HealthInfo Canterbury
Tests for nervous system problems
If you have problems with your brain or nerves (your nervous system), several different tests can help doctors work out what's causing them.
EEG (electroencephalogram)
An EEG records the patterns of electrical activity from your brain. It's used to help diagnose the cause of seizures and other conditions.
It's a painless test, during which sensors attached to your head record your brain's electrical activity.
Long-term video and EEG monitoring
With long-term video and EEG monitoring, you're monitored in two ways:
- an EEG monitors and records your brain's patterns of electrical activity
- a video camera continuously records you.
If you have a turn during the monitoring period, doctors can view the EEG and video recordings to help work out the cause of your problem and how best to treat it.
Evoked potentials
Evoked potential tests measure the electrical signals in your nervous system in response to stimulation. There are several types of evoked potential tests, including:
- visual evoked potential that measures the response time along your optic nerve
- upper or lower limb somatosensory that measures the response time along a nerve
- vestibular cochlear response that tests the vestibular nerve in your ear.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Canterbury DHB Clinical Neurophysiology department
- EEG (electroencephalogram)
Information about EEGs at Christchurch Hospital.
- Going to hospital for an EEG
A leaflet for children explaining what will happen if they go to Christchurch Hospital to have an EEG.
- Long term video and EEG monitoring
Information about long-term video and EEG monitoring at Christchurch Hospital.
- Evoked potentials
Information about evoked potentials tests at Christchurch Hospital.
- EEG (electroencephalogram)
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed November 2022.
SourcesReview key: HITNP-869902
