Electroencephalography and quantitative electroencephalography in mild traumatic brain injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Neurology

Background:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) results in electrophysiological abnormalities detectable by electroencephalography (EEG).
• Quantitative EEG (qEEG) analyzes EEG characteristics like frequency, amplitude, and coherence over time.
• qEEG is being evaluated for mTBI diagnosis and prognosis, including predicting postconcussive syndrome (PCS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review EEG and qEEG changes associated with mTBI in the literature.
• To differentiate findings across acute, subacute, and chronic phases post-mTBI.
• To briefly discuss neurobiological correlates of qEEG using neuroimaging and histopathology.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of EEG and qEEG findings in mTBI.
• Categorization of findings based on post-injury phases (acute, subacute, chronic).
• Inclusion of neurobiological correlates from neuroimaging and histopathology.

Main Results:

• EEG and qEEG reveal abnormalities following mTBI.
• Distinct qEEG patterns may emerge in different phases of mTBI recovery.
• Neuroimaging and histopathology provide insights into the neurobiological basis of qEEG findings.

Conclusions:

• qEEG demonstrates potential for mTBI diagnosis and prognosis assessment.
• Further studies are required to validate and enhance the clinical utility of qEEG for mTBI.
• Refinement of qEEG methods is necessary for reliable application in clinical settings.