Research indicates novel electrical bio-marker in humans

 Published on June 16, 2012The research led by Newcastle University's Dr Mark Cunningham and Professor Miles Whittington and supported by the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research, indicates a novel electrical bio-marker in humans.The brain produces electrical rhythms and using EEG - electrodes on the scalp - researchers were able to monitor the brain patterns in patients with epilepsy. Both in patients and in brain tissue samples the team were able to witness an abnormal brain wave noticeable due to its rapidly increasing frequency over time.Comparing these to a musical 'glissando', an upwards glide from one pitch to another, the team found that this brain rhythm is unique to humans and they believe it could be related to epilepsy.Dr Cunningham, senior lecturer in Neuronal Dynamics at Newcastle University said: "We were able to examine EEG collected from patients with drug resistant epilepsy who were continually monitored over a two week period. During that time we noticed patterns of electrical activity with rapidly increasing frequency, just like glissandi, emerging in the lead-up to an epileptic seizure.""We are in the early days of the work and we want to investigate this in a larger group of patients but it may offer a promising insight into when a seizure is going to start."Professor Whittington added: "Classical composers such as Gustav Mahler are famous for using notes of rapidly increasing pitch - called glissando - to convey intense expressions of anticipation. Similarly we identified glissando-like patterns of brain electrical activity generated in anticipation of seizures in patients with epilepsy."The team recorded electrical activity taken from patients in Newcastle and Glasgow with the help of collaborators Dr Roderick Duncan and Dr Aline Russell and worked in collaboration with the Epilepsy Surgery Group at Newcastle General Hospital part of the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.Having received permission from patients to use brain tissue removed during an operation to cure their seizures, the team were able to observe and study in great detail glissando discharges in slices of this human epileptic tissue maintained in the lab.