General Information

The Certificate in Electroencephalography (EEG) Technician is a six-month paramedical program offered by Mahatma Gandhi Ayurvigyan Vidyapeeth. The curriculum covers foundational neuroanatomy, neurological disorders, and the technical principles of electroencephalography. Students learn standard electrode placement, operating diagnostic recording equipment, identifying basic wave patterns, and maintaining safety protocols during clinical procedures. The course prepares candidates to support neurodiagnostic teams in clinical environments.

1. Course Duration: 6 Months
2. Minimum Qualification: 10+2 with Science stream
3. Course Category: PARAMEDICAL
4. Total Marks: 600 (Theory 600, 6 subjects)

Course Objectives

• Impart fundamental knowledge of brain anatomy, neurophysiology, and common neurological disorders affecting electrical brain activity.
• Familiarize students with EEG instrumentation, electrode placement standards, and routine diagnostic recording protocols.
• Develop competency in operating EEG machinery safely and handling standard artifact elimination techniques.
• Train learners in patient preparation, professional ethics, and proper documentation in neurodiagnostic laboratories.

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate sound understanding of human neuroanatomy and physiological principles governing brain electrical signals.
• Apply electrodes accurately according to the standard 10-20 international system.
• Operate EEG equipment competently to record baseline and routine clinical neurodiagnostic traces.
• Identify physiological and technical artifacts and apply appropriate corrective procedures during recordings.
• Maintain patient safety, confidentiality, and formal documentation protocols during neurodiagnostic evaluations.

Pass & Division Criteria

The maximum marks and minimum pass marks of Theory and Practical of each subject are given in the Mark Distribution table below. To pass, a candidate must score the minimum pass marks separately in both Theory and Practical of every subject.

The division is decided on the aggregate percentage of marks obtained, as follows —

Mark Distribution

Total marks of the course : 600

Detailed Syllabus

1. Introduction to the Nervous System — Overview of central and peripheral nervous systems, cellular components, and basic functional divisions in clinical neurology.
2. Neuron Structure and Action Potentials — Study of neuron morphology, resting membrane potentials, action potential generation, and propagation along axonal membranes.
3. Synaptic Transmission and Neurotransmitters — Exploration of chemical and electrical synapses, neurotransmitter synthesis, release mechanisms, and common central nervous system neurotransmitters.
4. Overview of Neurological Disorders — Introduction to common neurological conditions including strokes, central infections, neurodegenerative diseases, and structural intracranial lesions.
5. Epilepsy and Seizure Classifications — Clinical classification of epileptic seizures, distinction between focal and generalized seizures, and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.
6. Encephalopathy and Altered Mental States — Overview of metabolic, toxic, hypoxic, and septic encephalopathies, coma states, and brain death clinical criteria.
7. Pediatric Neurological Disorders — Common pediatric neurological conditions, febrile convulsions, neonatal seizures, developmental delays, and pediatric epileptic encephalopathies.
8. Sleep Architecture and Sleep Disorders — Normal sleep cycle stages, REM and NREM physiology, circadian rhythms, and common clinical sleep disorders.
9. Basics of Clinical Neurological Examination — Understanding neurological examination protocols, cranial nerve assessment, motor-sensory evaluations, and technician's role in clinical correlations.

1. Gross Anatomy of the Human Brain — Gross structural divisions including cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem, surface landmarks, sulci, gyri, and cranial fossae.
2. Cerebral Hemispheres and Lobar Functions — Detailed study of frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes, functional localization, and associated clinical deficits.
3. Meninges and Ventricular System — Anatomy of dura, arachnoid, and pia mater, cerebrospinal fluid circulation, ventricles, and intracranial pressure dynamics.
4. Blood Supply of the Brain — Circle of Willis, anterior and posterior cerebral circulations, venous sinuses, and blood-brain barrier physiology.
5. Limbic System and Basal Ganglia — Structures and connections of limbic system, basal ganglia nuclei, emotional regulation, and motor control pathways.
6. Diencephalon and Brainstem Structures — Anatomy and physiology of thalamus, hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata, and reticular activating system.
7. Electrogenesis of Cerebral Potentials — Physiological basis of postsynaptic potentials, pyramidal cell orientation, cortical dipole formation, and volume conduction principles.
8. Development of the Human Brain — Embryological neurodevelopment, pediatric brain maturation, fontanelle closure, and developmental anatomical milestones relevant to electrophysiology.

1. History and Evolution of EEG — Evolution of electroencephalography from analog galvanometer systems to modern computerized digital acquisition and analysis machines.
2. Digital EEG System Architecture — Components of digital EEG machines, hardware interfaces, analog-to-digital conversion, sampling rates, and bit resolution.
3. Electrodes Types and Materials — Types of EEG electrodes including cup, needle, and subdermal types, metal compositions, and maintenance protocols.
4. Electrode Impedance and Skin Preparation — Principles of electrode-skin interface impedance, skin preparation techniques, contact gels, and impedance meter operations.
5. The 10-20 International Electrode System — Principles of the standard 10-20 electrode placement system, anatomical landmarks, percentage calculations, and electrode labeling.
6. Modified 10-10 and Neonatal Montages — Extended 10-10 high-density electrode placements, specialized neonatal electrode placement arrays, and placement adjustments for abnormalities.
7. Differential Amplifiers and Common Mode Rejection — Function of differential amplifiers, input impedance, operational gain, and common mode rejection ratio in signal quality.
8. EEG Filters and Sensitivity Settings — Application of high-frequency, low-frequency, and notch filters, sensitivity adjustments, and their effects on waveform morphology.
9. Montages and Derivations in EEG — Bipolar longitudinal, transverse, referential, and average montages, montage reformatting, and directional phase reversal principles.
10. Electrical Safety and Maintenance — Electrical safety standards, grounding principles, patient electrical isolation, routine equipment maintenance, and electrical hazard prevention.

