EEG

The abbreviation for electroencephalography, a method of recording the activity of the brain. A trace of the activity is displayed on a monitor or printed out on a moving strip of paper. In an EEG, a number of small electrodes are attached to the scalp and connected to an instrument that records the minute electrical impulses that are produced by the brain’s activity. By revealing characteristic wave patterns, an EEG can help in diagnosing different types of epilepsy and identifying areas in the brain where abnormal electrical activity develops.