History of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging While conventional MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CAT (computerized axial tomogram) scan image the structural anatomy of the brain (and pathology) to a high degree of spatial resolution, functional imaging has carried this imaging…
The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in the dark room especially if there is no cat. Kung Fu Tzu Cognitive function is an intellectual process by which one becomes aware of, perceives, or comprehends ideas.…
Introduction Primary brain injury results from traumatic or disease-related impact. Two major problems are associated with these injuries. First, damage after primary brain injury cannot be undone even with the best possible management. Second, secondary brain injury is inherent due…
Introduction Sampling of the cerebral tissue environment to gain clinical insight into the state of a patient's evolving neurologic health is an evolving trend in neuroscience and critical care medicine. A start to this can be traced back to Ungerstedt…
Introduction Cerebral oximetry is a noninvasive monitoring modality based on several physical principles that basically acts as an indirect indicator of perfusion adequacy. Therefore, it allows continuous information on oxygen supply-versus-demand balance. It has numerous applications in the clinical field…
Introduction Monitoring of the central nervous system using evoked responses allows assessment of neural tracts that are normally silent during coma or anesthesia. This differs from the electroencephalogram (EEG), which monitors spontaneous activity. They are not a replacement for awake…
Introduction Monitoring the cerebral blood flow (CBF) is critical not only in patients with known neurological disease but also in patients at risk of neurological damage in the perioperative period. Despite the fact that virtually all interventions in neuroanesthesia and…
Introduction Through the recording of scalp surface electrical activity, electroencephalography (EEG) is unique as a noninvasive tool to explore the functioning brain. The obtained complex tracings correspond to the summation of the activity of several underlying neural assemblies, and they…
Introduction Jugular venous oxygen saturation monitoring (SjvO 2 ) is one of the multimodal neuromonitoring methods used to indirectly assess global cerebral oxygen balance and guide physiologic management decisions in both intraoperative and intensive care unit (ICU) settings. Normal SjvO…
Introduction Brain perfusion is peculiar, reflecting the specificity of the brain in the human body. Brain metabolic function depends strictly on oxygen and glucose, yet it is not able to store them, meaning that all the energy must be supplied…