1

NEUROFEEDBACKNEUROFEEDBACK

Using Technology to

Re-Shape the Mind

2

Also called…

•EEG Biofeedback•Brain training •Neuro-therapy•Neuro-training•Attention training•Peak performance training

3

BIOFEEDBACKUsing information about how the body

is working to alter what’s going on

Biofeedback was popular in the 70’s for managing anxiety.

The client got sound tones for rewards when his GSR (Galvanic Skin Response) met the pre-set levels.

4

Every day forms of biofeedback

5

You have to have accurate feedback, of course!

6

Brain training is…

exercising the brain –

a mental workout.

7

We now know our brains are much more “plastic”

than we used to think.

Our brains can

• learn, • change, • improve, • heal…

8

When you have information what your brain waves are doing, your brain can use that information to

change how it works.

THE BIG

IDEA:

9

A few brain facts…

Most brain development occurs

during the 1st 2 years of life

10

The human brain weighs

about 12 ounces at birth,

about 35 ounces at 1 year…

11

By age 5, the brain is about its

full size and weight –

about 3 pounds (about 2% of adult body weight).

12

Your brain uses about 20-30% of your body’s basic energy –

and about 20% of your oxygen.

13

By age 20-25, we have 100 billion neurons…

but then we start to LOSE brain cells.

14

Fortunately, those 100,000,000,000 neurons are a generous supply!

As many as 10,000 brain cells die every day after age

20.

15

Every neuron

is connected to

other neurons –

we have an estimated 1,000,000,000,000,000 connections in our brain.

16

Our Synaptic Self*

• Communication between brain cells is a bio-chemical event across tiny spaces called synapses.

Our thoughts, feelings, actions, memories & imaginations are the result of what happens in our synapses.

Synaptic Self – How Our Brains Become Who We Are by Ernest LeDoux

17

“I think, therefore I

am…” Rene Descartes

(1596-1650)

18

I don’t know,

so maybe

I’m not…

19

What makes us who we are?

LeDoux believes it is all in the synapses that the essence of our personalities is encoded – including the basis for mental health and self-awareness – and mental illness, addictions and other brain-related problems.

20

PERSONALITY is a complex interaction between nature (our

“hard-wired” responses) and

nurture (our unique personal experiences)

– all encoded in our synapses.

21

Brain cells produce chemical & electrical signals.

22

The electricity reflects normal cell activity as information is transferred from cell to cell.

23

We can detect this electrical signal using sensors – electrodes – placed on the scalp.

24

These electrodes pick up information about brain waves --similar to the way stethoscopes pick up information about our hearts and lungs.

25

In both situations,SENSORS

are gathering data.

26

Beta waves are produced in the brain stem and the cerebral cortex

27

The signal is VERY tiny, measured in microvolts –

about 1 millionth of a volt.

28

This electrical signal is then magnified by some kind of amplifier, which is then fed

through a computer. BrainMaster

Pocket 1-W EEG

Wireless Pendant

29

Computers can filter out the various brain wave frequencies &

provide us with this information in a usable form.

30

The patterns of brain wave activity varies, depending on where on the

brain we are looking, and what kinds of things we are doing. In different

mental states, different types of brain waves dominate.

31

Normal Brain

•Good balance of brain waves

•Ability to shift easily from one brain state to another

32

Neurofeedback works by helping to restore a

better balance of waves in

various parts of the brain.

33

May have• too much of some frequencies over others – or in the wrong place

Dysfunctional Brain

34

May have• too much of some frequencies over others• unstable frequencies

Dysfunctional Brain

35

May have• too much of some frequencies over others• unstable frequencies• an impaired ability to shift from one mental state to another.

Dysfunctional Brain

36

Attention Deficit Disorder

The brain produces fast beta waves

when the person is actively mentally

involved in a language-based task

…

37

…and slower theta waves when involved in an image-

based processing task, like a video game.

38

For under-powered brains a fast-wave task like school work ends up causing the brain to start into beta—then collapse into slow drowsy waves.

Stimulant meds can stimulate the brain-– until the meds wear off.

39

NF works by re-training the brain to produce the beta waves on its own – and many people continue to improve after the training ends!

40

BRAIN WAVE FREQUENCIES

Each brain wave frequency can be

measured in terms of:• Microvolts (µV) =

Amplitude/Height of the wave• Hertz (Hz) = Frequency/Speed

of the wave per second

41

FREQUENCY

• The speed of electrical undulations, measured in cycles per second, or hertz (hz).

• The frequency defines the brainwave bandwith:• Delta, Theta, Alpha = Slow• SMR, Beta, High Beta, Gamma =

Fast

42

AMPLITUDE•The power of the electrical

impulse, measured in microvolts. (µV)

•Like volume is to sound •Slower waves have higher

amplitudes. • It takes the brain a lot of

energy to produce the faster waves, so amplitudes tend to be lower.

