What Can Happen When Brain Cells Communicate Improperly?

Abstract

Nerve cells, also called neurons, behave like tiny messengers in our bodies that help us sense and move. When brain cells chat with each other, it results in electrical brain waves. Sometimes brain cells chat with each other in a calm and slow way, while other times they are excited and brain activity is faster. This fast electrical activity is called oscillations. Equipment can be used to measure the electrical activity in the brain. The fastest activity that can be measured is called high frequency oscillations (HFOs). Fast brain activity can be super helpful in daily life, helping us to do things like memorize locations and activities, for example. However, if neurons start firing too fast, people can experience a sudden loss of control of certain body parts or even the whole body, which is called epilepsy. In this article, you will learn about brain function and epilepsy and how scientists count the speed of brain waves. So, let us have a look at how HFOs help our brains to function.