People with ADD can have a variety of symptoms. They can be easily distracted, impulsive, and inattentive However, ADD is not laziness or a psychological problem – it’s a brain problem. Doctors know ADD is not laziness; that’s why they prescribe medications. 

Unlike medication, neurofeedback trains the brain, resulting in significant improvement in ADHD/ADD symptoms, With neurofeedback, people can increase self-control and attention.

According to health professionals who use neurofeedback in their practices, many clients with ADD/ADHD learn to increase focus, reduce impulsivity, and manage their behavior when they train with neurofeedback on a consistent basis. 

Evidence-Based Information on the Clinical Use of Neurofeedback for ADHD [pdf]Tais S. Moriyama, Guilherme Polanczyk, and Luis A. Rohde www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3441929/ Neurofeedback (NF) is a training to enhance self-regulatory capacity over brain activity patterns and consequently over brain mental states. 

Recent findings suggest that NF is a promising alternative for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We comprehensively reviewed literature searching for studies on the effectiveness and specificity of NF for the treatment of ADHD. In addition, clinically informative evidence-based data are discussed. 

We found 3 systematic review on the use of NF for ADHD and 6 randomized controlled trials that have not been included in these reviews. Most nonrandomized controlled trials found positive results with medium-to-large effect sizes, but the evidence for effectiveness are less robust when only randomized controlled studies are considered. 

The direct comparison of NF and sham-NF in 3 published studies have found no group differences, nevertheless methodological caveats, such as the quality of the training protocol used, sample size, and sample selection may have contributed to the negative results. 

Further data on specificity comes from electrophysiological studies reporting that NF effectively changes brain activity patterns. No safety issues have emerged from clinical trials and NF seems to be well tolerated and accepted. Follow-up studies support long-term effects of NF.

Currently there is no available data to guide clinicians on the predictors of response to NF and on optimal treatment protocol. 

In conclusion, NF is a valid option for the treatment for ADHD, but further evidence is required to guide its use.

Anxiety sufferers are often overwhelmed, exhausted, and stressed out. Some can’t concentrate due to their intense internal focus. Others obsess about specific things. 

Anxiety is easily detected if someone appears outwardly nervous.

At other times, anxious people can appear calm but their brain seems to never quiet down.

They can’t stop thinking. 

The constant internal chatter can get so bad that it interrupts their sleeping and steals their quality of life.

They don’t live in the present, they constantly worry about the future or live in the past. 

Helping people learn to calm or quiet themselves is by far the best and most effective solution for anxiety.

Learning to decrease anxiety gives sufferers hope as they take control of their lives.

Biofeedback and EEG neurofeedback are two of the quickest and fastest ways to teach people to learn to help themselves, and it’s easy to learn.

These technologies have been used for many years with solid, proven results. It’s true, one can learn how to decrease anxiety and remain calmer with neurofeedback.

Orbitofrontal Cortex Neurofeedback Produces Lasting Changes in Contamination Anxiety and Resting-state Connectivity [pdf]

D Scheinost, T Stoica, J Saksa, X Papademetris, RT Constable, C Pittenger and M Hampson From Translational Psychiatry (2013)AbstractAnxiety is a core human emotion but can become pathologically dysregulated. 

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback (NF) to noninvasively alter patterns of brain connectivity, as measured by resting-state fMRI, and to reduce contamination anxiety. 

Activity of a region of the orbitofrontal cortex associated with contamination anxiety was measured in real time and provided to subjects with significant but subclinical anxiety as a NF signal, permitting them to learn to modulate the target brain region. 

NF altered network connectivity of brain regions involved in anxiety regulation: subjects exhibited reduced resting-state connectivity in limbic circuitry and increased connectivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. 

NF has been shown to alter brain connectivity in other contexts, but it has been unclear whether these changes persist; critically, we observed changes in connectivity several days after the completion of NF training, demonstrating that such training can lead to lasting modifications of brain functional architecture. 

Training also increased subjects’ control over contamination anxiety several days after the completion of NF training.

Changes in resting-state connectivity in the target orbitofrontal region correlated with these improvements in anxiety. 

Matched subjects undergoing a sham feedback control task showed neither a reorganization of resting-state functional connectivity nor an improvement in anxiety. 

These data suggest that NF can enable enhanced control over anxiety by persistently reorganizing relevant brain networks and thus support the potential of NF as a clinically useful therapy.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious type of anxiety caused by an extremely stressful event or series of events. 

