Posts Tagged ‘Brain’
The University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS) has purchased Elekta Neuromag®, a device for non-invasive measurement of brain activity using Magnetoencephalography (MEG) technology. Completely non-invasive and painless, MEG is a powerful tool used for studying normal brain function, as well as brain disorders, such as epilepsy and autism.
Based in Seattle, I-LABS conducts early childhood learning and brain development research. With a goal of becoming the world’s foremost generator of early learning and development research, the scientists at the Institute believe that the study of the developing brain is the next great research frontier.
Patricia K. Kuhl, Ph.D., is the Co-Director of I-LABS. “In April 2008, the Institute was awarded a four million dollar grant from the Washington State Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF). With this grant, we were able to fund the purchase of an Elekta Neuromag system,” says Kuhl. “Even more exciting, the MEG system will serve as the focal point of our new Child Brain Imaging Center – a first of its kind not only in the U.S., but the entire world.”
I-LABS has been utilizing MEG technology at collaborator’s institutes for the past several years; however the organization will receive their own system in early 2010, allowing the researchers to record brain activity in infants and children more extensively than before.
“The Child Brain Imaging Center will be unique in the nation by providing the only whole-head non-invasive, noiseless, and completely safe brain imaging technique for use with children aged 0-5”, says Kuhl. “MEG can be used with people of all ages, but I-LABS’ recent demonstration that it can be used to study awake children 0-5 years old (Imada et al., 2006) will advance scientific understanding of early learning and brain development.”
“With our long-term commitment to the development of MEG technology and applications, Elekta always is pleased when a site is interested in exploring new research avenues with Elekta Neuromag,” says Stephen Otto, Chairman of Elekta’s Neuromag business. “We will continue to develop new features and technological advances so organizations like I-LABS can remain at the forefront of neuroscience research.”
For the latest Elekta Neuromag MEG news, visit elekta.com/MEG.
Neuromag
The University Hospital at Heinrich-Heine-University in Düsseldorf, Germany, has installed Elekta Neuromag, a device for noninvasive measurement of brain activity using Magnetoencephalography (MEG) technology.
Completely non-invasive and painless, MEG is a powerful tool used for studying normal brain function, as well as brain disorders, such as epilepsy and autism.
The University has been utilizing MEG technology for more than 12 years; however, recently upgraded their Elekta system, allowing researchers to record human brain activity better and more accurately than before.
“After successfully using the old 122-channel Neuromag MEG system for more than 12 years, I’m extremely excited about the installation of the technologically-advanced 306-channel system,”
says Professor Alfons Schnitzler, M.D., Ph.D., head, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology and Director, Center for Movement Disorders and Neuromodulation, Heinrich-Heine-University.
Researchers from various departments, such as neurology, clinical neuroscience, neurosurgery, psychiatry, and experimental psychology will employ MEG to track brain activity related to sensory, motor, cognitive and emotional functions, at high temporal and spatial resolution, in healthy human subjects, as well as patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders.
“One particular focus,” said Dr. Schnitzler, “will be on the identification and modulation of oscillatory networks involved in normal brain function and their alterations in movement disorders and other neuropsychiatric diseases.”
Dr. Schnitzler also notes that the Center for Movement Disorders and Neuromodulation at HHU runs a comprehensive program on Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). DBS delivers a constant, low electrical stimulation to the brain through implanted electrodes and is used to help partially restore normal movements in Parkinson’s Disease, tremor syndromes, dystonia and other movement disorders.
“The new MEG system will allow us to record brain activity from patients with implanted DBS devices and to study mechanisms of DBS and other neuromodulatory interventions,” continues Schnitzler. “In addition to MEG, state-of-the-art MRI, PET, high-density EEG, and stereotactic TMS facilities, as well as intracranial recordings are available to complement the picture obtained from MEG measurements. This combination will provide a unique, non-invasive window through the human skull, offering exciting perspectives for clinical and cognitive neuroscientists and clinicians.”
Where Brain Metastases Occur
A brain tumor is an abnormal mass of tissue in which cells grow and multiply uncontrollably. Primary brain tumors originate in the brain and rarely spread to other parts of the body.
Metastatic (or secondary) brain tumors come from cancer cells in another part of the body and develop as a tumor in the brain. The site where the cancerous cells originated is referred to as the primary cancer.
The diseased cells spread to the brain by moving through the bloodstream and continue growing in their new location. This spread of a tumor to a new part of the body is called metastasis, and the primary cancer is said to have metastasized.
There has been an increase in metastatic brain tumors, as people are surviving primary cancers for longer periods of time.
Roll over areas of the brain to see risk of metastases.
This website is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice and does not address specific treatments or conditions specific to any patient. All health and treatment decisions must be made in consultation with your physician(s), utilizing your specific medical information. The information on this website is subject to change.
A MEG (magnetoencephalography) examination is totally non-invasive and painless. MEG is used for mapping of brain signals to identify and localize various activities.
Elekta Neuromag
The information is used for clinical applications such as pre-surgical mapping, epilepsy investigations and different research areas. The advantage of MEG is that you see the brain in action, rather than viewed as a still image, this gives unique information that no other image or scanning method can provide.
Elekta Neuromag® is a preferred system among many clinicians and researchers around the world, because of its high and reliable performance.
MEG Software
Examination Process
* The actual scanning process with MEG can take as little as a few minutes or up to several hours depending on the procedure. Three to five small coils are attached on the patient’s head. These coils form a coordinate system that helps synthesize the combined MEG and MRI data.
* Location of the coils with respect to anatomical landmarks on the head are determined with a 3-dimensional digitizer to allow alignment of the MEG coordinates with the anatomy provided by separate MRI images. During the measurement the marker coils are employed to continuously follow the head position.
* The brain activity, spontaneous or evoked in response to various types of stimuli, is recorded with good on-line control on the quality of the recorded data.
* To complete the examination, the MEG data is analysed by the software and the resulting knowledge of the spatial distribution of brain activity is integrated with the MRI image. For More info visit the Elekta Neuromag Page.
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