limitations

5. EEG study of the effects of Psychedelic Tea Hoffman et al. (2001) • Aims: to find the effects of a psychedelic, tropical tea, called Ayahuasca, on the EEG Activity of the Human Brain during a Shamanistic Ritual  • Procedures: EEG data from 12 volunteers participating in a workshop in Brazil were recorded under field conditions before and after a shamanistic ritual in which 3 doses of the psychoactive tea, Ayahuasca, were consumed • Findings: After the 3 doses were consumed, the participants showed significant increases of EEG • Conclusions: The increases of brain wave activity after consuming the tea reflect an altered stated of consciousness in which the participants showed increased awareness of their subconscious processes. Activity was also increased in the occipital lobe (which is responsible for vision) as participants were hallucinating.

6. Effectiveness of EEGwhat it tells us about the relationship between biology and behavior • Most of the recent advances in brain science have involved knowledge of the biology of single neurons and synapses, not knowledge of patterns of connection and other aspects of the brain as a system. • EEG gives the best information about brain activity over time as well as connections between cortical regions..

7. Bibliography • http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/work/how.html