Abnormal Levels of Consciousness and their ElectroencephalogramCorrelation: A Review

Consciousness is a state of awareness of self and the interaction with the surrounding environment and the components of the environment. The term also has other uses such as collective consciousness (set of shared beliefs, ideas and morality that unifies as a force within a society), specific consciousness (that gives a conscious state the particular phenomenal quality) and general consciousness (that makes a state conscious at all). Electroencephalogram records brain’s electrical activity via metal electrodes attached to skin on the head. The waves are transmitted to a recording device and the process routinely takes 30-90 minutes on an average. It is a grossly under utilised tool with prominent and often the only known use being in seizure disorders and epilepsy. The disorders of consciousness are acute and chronic. Electroencephalogram is known to be effective in detecting these disorders, monitoring them and prognosticating them. However, very few non-neurologists are aware of this use as a tool for disorders of consciousness.