Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine uses a small amount of radioactive, injectable material to demonstrate the function of the brain.  It can be used to localize where seizures start. A scan before the seizure for a baseline image and then again with the radioactive material given during the seizure to locate activity in the brain.  This is not…

Neurotransmitter

A chemical substance produced by nerve cells, transported in the axon, and released at the synapse; causes chemical and electrical changes in adjacent cells.

Neurologist

A neurologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating diseases of the nervous system. The nervous system is made of two parts: the central and peripheral nervous system. It includes the brain and spinal cord.

Myoclonic seizure

A brief muscle jerk resulting from an abnormal discharge of brain electrical activity; usually involves muscles on both sides of the body, most often the shoulders or upper arms.

Myoclonic jerk

Brief muscle jerk; may involve muscles on one or both sides of the body; may be normal (e.g., as one falls asleep) or caused by a seizure or other disorders.

Muscle tone

The level of muscle contraction present during the resting state; with increased tone there is stiffness and rigidity; with decreased tone there is looseness or floppiness of the limbs and trunk.

MRI-guided laser thermal ablation

a minimally invasive surgical technique that allows surgeons to precisely target and ablate tumor or lesion tissue by utilizing a  laser.  This laser can be directed to a defined area in the brain, using a thin fiber that is guided to the tumor tissue. The laser transmits energy and as a result, heats up the…