NeuroCare Brain & Spine Center

What is Wada Testing...

The Wada Test or “intracarotid amobarbital procedure” is part of the pre-surgical evaluation of epilepsy. It was named after Dr. Juhn A. Wada who introduced the procedure in 1949. During the Wada test, each cerebral hemisphere (half of the brain) is anesthetized separately with “amobarbital” or “sodium amytal” to allow for testing of the opposite (side without anesthesia) hemisphere.

This procedure can establish which hemisphere (side of the brain) is dominant for language and can determine if a single hemisphere can support memory function. Results from Wada testing and the neuropsychological evaluation can provide important information regarding cognitive and seizure outcome.

What is involved with this procedure…

  • Electrodes will be placed on your scalp so that an EEG recording can be done during Wada testing.
  • An IV is started and blood work is done.
  • Baseline language and memory testing are completed. Memory is tested by showing eight objects to the patient to remember. After that, we test basic language functions such as comprehension (understanding), naming, repetition and reading. After language testing is finished, the patient is shown the eight objects mixed in with a group of 16 objects to see if the patient can selectively recognize any of the memory objects. This brief memory and language assessment is repeated twice more during the actual Wada test.
  • After baseline testing of memory and language, a cerebral angiogram is done. Cerebral angiography is a way of taking x-ray pictures of the arteries in the brain. X-ray dye in injected into the arteries through a catheter. This allows them to be seen on x-rays.
  • Wada testing begins after the angiogram is completed. Amobarbital is given via the catheter to put half of the brain to sleep for approximately 10 minutes. During that brief time, we show eight new objects and then test your language functions again. Once the medications have worn off and your EEG, language and motor functions have returned to normal, we test your recall and recognition of the objects.
  • Wada testing continues as the other half of the brain is put to sleep and the whole memory and language procedure is repeated using eight different objects for the memory testing. The angiogram and Wada testing take approximately two hours. The neuroradiologist, neurologist, interventional radiology technician, EEG technician, neuropsychologist and psychometrist are all present during your testing.
  • After the Wada test is done, the patient is monitored closely for 4-6 hours until he/she is discharged later that day after a post-monitoring recovery period. During this recovery period, the neuropsychologist reviews the results of the Wada test with the patient and his/her family.

NeuroCare Brain and Spine Centerâ„¢
(920) 288-8020
Toll-free (877) 577-5800
2845 Greenbrier Road
P.O. Box 8900
Green Bay, WI 54308-8900