43

BRAIN WAVES

44

FREQUENCY BANDWITHS• Single frequencies organized into

discreet groups• Each bandwidth is associated with

specific characteristics• The amplitude and microvolt

readings reflect all of the activity within the bandwidth

• NF training is aimed at changing the amplitude of a selected frequency bandwidth

45

Cortical and Subcortical Processes

Regulation of basic life functions

Has a role in sexuality, memory, and processing emotional information

Used for thinking, talking, hearing, seeing and creating

46

DELTA

• 0.5-3 Hz (cycles or waves per second)

• Sleep State• Regenerative State• Complex problem solving• Consciousness completely

internalized• Transcendental states • Dominant wave form in infants up

to 6 months old • 40% of the amplitude in infants• <5% of the amplitude in a “normal” adult

47

High Amplitudes of Delta

•Learning Disabilities•“Sleepy Brains”

•Brain Injuries•Eye Blinks and Eye Movement

Artifact

48

DELTA0-3Hz

49

THETA

• 4-7 Hz (cycles or waves per second)

• Trance State• Intuitive, Creative • Internal Focus• Thoughts in Theta are

visual/emotional

50

High Amplitudes of Theta• Learning Disabilities

• Foggy Brains• Filtering Problems (ADHD)• Processing Problems (ADD)

• Slow Reaction Time• Lack of Oxygen and Blood Flow• Depression• Anxiety

51

THETA4-7 Hz

52

ALPHA

• 8-12 Hz • Alertness• Peacefulness• Readiness• Meditation• Alpha Peak Frequency

>10 µVSuggests Superior Intelligence

53

High Amplitude Alpha• High Anterior (Frontal) Alpha

• Daydreamers• ADD/ADHD• Depression• Traumatic Brain Injuries• Marijuana Use

• High Posterior (Rear) Alpha• Anxiety• Insomnia

54

Alpha8-12 Hz

55

SENSORIMOTOR RHYTHM(SMR)

• 12-15 Hz• Relaxed yet focused • Stillness: Calm Mental State• Reflecting-before-acting• Sleep Spindles (12-14 Hz)

56

SMR12-15 Hz

57

BETA• 15-22 Hz• Thinking• Focused • Sustained

Attention• Problem-Solving• Externally

Oriented

58

High Amplitude Beta15-22 Hz

• Left Hypo-activation = Depression

• Right Hyper-activation = Anxiety

• Anxiety Disorders• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder • Sleep Disorders• Bruxism

59

BETA15-22 Hz

60

High Beta• 23-35 Hz• Hypervigilance • Very fast cognitive processing

61

High Amplitude High Beta

• Epileptic Auras• Cortical Irritability• Hyper-vigilance• Overthinking• Ruminations• Obsessive Compulsive D/O

62

GAMMA

• 35-42 Hz• “The Binding Rhythm”

• Important to learning by bringing together different aspects of an object into a single precept.

• Associated with transcendent experiences

• Found throughout the scalp rather than one discreet location

63

What’s

Neurofeedba

ck

good for??

64

…probably many, if not most, of all

mental health diagnoses!

65

HOW CAN NEUROEEDBACK

BE GOOD FOR SO MANY DIFFERENT

CONDITIONS??

66

Because the real problem is the

brain’s impaired ability to regulate

itself.

67

NF leads to improved brain self-regulation.

68

UNDER-AROUSAL is the problem with disorders

like depression and ADHD.

69

OVER-AROUSAL is the problem with anxiety disorders (includes panic

attacks, PTSD, agoraphobia, etc.)

70

INSTABILITY is the problem with bipolar disorder, seizure disorders,

migraines.

71

How long is the treatment?

72

Typical training is 2-3 times a week, for 15-30 minutes.

73

although they can sometimes be immediate, such as in relieving a migraine headache.

Usually the effects are gradual,

74

For many conditions,

40 sessions

will provide nearly permanent relief.

75

For really entrenched problems – e.g., Asperger’s & other autism spectrum disorders – 100 -200 sessions may be needed, and results may not be as complete.

76

NF can change the face of mental health treatment – and offer

resolution of symptoms rather than the temporary relief of

medications.

77

For traditional therapy, it can make

people “more available” and therapy-ready.

78

NEUROEEDBACK POSITIVELY AFFECTS:

ADD/ADHDADDICTIONSANXIETYATTACHMENT DISORDERAUTISM

79

AND HELPS THOSE WITH: CLOSED HEAD INJURIES CONDUCT DISORDERS CHRONIC PAIN DEPRESSION EPILEPSY

80

PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM:

FIBROMYALGIA LEARNING DISABILITIES MIGRAINES OCD POST-TRAUMATIC

STRESS

81

& THOSE DEALING WITH: SLEEP DISORDERS STROKE TRAUMATIC BRAIN

INJURY

82

COMPUTER ADVANCES MEAN NEUROFEEDBACK MAY HELP

RESOLVE MANY ISSUES

83

Mental health may be on

the verge of a whole new

era…