Hans Berger

Hans Berger was a German scientist who, in 1929, pioneered the technique of electroencephalography. This method involves recording and interpreting the electrical activity of the brain. Berger developed the electroencephalograph, an instrument that measures and records brain-wave patterns, producing a recording known as an electroencephalogram (EEG).

Electrodes are attached to the scalp to capture these electrical impulses, which appear as distinct patterns on a graph. Different brain states, such as relaxation, excitement, or sleep, are associated with characteristic wave patterns like alpha and delta waves. While EEG is valuable for studying brain function and diagnosing conditions like epilepsy and brain tumors, its effectiveness is limited for complex functions like emotions and thought, and it is not useful for diagnosing psychiatric illness.12