Abnormal electrical activities in the brain are detected by?

Appeared in: DSSSB - 29 August 2019 (Shift-1)

Explanation

An Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that records the electrical activity generated in the brain.
It is performed by applying electrodes to the scalp, which detect and amplify the brain's electrical signals.
EEG is the primary tool for diagnosing and evaluating conditions characterized by abnormal brain electrical activity, such as seizure disorders, coma, and organic brain syndrome.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: An Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) measures the electrical activity of the heart, not the brain.
Option C: A Nerve Conduction Study (NCS) assesses the function of peripheral nerves (nerves outside the brain and spinal cord), not the brain itself.
Option D: An Electromyogram (EMG) measures the electrical activity of skeletal muscles, not the brain.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Neurodiagnostic Procedures as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a key role in preparing patients for an EEG, which includes instructing them to have clean hair without products and potentially withholding certain medications (like anticonvulsants or sedatives) or stimulants (like caffeine) as prescribed, to ensure an accurate recording.
During the procedure, the nurse's role is to ensure the patient remains calm and still, as movement can create artifacts in the EEG reading, making interpretation difficult.
What if the patient is a child who cannot stay still? In such cases, a sleep EEG may be ordered, or mild sedation might be used. The nurse must be prepared to monitor the child's respiratory status and safety if sedation is administered.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question stem, which is 'brain'.
Next, analyze the prefix of each option to understand the body part it relates to. 'Encephalo-' refers to the brain.
Evaluate the options: 'Cardio-' refers to the heart, 'Myo-' refers to muscle, and 'Nerve conduction' refers to peripheral nerves.
Based on this analysis, match 'brain' with 'Electroencephalogram' (EEG) as the test that measures its electrical activity.
This process of elimination based on medical terminology quickly leads to the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Neurodiagnostic Procedures
Stem keywords: abnormal electrical activities, brain
Lead-in keywords: detected by
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QDLlja3Z-8P68FsA0Jqlmd

Reference Book

E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 2 Part 2 p. 18-20

E6 Medicine Davidson Principles Practice 24e p. 1096-1098

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 1226-1228

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