Q.How does a normal EEG appear?

Step 1. An EEG is a graphical recording of the brain's electrical activity, picked up by surface electrodes on the scalp and displayed as a continuous trace over time.

Step 2. In a normal recording, this electrical activity generally shows synchronised (regular, coordinated) wave patterns rather than desynchronised (irregular, chaotic) ones, reflecting orderly coordinated firing of brain cells.

Step 3. The trace is described in terms of four named frequency bands or rhythms - alpha, beta, delta and theta waves - and a normal EEG shows these rhythms appropriate to the person's state, for example calmer, slower rhythms during relaxed or drowsy states and faster rhythms during alert activity, without any abnormal sharp spikes, sudden bursts, or persistently disorganised patterns. …

Describe the normal EEG's appearance in terms of its recorded rhythm bands and their g …

• Describing 'a normal EEG' only by naming the four wave types without saying what makes their overall pattern look 'normal' (smooth, synchronised, spike-free). …