How the brain works · 03
Neuro-Physiology
Your brain’s electrical signals have three properties that matter: how powerful they are, how fast they are, and how well different regions are connected.
01 · Power
The strength of electrical signals
Strength or amplitude of EEG brainwaves
The more powerful a specific brainwave is within a specific brain location, the more intense that brain function, or symptom, will be.
We use neurofeedback to decrease brainwaves that have too much power, and to increase brainwaves in locations that have too little.
A qEEG brain map shows exactly which areas and brainwaves are out of range, by measuring the voltage (electrical strength) of every type of brainwave at nearly every location in your brain.
02 · Frequency
Timing, rhythm and speed of brainwaves
A brainwave’s frequency is how fast it moves up and down, and it determines the type of information that wave carries. Train two different frequencies in the exact same location and you’ll get two different outcomes.
It works like radio. In Nashville, tune to 104.5 and you get sports; tune elsewhere for rock or country. Your brainwaves carry different information on different frequencies too.
“Slow waves for deep sleep, medium waves for a calm, relaxed and alert state, and very fast waves for pain, anxiety or a racing mind.”
It makes sense when you think about it.
Delta
1–4 Hz
Dominates deep, restorative sleep.
Theta
4–8 Hz
Drowsiness and daydreaming. Excess in the frontal lobes is often seen with attention difficulties.
Alpha
8–12 Hz
Calm, alert and relaxed, especially at the back of the brain.
Beta
12–20 Hz
Active, focused thinking and engagement.
High Beta
20–30 Hz
Excess is very common with migraines, chronic pain, high anxiety and a racing mind.
03 · Connectivity
Brain pathway interconnections
Connectivity of pathways between brain locations
When one area of the brain communicates with another, that connection is a brain pathway, made of microscopic neurons. When many neurons join to connect two areas, the pathway is stronger; when few do, it’s weaker.
Our Neuro EP equipment measures these connections through coherence, phase lag and synchronized rhythms, alongside the power at each location. We know approximately how strong each pathway should be, in other words how clearly and loudly one area should be talking to another.
After measuring your pathways with a qEEG brain map, we use Neuro EP treatments like neurofeedback to gradually train them back toward the right strength.
1015
up to 1,000,000,000,000,000 possible connections between neurons
70–100B
neurons in the human brain
10,000
connections per neuron, via dendrites and axons
Ready to see what your brain map reveals?
Book a consultation in our Nashville office or by video from anywhere in the world. Our team will review your symptoms and recommend a personalized plan.