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WADA Testing

Different Tests administered to Epilepsy Patients

The tests administered prior to being applicable for an epileptic surgery include:

  • MRI: Looks at the structure of the brain
  • PET Scan: Looks at the metabolism of the brain
  • WADA Test: Tests for hemispheric dominance for language and memory
  • EEG: Views the electrical activity of the brain

Background on WADA Test

References

Buchtel, H. (2011). The wada test. Retrieved from http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gusb/wadadesc.html

Bhatnagar, S. (2013). Diagnostic techniques and neurological concepts. In Neuroscience For The Study of Communicative Disorders (4 ed., pp. 475-477). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a Wolters Kluwer business.

Brain hemisphere specializations [Web]. (2007). Retrieved from youtube.com

Tests needed before epilepsy surgery | epilepsy [Web]. Retrieved from youtube.com

The wada test. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://epilepsy.med.nyu.edu/programs-services/testing-services/brain-mapping/the-wada-test

The wada test. Diagnostics & Testing, Retrieved from http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/wada_test/hic_the_wada_test.aspx

What is epilepsy?. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://epilepsy.med.nyu.edu/epilepsy/what-epilepsy

The WADA test was created by the Japanese physician Juhn Wada in the early 1940's.

He created this test to verify which hemisphere language is processed in patients diagnosed with epilepsy and psychiatric conditions.

Specifically he wanted to test and see which hemisphere is responsible for speech so surgeries, such as electro-convulsive therapy, could be performed to alleviate epilepsy.

What is WADA testing?

What occurs prior to the WADA test

WADA Testing and Epilepsy

  • This test begins with an angiogram in which the flow of dye is examined in the blood vessel to check for blood flow in the brain.
  • This achieved through a catheter that is placed in the upper thigh by a neuroradiologist.
  • X-rays are then taken to view this blood flow upon the injection of the dye.
  • Also referred to as Sodium Amytal Infusion
  • Determines hemispheric dominance
  • This test looks at memory and language functions of a specific hemisphere.
  • This is used as a safety test to ensure that no additional harm will be done to the patient.
  • The WADA Test is specifically important to patients undergoing temporal lobe surgery.

Epilepsy is a seizure disorder in which the patient experiences two or more unprovoked seizures.

These seizures may result from a brain injury or a hereditary tendency.

It is necessary to perform several tests before an epilepsy surgery to ensure that no more harm will be done to the patient and also to localize the area in the brain where the seizures are coming from.

How a WADA Test is administered

Testing procedures

  • This test is given by injecting sodium amobarbital through an intra-arterial carotid injection.
  • One hemisphere is put to sleep by this short acting anesthetic so that the other hemispheres functions can be analyzed.
  • The hemisphere given the injection experience a functional loss that lasts 2-10 minutes.
  • To ensure that the injected hemisphere is asleep, an EEG is administered to check for brain wave recordings.

By: Julia D'Angelo

  • Upon the brain hemisphere being put into a sleeping state, a series of images and words will be shown to the patient by an epileptologist .
  • The point of this is to evaluate the patients ability to speak.
  • To test for memory the epileptologist will ask for the patient to recall what was shown to them after the anesthetic has worn off for several minutes.
  • If the patient is unable to recall the items immediately , the object will be presented to them and they will be asked if they have any memory of previously seeing it.
  • All of this is recorded and further analyzed.
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