The origins of EEG Hans Berger's invention of the
electroencephalogram (EEG) is one of the most surprising,
remarkable, and momentous developments in the history of
clinical neurology. It is a well-known fact that Berger was the
first to record the human EEG. Yet the unusual motivation for
Berger's psychophysical research program, his eccentric model of
cerebral energetics, and the technical, personal, and political
obstacles that marked the path of his discovery deserve
historical attention. Understanding Berger's work within the
context of his own scientific era and life's experiences
highlights both the familiar and the foreign in Berger's story,
and provides an historical prelude to the modern investigation
of the brain and its functions. As a young man, Berger was
involved in a bizarre military accident that almost cost him his
life. Thereafter he maintained an unwavering belief in mental
telepathy and embraced the philosophical concept of
interactionism, arguing for a physical connection between mind
an