Diagnostic Services

A surface map, read alongside the rest.

Brain mapping at The Stepwell Center is a scalp-electrode recording that produces a topographic map of cortical activity, read alongside three other diagnostic inputs in our 2 to 3 day assessment in Lakeway, Texas. The map informs medication and neurofeedback targeting in your prescribed plan. Same-day or next-day admission to the assessment.

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Same-day or next-day admission One of four diagnostic inputs Informs medication and neurofeedback
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What qEEG actually is

Quantitative EEG, in plain language.

Brain mapping records the electrical activity already happening on the surface of your scalp, then translates it into a map of how your brain behaves at rest. The map is read by your care team alongside the rest of your assessment, never as a stand-alone diagnosis.

Quantitative EEG is a digital analysis of the brain's surface electrical activity, processed with mathematical algorithms that translate frequency bands and connectivity into a topographic map. A 2020 NIH review describes qEEG as complementary to conventional EEG and other diagnostic evaluations in neuropsychiatric care, used to add objective signal alongside the clinical interview and standardized testing.

At Stepwell, brain mapping is one of our diagnostic services, and the qEEG is one of four inputs in your comprehensive assessment, alongside pharmacogenetic testing, a neurofeedback baseline, and standardized psychological testing. The map is read by your care team to inform medication considerations and to set the starting parameters for neurofeedback if neurofeedback enters your plan. American Clinical Neurophysiology Society guidance frames qEEG as an aid to interpretation, not a stand-alone diagnostic instrument.

The recording itself is non-invasive. A clinician fits a soft cap of surface electrodes against your scalp using a small amount of conductive paste, and the recording captures 20 to 30 minutes of brain activity while you sit quietly. There are no needles, no medication, and no sedation. The map is then read together with your pharmacogenetic profile, neurofeedback baseline, and clinical interview at our Lakeway, Texas facility before any treatment plan is written.

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Inside the recording session

What the recording actually looks like.

You arrive for the qEEG on the first or second day of the comprehensive assessment in Lakeway. A clinician explains the procedure, fits the soft electrode cap against your scalp, and applies a small amount of conductive paste under each sensor. The cap is comfortable to wear and the paste washes out cleanly afterward.

You sit quietly in a calm room for the recording. Most sessions run 20 to 30 minutes total, split between an eyes-closed portion, an eyes-open portion, and sometimes a brief focus task. There is no medication, no sedation, and no discomfort. The recording captures your brain's natural electrical patterns at rest.

After the session, the raw signal is processed into a topographic map of cortical activity. Your care team reads the map alongside your pharmacogenetic profile, neurofeedback baseline, and standardized psychological testing. By the close of the assessment window, the four inputs are integrated into one written treatment plan, with a starting level of care in PHP, IOP, Evening IOP, or Outpatient.

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How the map gets used

Three uses for the same recording.

  1. Medication targeting

    The map adds objective signal to medication considerations alongside your pharmacogenetic profile, so your prescriber works from more than the clinical interview alone.

  2. Neurofeedback baseline

    If neurofeedback enters your plan, the qEEG sets the starting parameters. Sessions are calibrated to your individual brain-wave patterns rather than a default protocol.

  3. Plan integration

    The map is read together with your pharmacogenetic, psychological, and clinical-interview results. The integrated read is what your prescribed plan is written from.

Common Questions

Questions families send us most.

Pulled from the questions families and prospective patients ask most often when considering brain mapping at Stepwell.