Electroencephalographic Correlates of Brain Adaptations to Medical School Academic Challenges-A Pilot Study
Journal Title: Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research - Year 2018, Vol 12, Issue 4
Abstract
ABSTRACT Introduction: A relatively specific quantitative Electroencephalogram (qEEG) signature is shown to be indicative of working memory deficits in low performing high school students. Previous studies have shown that Theta/Beta (T/B) ratio measured by qEEG is an indicator of poor Attention Control (AC) and that high T/B ratio may be diagnostic of attention deficit disorders. Aim: This study tests the hypothesis that high T/B ratio measured by qEEG may be associated with low academic performance in a medical school curriculum. Materials and Methods: Nine healthy male volunteers were subjected to 5-10 minutes of qEEG measurements at 19 electrode sites, under Eyes-Open (EO) and Eyes-Closed (EC) conditions. The qEEG measurements were performed for three days before each of the first two block examinations, covering standard first semester integrated basic science courses. Mean±Standard Deviations (SD) of the amplitudes, expressed in μV, and of the mode frequency in each of four standard bandwidths (delta, theta, alpha, beta), expressed in hertz, were measured. T/B ratio was then computed. Results: Mean theta and beta amplitudes increased significantly and T/B ratio decreased significantly for both the EO and EC conditions. Dominant (mode) theta frequency also increased. Overall inter and intra-hemispheric theta and beta band coherences increased for both the EO and EC conditions between the Block 1 and Block 2 exams; theta intra-hemispheric coherence was significant only for the EC condition. Correlations between Human Structure and Function (HSF) Block 2 exam scores and overall inter and intra-hemispheric coherences were significant for the beta bandwidth under the EC condition only. Conclusion: These findings suggest that high T/B ratio, a qEEG indicator of AC, may be associated with low academic performance. Future studies including a larger number of subjects should be done to determine whether these findings are gender-specific and whether lowering the T/B ratio is a predictor of medical school performance and other academic challenges.
Authors and Affiliations
Vasavi Rakesh Gorantla, Gina Parsons, Efal Sayed, Aya Fadel, Chrislene Olukoga, Yulia Andreevna Volkova, Sudhakar Pemminati, Richard Mark Millis
Keywords
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- EP ID EP522326
- DOI 10.7860/JCDR/2018/32222.11388
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