What is Neurofeedback?
Written by Dr Annemie Peché
What is neurofeedback, Neurotherapy or EEG Biofeedback?
Neurofeedback-therapy, also called neurotherapy or EEG biofeedback, is a method through which the brain is exercised. It strengthens the brain, calms it and improves stability. In short, it rewires the brain.
After birth the brain develops by being exposed to new stimuli. If the wiring is defective, new stimuli cause disorganisation of new information.
To rewire the brain, we make use of neurofeedback-therapy. This treatment stimulates metabolism and blood flow, strengthens dendritic connections as well as the functioning of neurotransmitters, which accounts for improvement in the patient’s ability to carry out cognitive tasks successfully.
Problems addressed by Neurofeedback-therapy
⚪ Attention and cognitive disorders: Learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD
⚪ Deficit Executive functioning: poor impulse control, motivation and planning,
⚪ Behaviour disorders
⚪ PTSD: Panic, Trauma
⚪ Emotional deficits: depression, anxiety, rage, night terrors
⚪ Personality disorders: eating disorders, OCD, Intermittent Impulsive Disorder, borderline
⚪ Addictions
⚪ Neurological disorders: epilepsy, headaches, motor/vocal tics, Tourettes, migraine & headaches
⚪ Sleep disorders
How did NFT originate?
The conventional treatment of epilepsy includes intake of different kinds of anti convulsants. Sometimes a patient does not respond effectively to a specific anti convulsant. Although medication controls epilepsy to a certain degree, there are patients who still have seizures, despite taking medication.
As an alternative to medication, the Americans started with a therapy called neurotherapy during the eighties, controlling epilepsy with great success.
Dr. Sterman conducted an experiment on cats for NASA, that measured the effect of monomethylhydrazine, (a toxic rocket fuel), which causes epilepsy and even death in people and animals.
He found that cats that suffered from epilepsy and were treated with neurotherapy, had fewer seizures and also had a longer life span than the untreated cats. Americans started treating people with the same kind of therapy with great success.
Today neurofeedback-therapy is recognised as a successful supportive treatment of epilepsy. There are numerous neurofeedback systems on the market. This practice makes use of Brain Master Systems.
Effects of training
Dr. Joel Lubar from the University of Tennessee conducted studies and research on epilepsy that show the positive effect of neurotherapy lasting 12 months or longer, post training. Clinicians report long lasting and permanent changes.
Research indicates relapses are normally due to injury, trauma or extreme stress. Some patients will never need maintenance sessions. For others, ongoing training may be appropriate, especially for degenerative conditions such as Alzheimers. Repetition of intensive training is seldom needed. Occasional “tune-up” sessions are suggested once every three to six months.
Different Methods Applied in NFT
Amplitude or Power Training refers to the amount of power in a signal or the amplitude of a particular frequency band. There may be an excess of a frequency range that is inhibited or a lack of a frequency range that is rewarded during the training.
Z-score Training: The use of z-scores implements the concept of a normal distribution or standard deviation pertaining to the increase and decrease of amplitudes in all the frequency bands relative to persons of the same age.
Infraslow fluctuation (ISF) focuses on the lowest energy that the brain produces (<0.1Hz). Research indicates that it regulates autonomic functioning and regulates the vagal nerve, which is the 10th cranial nerve and longest cranial nerve.
Through ISF training the optimal frequency of each person is determined and trained to become more prominent. Finding the correct frequency for a radio station is a good analogy to finding the optimal frequency of a person. When a radio is not tuned onto the correct frequency of a station it will distort the sound. If a person is not functioning at his optimal level functional deficits are present.
The optimum frequency is reflected to the trainee with 2 reward sounds. A higher tone is heard when the amplitude increases with more than 15 % above the mean (0.0030 Hz) and a lower tone is heard when the amplitude decreases with more than 15% below the mean (0.0030).
Alpha-Theta Training: The purpose of Alpha-Theta training is to reach the deeper inner state of the brain, the midbrain, and the reptilian brain, to obtain calmness and relaxation, and to enhance change of the level of awareness.