When it comes to reducing or eliminating symptoms associated with attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD), there are many different approaches. A recent university study sought to determine which was better, a physiological approach (medications) or a neurological one (neurofeedback). Both have their benefits, but which one does more to alleviate symptoms: Let’s find out.

A 2018 study by Erasmus University’s department of psychology in the Netherlands conducted 8 randomized trials to see if there was a significant difference between both methods. Medications alone were determined to offer short term relief of symptoms, but also noted that prolonged use of them tended to diminish their effectiveness.

Next they tested neurofeedback. While the test did not definitively support neurofeedback as a standalone treatment, it did determine that those who had neurofeedback training were able to reduce their medication doses and maintain that reduction at a 6 month follow up. The review determined that neurofeedback works effectively as an adjunct therapy for children suffering from ADHD.

“The present role of NF in treating children diagnosed with ADHD should be considered as complementary in a multimodal treatment approach, individualized to the needs of the child, and may be considered a viable alternative to stimulants for a specific group of patients. ”
-Bashar Razoki, Erasmus University, Rotterdam

This study also concluded that patients with a poor response to medication or side effects due to medication may benefit from NF treatment.

If you live in the Tampa Area, we offer neurofeedback training for help with ADHD and learning disabilities.

It can be said that bipolar disorder is not just one mental health condition, but a combination of many. These include depression, anxiety, anger, severe mood swings, suicidal thoughts, focus problems and more. It has been called a “psychiatric life sentence” with the patient often abusing drugs or alcohol throughout out life.

Unfortunately, like many other mental health issues it’s prevalence in on the rise. In a given year bipolar disorder affects about 5.7 million American adults, or about 2.6% of the U.S. population 18 and older (ref National Institute of Mental Health 2008 Statistics)

With traditional medicine, treatment is usually lifelong and often involves a combination of medications and psychotherapy. However, those medications are known to be toxic and can cause nasty side effects like liver problems, joint pain, weight gain, memory loss, strong suicidal thoughts and more. Taking these medications long term may cause serious problems.

Some alternatives to traditional bipolar treatment include supplements like fish oil and herbal remedies such as Rhodiola rosea and St. John’s wort. But these aren’t enough by themselves and aren’t a permanent solution. But there is one therapy that may offer permanent relief.

There is a growing body of anecdotal evidence and research studies to show that brain training with neurofeedback can stabilize mood and help normalize the entire body. There are already decades of studies showing the neurofeedback can help many symptoms of bipolar disorder like depression and anxiety. Bipolar clients undergoing neurofeedback training report less susceptibility to mood swings, increased ability to focus, and reduced anger. Treatment outcome data show that 70% – 80% of neurofeedback clients show significant improvement after twenty sessions. Considering the seriousness of this disease and the limited effectiveness of traditional methods like medications and psychotherapy, neurofeedback is certainly worth investigating.

Parkinson’s disease is caused by a breakdown in the nerve cells that make dopamine, a neurotransmitter. This breakdown affects a person’s motor function, causing uncontrollable shaking and loss of voluntary muscle movement. About 1 million Americans live with it, and as of now there is no known cure. However, studies have shown that brain-based therapies like neurofeedback may offer some hope.

Parkinson’s is progressive, which means it gets worse over time, usually over the course of many years. The origin of Parkinson’s disease is unknown, although scientists studying it suspect a toxic environment is a major contributing factor, especially exposure to pesticides. Genetics are also known to play a role. In the later stages of the disease, the patient may develop a blank expression, problems with speech, and a decline in mental acuity.

All of these symptoms point to the brain as the primary factor that triggers symptoms of the disease. Allopathic treatments such as deep brain stimulation have shown an ability to control the involuntary movements. Physical therapy and proper diet also can alleviate some of the symptoms.

Though certainly not a cure, neurofeedback may help to manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s, allowing a person living with the disease to enjoy a better quality of life. It has been shown to work best alongside some of the therapy options listed above.

There have already been studies completed on the efficacy of neurofeedback in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, and more are being done every year. But the early research shows that there is some benefit to using neurofeedback as a treatment option. And that is good news for those who have it and those who are full time care providers assisting them.

If you live in the Tampa area, we are offering a free consultation to determine if neurofeedback may be right for you or someone you know who needs help.

Here is a list of additional reading on the topic:

Neural Networks and Neurofeedback in Parkinson’s Disease (a study)Neurofeedback as a Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease (Psychology Today article)

The Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science is world renown. The faculty and alumni of Columbia Engineering have won 10 Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, medicine, and economics. So when they publish a study, people take notice.

Recently, they completed a study on the effects of neurofeedback based on the idea that humans make better decisions and perform better at demanding sensory motor tasks when they have control over the arousal state of their sympathetic nervous system. As an example, why does act of walking across a balance beam less stressful if the beam sits six inches off the ground compared with when it is 60 feet up.

Researcher’s used real-time fMRI feedback to help participants in the study to regulate their arousal state during virtual reality aerial navigation tasks using a flight simulator. Using neurofeedback to stimulate the arousal state allowed the subjects to fly their virtual plane further and more precisely. In all, participants’ task performance was increased by around 20 percent. This explains why some people can be so cool under pressure: They are in control of their arousal state and are able to manage stress better.

If you live in the Tampa Florida area, neurofeedback is a tool that can help people regulate their arousal state better, which can reduce stress and allow one to keep calm under pressure. Best of all, neurofeedback is safe, non-invasive and readily available for anyone to use.

Neurofeedback is backed by 50 years of clinical research that has shown permanent lasting improvement in brain health time and time again. And it is already being accepted by many primary physicians and even insurance companies for treatment of mental health issues. Best of all, it requires no medications and results are often permanent. When it comes to keeping your brain healthy and in balance, neurofeedback is one of the best options currently available.

Fibromyalgia is a clinical syndrome characterized by widespread muscle pain and fatigue, and can severely affect sleep, memory and mood. It is more common in women as they age, but can affect anyone.

The origins of fibromyalgia have in recent years been traced back to the brain and how it processes and transfers neural signals. If this research proves accurate (studies so far show it has), then effective treatment of fibromyalgia should include brain-based therapies like neurofeedback.

A new study (link below) has looked at the effects of brain-based therapy like neurofeedback on fibromyalgia symptoms. The results have been very encouraging. The study found that neurofeedback training significantly reduced symptom of chronic pain. Before and after treatment. Reduced measurements of pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue and sleep quality were recorded with patients for a period of up to three years following neurofeedback completion. The results show that the effect was lasting and potentially permanent.

Neurofeedback was shown to have an immediate positive effect on sleep regulation, and a delayed positive effect on pain that began after the neurofeedback training ended. Pain also decreased 40% on the visual analog scale (VAS). This gives strong evidence to the potential of neurofeedback training for fibromyalgia pain. source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30408596