People who suffer from PTSD are looking for a method to treat their symptoms, and unfortunately, many people experience only limited benefit after trying various therapies and medication. 

Neurofeedback trains the brain to produce a calm state as well as regulate stress response. In addition, the specific areas of the brain affected by PTSD can be targeted. 

Frequently, the first sign of improvement is that a client sleeps better. Then other symptoms begin to improve. 

After sufficient training, someone with PTSD can maintain a calm state on his or her own.

When a person has reached this stable state, neurofeedback treatments can be decreased until no further trainings are necessary.

The long-term costs of traumatic stress: intertwined physical and psychological consequences [pdf]

Alexander C. McFarlane ABSTRACT 

The gradual emergence of symptoms following exposure to traumatic events has presented a major conceptual challenge to psychiatry. 

The mechanism that causes the progressive escalation of symptoms with the passage of time leading to delayed onset post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves the process of sensitization and kindling. 

The development of traumatic memories at the time of stress exposure represents a major vulnerability through repeated environmental triggering of the increasing dysregulation of an individual’s neurobiology. 

An increasing body of evidence demonstrates how the increased allostatic load associated with PTSD is associated with a significant body of physical morbidity in the form of chronic musculoskeletal pain, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, obesity and cardiovascular disease. 

This increasing body of literature suggests that the effects of traumatic stress need to be considered as a major environmental challenge that places individual’s physical and psychological health equally at risk. 

This broader perspective has important implications for developing treatments that address the underlying dysregulation of cortical arousal and neurohormonal abnormalities following exposure to traumatic stress.

Depression is more than prolonged sadness. Those experiencing depression often feel hopelessness, low motivation, the need to socially isolate, a lack of joy, and anger. Some may struggle with feelings of self harm including cutting and suicide ideation or attempts.

A significant number of people find that antidepressant medications do not help at all or only partially. Medications may not be tolerated well due to significant side effects.

Neurofeedback can offer an option as a stand alone or enhancement to psychological counseling and/or medications.

A recent article explored the neurofeedback as an intervention for depression: Review of EEG-based neurofeedback as a therapeutic intervention to treat depression.

Abstract:

Depression, or major depressive disorder, is a common mental disorder that affects individuals' behavior, mood, and physical health, and its prevalence has increased during the lockdowns implemented to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need to update the treatment recommendations for mental disorders during such crises. Conventional interventions to treat depression include long-term pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Electroencephalogram-neurofeedback (EEG-NF) training has been suggested as a non-invasive option to treat depression with minimal side effects. In this systematic review, we summarize the recent literature on EEG-NF training for treating depression. The 12 studies included in our final sample reported that despite several issues related to EEG-NF practices, patients with depression showed significant cognitive, clinical, and neural improvements following EEG-NF training. Given its low cost and the low risk of side effects due to its non-invasive nature, we suggest that EEG-NF is worth exploring as an augmented tool for patients who already receive standard medications but remain symptomatic, and that EEG-NF training may be an effective intervention tool that can be utilized as a supplementary treatment for depression. We conclude by providing some suggestions related to experimental designs and standards to improve current EEG-NF training practices for treating depression.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36682174/

Additional studies:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31302517/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33587957/

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/efficacy-of-bio-and-neurofeedback-for-depression-a-metaanalysis/69658FEC611CA766649641620F30630C

At least 40 million Americans each year suffer from chronic, long-term, sleep disorders.

An additional 20 million experience occasional sleep problems. 

Neurofeedback is a powerful tool for helping people fall asleep and stay asleep. 

Over 3,000 licensed health professionals such as psychologists, therapists, and doctors now use this new technology daily with patients. 

As a group, they report significant and consistent improvements for client sleep problems. 

Many brain training options can help as well as making lifestyle changes and changes in sleep “hygiene”. 

A skilled neurofeedback clinician can review many different options with clients to help them assess what’s most appropriate for their problem. Neurofeedback in ADHD and insomnia: Vigilance stabilization through sleep spindles and circadian networks. [link]Arns M, Kenemans JL.www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23099283 

Abstract In this review article an overview of the history and current status of neurofeedback for the treatment of ADHD and insomnia is provided. Recent insights suggest a central role of circadian phase delay, resulting in sleep onset insomnia (SOI) in a sub-group of ADHD patients. 

Chronobiological treatments, such as melatonin and early morning bright light, affect the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This nucleus has been shown to project to the noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) thereby explaining the vigilance stabilizing effects of such treatments in ADHD. 

