Brain Mapping Center

Brain mapping identifies which areas of your brain control speech, movement, memory, and your other senses. If you need a procedure that involves your brain, mapping the brain provides information your doctor uses to help ensure a safe and effective outcome for you.

The Brain Mapping Center at Premier Health is the first in the Midwest. Our specialized center brings together a comprehensive, multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, neurologists, and radiologists.

What Is Brain Mapping?

Our Brain Mapping Center allows doctors to understand the brain’s geography, anatomy and how each area functions.

Brain mapping uses certain procedures to study the anatomy and function of the brain with advanced digital imaging technology. Images created of your brain in action let your neuropsychologist see specific functions of different areas of the brain.

Your doctor may recommend brain mapping if you have one of the following neurological conditions:

• Brain tumors
• Epilepsy
• Movement disorders
• Multiple sclerosis
  

The Brain Mapping Center provides highly specialized neuropsychological and neurological testing services, such as:

• Functional MRI (fMRI). MRI images show which parts of the brain are involved in specific activities, such as motor, language, visual or even memory functions.
• Wada test. A specialized method that uses anesthesia medicines to map the parts of the brain that must be protected during surgery.
• Cortical brain mapping. Small electrical currents applied directly to the brain provide more specific mapping information for language, motor skills and other brain functions.
• Neurocognitive assessment. You take paper-and-pencil or computer tests that help the doctor measure your brain function and understand your attention, memory, language, reaction time and other cognitive functions.

Our brain mapping team works together with specialists from Premier Health’s neuro-oncology tumor board and participates in case conferences with other subspecialty doctors. Multiple experts share their insights to create personalized, effective, quality and compassionate treatment plans.

Why Surgical Planning Is Needed

If you need surgery, functional brain mapping helps your doctors plan your surgery and recovery.

Functional brain mapping:

• Creates a personalized surgical plan
• Helps prevent damage to vital areas of the brain
• Adds greater precision during surgery
• Lets your neurosurgeon plan how much damaged tissue can be safely removed
• Accurately predicts long-term patient outcomes
  

Your doctor may conduct brain mapping to:

• Remove brain tumors
• Assess areas causing seizures
• Remove part of the brain, requiring a specific and delicate surgical approach
  

Benefits For Patients

When brain mapping is part of your pre-surgery process, you and your doctor can set realistic expectations about your procedure and recovery. You can feel confident knowing that brain mapping identifies the safest route for the neurosurgeon to reach the damaged tissue.

Brain mapping also provides information that you and your doctor can use to plan for:

• Length of time needed before a return to work and independent living
• Functional and cognitive outcomes
• Recovery estimates up to two years after surgery
  

With this level of information you and your family can:

• Prepare for post-operative services
• Know what to expect
• Reduce anxiety about your procedure
  

Advanced Care Close to Home

Fadi Tayim, Ph.D., leads the Brain Mapping Center at Premier Health. A clinical neuropsychologist, Dr. Tayim is one of the few neuropsychologists with expertise in advanced neuroimaging and brain mapping techniques.

Dr. Tayim spearheaded the Brain Mapping Center’s formation. He specializes in the assessment of brain functions. Dr. Tayim completed his:

• Residency and fellowship at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College
• Ph.D., doctoral research, and training in neuropsychology and neuroimaging at Stanford University and PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium at Palo Alto University