At the 2nd Neuroscience and Technologies Congress themed 'EEG in its 100th Year', the 100-year historical process of EEG and the life story of German Psychiatrist Hans Berger, who invented EEG, were discussed.
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “The greatest need of psychiatry is the need for measurability. Psychiatry targets the brain. There is also a need for measurability regarding the brain.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “Most families sometimes don't believe that the person is sick. When we show some findings in the brain, patients and their families become convinced. Patients' conviction creates a 40 percent placebo effect in treatment. Patient adherence to treatment also increases.”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Medicine, Head of Neurology Department, Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ: “EEG is a special discovery. It paved the way for neuroscience in the 20th Century. It is still frequently and beneficially used.”
The 2nd Neuroscience and Technologies Congress, themed 'EEG in its 100th Year', organized by Üsküdar Üniversitesi, was held at the İbni Sina Auditorium of Üsküdar Üniversitesi NP Sağlık Yerleşkesi.
Speaking at the opening of the congress, which was broadcast live on ÜÜTV, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that EEG (Electroencephalography), a medical diagnostic method used to measure brain activity, had been used in epilepsy for a long time and later began to be used in the field of psychiatry.
“A serious struggle was waged for the use of EEG in the field of psychiatry”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also stated that a serious struggle was given for the use of EEG in psychiatry, adding that neurologists and psychiatrists are watching Elon Musk's Neuralink company's first wireless brain chip.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan noted that the use of EEG for scientific purposes in their hospitals in the early years also brought some challenges, stating that EEG was accepted as a biological marker for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 2013.
“There is a need for measurability regarding the brain”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, who also stated that EEG is used in neurobiofeedback applications, said, “The greatest need of psychiatry is the need for measurability. Psychiatry targets the brain. There is also a need for measurability regarding the brain.”
Stating that people measure their blood sugar if they have diabetes and take medication accordingly, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “With EEG, we look at the patient's brain functions before treatment. Most families sometimes don't believe that the person is sick. When we show some findings in the brain, patients and their families become convinced. Patients' conviction creates a 40 percent placebo effect in treatment. Patient adherence to treatment also increases.”
“Artificial intelligence will assist in diagnosis and treatment…”
Reminding that many discoveries have been made for people's treatment needs, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said that artificial intelligence will also bring many innovations to this field.
Stating that EEG performs measurements by creating a heat map of the brain, Prof. Dr. Tarhan noted that the application of artificial intelligence in neuropsychiatric diseases will be helpful in diagnosis and treatment.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also explained that EEG measurements were uploaded to artificial intelligence prepared as the NP model and successfully identified diagnoses such as OCD and depression.
Opening Lecture: Why is EEG Still Relevant in its Hundredth Year…
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Medicine, Head of Neurology Department, Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ, delivered the opening lecture titled “Why is EEG Still Relevant in its Hundredth Year: The Power of a Special Mind, The Science Behind a Discovery.”
Prof. Dr. Tanrıdağ stated that cell, bioelectric, synapse, and neuron theories before the discovery of EEG facilitated its discovery, and that the mental codes that made it possible for Hans Berger to make this discovery were 'thinking about astronomy education, curiosity about telepathy, and thus interest in Psychiatry, and the first EEG recordings made from his son Klaus's brain in 1924.'
Perhaps our only shortcoming in transferring EEG to future generations…
Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ stated that the Alpha waves discovered by the German Psychiatrist Hans Berger, who invented EEG, are referred to as Berger waves, and continued:
“EEG has been one of the leading factors contributing to the development of neuroscience throughout the 20th Century by providing a basis for the scientific examination of many issues, especially epilepsy, whose causes were previously unknown and prominent in the public mind. Today, in addition to its strong position in neurology, EEG has quantitatively delved into the diagnosis and monitoring of many syndromes in psychiatry.
Perhaps our only shortcoming in transferring these features of EEG to future generations is our need for visionary, missionary, and critical pioneers like Hans Berger. EEG is a special discovery. It paved the way for neuroscience in the 20th Century. It is still frequently and beneficially used.”
Hans Berger was searching for mind-body, spirit-body relationships…
Üsküdar Üniversitesi NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi Neurology Specialist Prof. Dr. Sultan Tarlacı, in her speech titled “What Was Berger Really Looking For? From the Search for Psychic Energy to the Discovery of EEG,” pointed out the historical importance of EEG, stating that Berger conducted many studies while searching for mind-body, spirit-body relationships and gifted EEG to humanity.
Prof. Dr. Tarlacı stated that one of Berger's sources of inspiration was his orientalist grandfather Friedrich Rückert, from his sister and mother, with whom he communicated once through telepathy, and explained that Berger's search for energy connecting mind to mind led to EEG, with the first EEG recording made in 1929.
Prof. Dr. Tarlacı also noted that Hans Berger's works were not given importance at the time and reminded that Berger committed suicide in 1941.
Family photo taken
After the presentations, a family photo was taken with the congress participants.
At the congress, Prof. Dr. Serap Saygı discussed “Ictal EEG Disorders in Focal Epilepsies,” Prof. Dr. Kemal Arıkan “Psychiatric Electrophysiology,” Prof. Dr. Sermin Kesebir “Bipolar EEG: The Rhythm of Brain Waves from a Psychiatrist's Perspective,” Prof. Dr. Barış Metin “LORETA: Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography,” and Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel discussed “Big Data in Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence Application in Neuropsychiatric Diseases: The NP Model Example.”