Neurosciences and the Alexian Brothers Center for Brain Research
Medical horizons are changed every day by the efforts of researchers around the world including those in the Alexian Brothers Hospital Network and the Alexian Neurosciences Institute. Last year, more than 130 clinical trials and other studies were underway at our institutions, more than at many of the area’s academic medical centers. This commitment to research means that our physicians can continue to advance medical knowledge as they treat their patients and it helps us attract top-notch staff. This year, Alexian scientists and clinicians will engage in new research on topics important to children and their families including traumatic brain injury, post trautmatic brain injury, depression, learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders. They will use technology such as the newly-acquired Magnetoencephalography [MEG] system, a highly sophisticated device for measuring the magnetic signals generated by the electrical activity of brain cells. The new system, one of only 30 MEG systems in the United States and the first at a community-based hospital, will be used for both direct patient care and the research development of new clinical applications.
The first such device in Illinois, the Elekta Neuromag(R) system holds promise for patients with functional neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders -- including epilepsy, dementia, depression, and autism. "Using MEG, we can identify the location of dysfunctional brain regions, and we can provide surgeons with a brain map that allows them to avoid causing damage to healthy brain areas that support critical functions such as motor control, touch, hearing, seeing, language, and memory," explained Dr. Jeffrey Lewine, Director of the new Illinois MEG Center.” The purchase of the MEG marks an extraordinary commitment on the part of Alexian Brothers to the care of our patients and the advancement of medical science,” said Lewine.
Click here to help with research projects and further studies for our children, returning vets and the communities we serve.