Projected to open in mid 2010, the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) is a facility dedicated to the study and care of military personnel and veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health issues. Using Elekta Neuromag®, an advanced magnetoencephalography (MEG) device, NICoE plans to shed light on how the brain works after sustaining combat-related injury.
TBI is a leading cause of sustained impairment in military and civilian populations, with an estimated 19 percent of returning service members and vets screening positive. While the psychological impact of these injuries can be devastating, research teams at NICoE hope to use MEG technology to find answers that may provide better care for service members and veterans - possibly leading to the customization or development of new treatment techniques.
Elekta Neuromag works by measuring and recording magnetic fields created by electrical activity within the brain. Completely noninvasive, the device detects instantaneous changes in brain activity, allowing clinicians to track changes that happen in milliseconds. For example, the device is sensitive enough to detect the brain's response to a sound, word, image or other stimulus. It also allows clinicians to observe subtle pathological changes that occurred after injury or the development of a disorder such as epilepsy.