Research Projects

Developmental and Functional Brain Imaging Research Laboratory

This research initiative capitalises on collaboration between The MCRI Critical Care and Neurosciences theme and The RCH Children’s Neuroscience Centre, by bringing together expertise in brain imaging analysis and clinical neuroscience. The project is now underway with the appointment of two imaging research officers to the MCRI DFBI group.

A major goal for this year is the implementation of a new technology known as EEG functional MRI. The researchers are currently focused on validation of this technique, including testing equipment and their ability to record EEG (brainwaves) while an MRI scan is being performed. Once this phase is complete there is an EEG fMRI project ready to recruit children with the most severe forms of epilepsy in order to study the areas of the brain involved in generating abnormal electrical activity.

Another area in development is the use of high-resolution EEG recordings and sophisticated mathematical modeling to calculate the source of electrical activity in the brain. Known as EEG source localisation, this technique can be used to study normal brain activity, but has not often been used to aid in the evaluation of children with epilepsy. Currently there are some patients whose brainwaves are being analysed in this way and compared to results of other investigations.

In evaluating children with uncontrolled seizures, seeing where blood flows to the brain during seizures and where glucose is used by the brain between seizures can be very helpful in determining where seizures are coming from. These clinical tools have been used at RCH for some years, but there are new insights to be gained through use of statistical methods to analyse the data. We are implementing these methods in the DFBI Research Laboratory in order to enhance individual patient care and also to provide a research resource to answer important clinical research questions.