The FIG Functional Integrative QEEG Technique and the Functional Structure of Memory Functioning in Normals and Head Injured Subjects

Resumo

A method was developed to simultaneously combine QEEG signals and video/audio input signals in an attempt to study how the mind processes information during memory tasks and other tasks (mathematics, emotions, visualizing, verbalization, etc.). The California Verbal Memory test was chosen as the verbal memory task. Three subjects were evaluated. One subject was a victim of a recent car accident and experienced a closed head injury. mo subjects were chosen as normal controls to evaluate differences in the processing of information. As the method represents a new methodology in the study of brain processes, it will be referred to as the FIG method (Functional Integrative QEEG). The results indicate that phenomena exist which cannot be explained by dipole analysis or other concepts currently in use. A concept of phase /coherence generators is postulated to explain these phenomena. An examination of part of the results of the memory functioning aspect of the research is presented in terms of differences between the had injured subject and the normal subjects indicating the importance of the phase concept in memory and of the complexity of mental processes. This research is an exploratory endeavor with a new methodology designed to discover how modern theories of memory processingcan be related to electrophysiological functioning.