It is hypothesized that both Sensori-Motor Rhythm (SMR) and Slow-Cortical Potential (SCP) neurofeedback impact on the sleep spindle circuitry resulting in increased sleep spindle density, normalization of SOI and thereby affect the noradrenergic LC, resulting in vigilance stabilization. 

After SOI is normalized, improvements on ADHD symptoms will occur with a delayed onset of effect. 

Therefore, clinical trials investigating new treatments in ADHD should include assessments at follow-up as their primary endpoint rather than assessments at outtake. 

Furthermore, an implication requiring further study is that neurofeedback could be stopped when SOI is normalized, which might result in fewer sessions.

Our memories are often considered our most treasured possessions. Being able to recall fond experiences and relationships help shape our world and give meaning and perspective over a lifetime. They make us who we are.

Memory is much more than things that happened long ago. There are 3 major types of memory that allow us to function on a daily basis (Sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory). Memory can be further broken down Working memory is used to store information for short periods. Episodic memory is needed to recall past events – recent or distant. Semantic memory allows us to remember the meanings of words or remember facts. Prospective memory helps us make future appointments.

Occasionally, forgetting a word or the exact details of an experience is normal. The information is likely there but you may not be able to retrieve it in the moment.

Beyond these occasional lapses things can get more serious. Alzheimer's Disease (the most common form of dementia) involves loss of brain volume over time. The hippocampus is an area in the temporal lobe involved in memory retrieval. In dementia, changes/damage to this area and frontal lobe areas are often seen first. This results in difficulty recalling common names, locations, appointments, etc. Personally and temperament can change as things progress. Unfortunately, there is no know cure for Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

Not all cases of mild memory difficulties are due to dementia. Mild inflammation due to diet, thyroid issues, chemotherapy, COVID-19 (long covid), dietary deficiencies, poor sleep, and other factors may be contributing to memory problems.

Fortunately, Neurofeedback can help by improving brain communication efficiency.

Neurofeedback training improves episodic and semantic long-term memory performance

Abstract:

Understanding and improving memory are vital to enhance human life. Theta rhythm is associated with memory consolidation and coding, but the trainability and effects on long-term memory of theta rhythm are unknown. This study investigated the ability to improve long-term memory using a neurofeedback (NFB) technique reflecting the theta/low-beta power ratio on an electroencephalogram (EEG). Our study consisted of three stages. First, the long-term memory of participants was measured. In the second stage, the participants in the NFB group received 3 days of theta/low-beta NFB training. In the third stage, the long-term memory was measured again. The NFB group had better episodic and semantic long-term memory than the control group and significant differences in brain activity between episodic and semantic memory during the recall tests were revealed. These findings suggest that it is possible to improve episodic and semantic long-term memory abilities through theta/low-beta NFB training.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-96726-5

Neurofeedback Improves Memory and Peak Alpha Frequency in Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract:

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a syndrome characterized by a decrease in cognitive abilities, while daily function is maintained. This condition, which is associated with an increased risk for the development of Alzheimer’s disease, has no known definitive treatment at present. In this open-label pilot study we explored the possible benefits of neurofeedback for subjects with MCI. Eleven participants diagnosed with MCI were trained to increase the power of their individual upper alpha band of the electroencephalogram (EEG) signal over the central parietal region. This was achieved using an EEG-based neurofeedback training protocol. Training comprised ten 30-min sessions delivered over 5 weeks. Cognitive and electroencephalographic assessments were conducted before and after training and at 30 days following the last training session. A dose-dependent increase in peak alpha frequency was observed throughout the period of training. Memory performance also improved significantly following training, and this improvement was maintained at 30-day follow-up, while peak alpha frequency returned to baseline at this evaluation. Our findings suggest that neurofeedback may improve memory performance in subjects with mild cognitive impairment, and this benefit may be maintained beyond the training period.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10484-018-9418-0

Additional Studies

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1388245713006949

https://jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12984-015-0105-6

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1550059419879020?journalCode=eegb

Many of the methods used and promoted to help people with learning disabilities are intended to help a person compensate for, or work around, their learning difficulties. 

Neurofeedback actually improves learning skills by training the areas of the brain relevant to learning or executing skills such as math, reading, and auditory and visual processing. 

Research studies show that several areas of the brain coordinate in the learning process. These separate parts of the brain communicate with each other at extremely fast speeds. If the timing of the communication is even slightly off, there can be impairment in the ability to learn. 

