EEG to Diagnose TIA and Stroke

When an individual experiences a sudden onset of neurological symptoms, such as one-sided weakness, visual abnormalities, and/or slurred speech, there is concern that they are having a transient ischemic attack/stroke. A stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment and further evaluation to prevent a future stroke. Unfortunately, when a patient presents to the emergency department or a clinic with transient or mildly observable neurological symptoms, it is difficult to diagnose a stroke and many times, imaging may not reveal a stroke. This poses the risk of discharging patients without appropriate stroke care. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of administering portable electroencephalogram (EEG) devices to diagnose transient ischemic attack/stroke. An EEG is a device that measures electrical activity in the brain. This study involves comparing EEG data of individuals who present with transient neurological symptoms or have known stroke with EEG data of generally healthy individuals. From this study, the investigators anticipate that it will be feasible to administer portable EEG and that portable EEG can be used to accurately diagnose stroke.

Inclusion Criteria:Patient of Sunnybrook Health Sciences CentrePatient fits one of the three study arms: 1) transient neurological symptoms at any time point; 2) have a known stroke; 3) no prior history of stroke.Exclusion Criteria:Known skull defectPrevious neurological procedureSignificant physical impairment that would restrict the ability to use the portable EEG devices