1. Patient Preparation and Pre-Test Protocols — Reviewing patient history, clinical indications, medication history, scalp inspection, hair preparation, and patient communication skills.
2. Routine Adult EEG Recording Protocol — Step-by-step procedure for standard adult baseline recordings, awake resting state, eye opening and closure instructions.
3. Activation Procedure - Hyperventilation — Physiological rationale, indications, contraindications, standardized breathing protocol, patient safety monitoring, and typical build-up responses.
4. Activation Procedure - Photic Stimulation — Stroboscopic flash rates, driving responses, photoparoxysmal and photomyogenic responses, indications, contraindications, and emergency management.
5. Sleep Deprivation and Sleep EEG — Techniques of sleep deprivation, recording natural sleep, recording sedative-induced sleep, and activation of epileptiform discharges.
6. Pediatric and Neonatal Recording Protocols — Special considerations for infant and neonatal recordings, behavioral state observation, swaddling techniques, and synchronized polygraphic monitoring.
7. Identification and Correction of Artifacts — Recognizing and eliminating physiological artifacts such as muscle, eye blink, ECG, pulse, and non-physiological external interferences.
8. Long-Term Monitoring and Video-EEG — Principles of continuous video-EEG monitoring, camera synchronization, seizure documentation, event button utilization, and patient safety.
9. ICU and Emergency EEG Procedures — Bedside recording protocols in intensive care units, status epilepticus monitoring, electrical isolation, and troubleshooting electrical interference.
10. EEG Documentation and Technician Reporting — Accurate record labeling, technical annotations, recording epoch documentation, seizure event log preparation, and archiving procedures.

1. Overview of Central Nervous System Diseases — Introduction to common pathological conditions of the brain, clinical manifestations, classification of neurological disorders, and diagnostic role of neurophysiological testing.
2. Epilepsy and Seizure Classifications — Study of focal and generalized seizures, etiology, clinical features, classification systems, and distinguishing epileptic seizures from non-epileptic paroxysmal events.
3. Status Epilepticus and Medical Emergencies — Clinical definition, classification, pathophysiological mechanisms, acute complications of status epilepticus, and neurodiagnostic monitoring considerations during neurological emergencies.
4. Cerebrovascular Accidents and Brain Ischemia — Types of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, vascular territories, transient ischemic attacks, and their corresponding clinical presentations and neurological deficits.
5. Encephalopathies and Metabolic Brain Disorders — Systemic metabolic conditions, hepatic and renal dysfunction, toxic encephalopathy, anoxic brain injury, and altered mental status in hospitalized patients.
6. Central Nervous System Infections — Clinical features of meningitis, viral encephalitis, brain abscesses, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, and neurodegenerative prion diseases affecting brain function.
7. Pediatric Neurological and Genetic Disorders — Febrile convulsions, infantile spasms, developmental delay, cerebral palsy, inherited metabolic disorders, and specific early childhood epileptic syndromes.
8. Coma and Altered Consciousness States — Etiology of decreased consciousness, Glasgow Coma Scale assessment, structural versus metabolic causes, and neurological evaluation of stupor and coma.
9. Brain Death and Legal Concepts — Clinical criteria for determination of brain death, apnea testing protocols, irreversible cessation of brain function, and Indian legal regulatory frameworks.
10. Sleep Disorders and Parasomnias — Overview of obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, restless legs syndrome, circadian rhythm disorders, and common abnormal parasomnias during sleep.

1. Clinical History Taking and Pre-Test Assessment — Patient identification, medical history review, documentation of current antiepileptic medications, neurological examination findings, and obtaining informed consent for EEG recording.
2. Patient Preparation and Scalp Care — Standard procedures for skin degreasing, scalp abrasion techniques, patient positioning, managing anxious individuals, and special considerations for pediatric and elderly patients.
3. Standard Electrode Placement and Measurement Protocols — Application of the International 10-20 electrode system, anatomical landmarks measurement, electrode impedance verification, and clinical positioning verification.
4. Routine Recording Protocols and Montage Selection — Setting baseline recording parameters, sensitivity, filters, time constants, paper speed, and alternating between bipolar and referential montage displays during testing.
5. Physiological Activation Procedures — Hyperventilation protocols, contraindications, photic stimulation flash frequency sequences, sleep deprivation guidelines, and recording responses in clinical setups.
6. Artifact Recognition and Troubleshooting Methods — Identifying and eliminating physiological artifacts such as eye movements, muscle tension, and pulse, as well as instrumental and environmental electrical interference.
7. Clinical Evaluation of Normal Background Rhythms — Assessing awake posterior dominant alpha rhythm, beta frequencies, mu activity, physiological response to eye opening, and normal sleep spindle architectures.
8. Critical Care and Bedside Monitoring Protocols — Performing continuous bedside monitoring in intensive care units, infection control, electrical safety standards, and operating around mechanical ventilators and infusion pumps.
9. Management of Seizures During Recording — Protocol for handling clinical seizures in the neurodiagnostic laboratory, patient protection, airway management, emergency alarm activation, and video-EEG correlation recording.
10. Record Archiving, Reporting, and Ethics — Data storage protocols, preliminary descriptive technical report generation, patient confidentiality under clinical standards, and professional technician ethics in Indian hospital environments.