New research shows that this “connectivity training” seems to consistently improve learning difficulties. Neurofeedback training can improve the coordination and communication between different areas of the brain. Improved timing in the brain has a significant impact on one’s ability to learn. 

Neurofeedback directly targets the coordination and communication between areas of the brain to improve timing, and therefore learning. pain and tiredness, and can undermine the patient’s ability to go about his daily activities.Research Review: Emanuel Miller Memorial Lecture 2012 – Neuroscientific studies of intervention for language impairment in children: interpretive and methodological problems [link]D V M Bishop www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3593170/ 

Background Our ability to look at structure and function of a living brain has increased exponentially since the early 1970s. Many studies of developmental disorders now routinely include a brain imaging or electrophysiological component.

Amid current enthusiasm for applications of neuroscience to educational interventions, we need to pause to consider what neuroimaging data can tell us. Images of brain activity are seductive, and have been used to give credibility to commercial interventions, yet we have only a limited idea of what the brain bases of language disorders are, let alone how to alter them.

Scope and findings a review of six studies of neuroimaging correlates of language intervention found recurring methodological problems: lack of an adequate control group, inadequate power, incomplete reporting of data, no correction for multiple comparisons, data dredging and failure to analyze treatment effects appropriately. 

In addition, there is a tendency to regard neuroimaging data as more meaningful than behavioral data, even though it is behavior that interventions aim to alter. 

Conclusion In our current state of knowledge, it would be better to spend research funds doing well-designed trials of behavioral treatment to establish which methods are effective, rather than rushing headlong into functional imaging studies of unproven treatments.

Many people think addiction is due to a lack of self-discipline, but addiction is physiological, as well as psychological. 

People with addiction are often called “weak” by their family and friends, but addiction is a disease, and it is very hard to change. 

Addicts struggle with emotions such as guilt and shame, anger and frustration. 

Addiction is a brain disease, a mental health disorder that severely debilitates a person in all aspects of his or her life.

In addition, people with addiction frequently suffer from other mental health disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety.

In cases of addiction, Neurofeedback care targets the brains decision making areas (prefrontal and front cortex) and other brain areas associated with cravings, habits and impulse control. Through neurofeedback, a person’s brain is retrained to respond in healthier ways. Teaching the brain how to be calm, focused, and relaxed helps a person think more clearly. 

Neurofeedback training provides a solid base on which to build recovery and prevent relapses. It helps teach the tools one needs to cope long term.

Neurofeedback Training for Opiate Addiction: Improvement of Mental Health and Craving [pdf]

Fateme Dehghani-Arani, Reza Rostami, and Hosein Nadali Published online: 20 April 2013.

This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com ABSTRACT Psychological improvements in patients with substance use disorders have been reported after neurofeedback treatment.

This study was carried out to examine the effectiveness of this therapeutic method for opiate dependence disorder. 

The specific aim was to investigate whether treatment leads to any changes in mental health and substance craving. 

In this experimental study with a pre-post test design, 20 opiate dependent patients undergoing Methadone or Buprenorphine maintenance treatment were examined and matched and randomized into two groups. 

While both experimental and control groups received their usual maintenance treatment, the experimental group received 30 sessions of neurofeedback treatment in addition. 

The neurofeedback treatment consisted of sensory motor rhythm training on Cz, followed by an alpha-theta protocol on Pz. 

Data from the general health questionnaire and a heroin craving questionnaire were collected before and after treatment. 

Multivariate analysis of covariance showed that the experimental group achieved improvement in somatic symptoms, depression, and total score in general mental health; and in anticipation of positive outcome, desire to use opioid, and relief from withdrawal of craving in comparison with the control group. 

The study supports the effectiveness of neurofeedback training as a therapeutic method in opiate dependence disorder, in supplement to pharmacotherapy.

Want to learn more? You can check out our FAQ page. You can also use this link to reach The International Society for Neuroregulation & Research (formerly International Society for Neurofeedback & Research) and review the Comprehensive Bibliography of Neurofeedback Research found there.

The International Society for Neuroregulation and Research maintains a comprehensive bibliography of hundred of high quality research articles discussing conditions that are positively affected by neurofeedback by D. Corydon Hammond, PhD, Professor, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Utah School of Medicine and D. Allen Novian, PhD, LMFT, LPC-S, Adjunct Professor, Neurofeedback and Biofeedback, St. Mary’s University.