A Quantitative Electroencephalogram (QEEG) Brain Map is an advanced, non-invasive diagnostic tool that provides a detailed visualization of your brain's electrical activity. It works by measuring the brain's electrical impulses, known as brainwaves, and converting that data into a colorful, easy-to-understand visual map. This process helps clinicians identify patterns associated with various mental health conditions, cognitive challenges, or areas for potential improvement.
1. After meeting with your clinician, if a QEEG is recommended, we will schedule it for a morning session to ensure accurate data.
2. You will receive preparation instructions through our portal.
3. Upon arrival, a technician will greet you, explain the QEEG cap, and guide you through the process.
4. We will apply the cap while you relax, playing a game, watching a show, or listening to music.
5. The QEEG recording takes 20 minutes: 10 minutes with eyes open, followed by a break and 10 minutes with eyes closed. Please remain as still as possible during this time.
6. Afterward, we’ll remove the cap. Your hair may be messy, and there could be leftover gel, so we suggest bringing a cap, scarf, or hair tie.
7. Dr. Coben will review your results, and we’ll schedule a follow-up meeting to discuss them with you.
While most providers use a 19-channel brain map, we use a 32-channel brain map that gives us more specific information about your brain’s functioning. In other words, we measure your brain activity in 32 rather than 19 sites on your head. The raw data from your qEEG is then analyzed through a number of different databases, giving us information on your brain wave pattern activity, and on overall brain coherence and efficiency. This tells us how your brain cells are communicating with each other and where there might be areas for improvement.
We use current research to inform how we utilize the information gathered from your brainmap. Often we work closely with Dr. Rob Coben using his 4-channel coherence training, developing a training protocol that is individualized to your brain’s specific patterns and your needs. This type of training has been shown to be highly effective in helping individuals struggling with cognitive concerns and deficits as well as for patients with depression, anxiety, traumatic brain injury and early developmental trauma.
Through our individualized neurofeedback training, we can then help you to retrain your brain. This helps teach your brain’s neurons to fire in different patterns and in a more flexible manner, often resulting in an alleviation of symptoms and an overall more regulated way of being in the world.
Dr. Coben is the developer of a unique method of connectivity mapping based on QEEG analysis. He works with our clinicians to develop many of the neurofeedback protocols we use with our clients at ANPNJ.