What's New in Neurofeedback

A Monthly Summary of News and Events

Vol. 9 No. 7 - July 2006

This newsletter is sponsored by EEG Spectrum International Intl, Inc.,
a leader in providing clinical service and training professionals.

Past issues are available at start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/
Information on how to subscribe or cancel a subscription appear at the end.
The opinions related in this newsletter reflect those of the author only.
Copyright (C) 2005 by David Kaiser or ESII. All rights reserved.


  • Announcements  - News
  • In the Spotlight     - Autism Neurotherapy Research
  • News & Reviews - Books & journal papers
  • Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
  • Last Word    - Online Resources

    •  

    Announcements


     

    In the Spotlight

    Autism Neurotherapy Research

    In the coming months I plan to summarize (sometimes exhaustively) the neurotherapy literature for various disorders. Autism is up first - a promising but little documented area. Many clinicians speak of incredible results, but unfortunately few of these results have been published. Only two group studies have so far been published, with a third on its way, plus a handful of single case studies.

    Jarusiewicz (2002) performed the most controlled neurofeedback study to date for autism. She trained 12 children with autism (11 male, 1 female) from 4 to 13 years of age (mean 7 y) who were compared against a 12-subject matched waitlist control group. The experimental group started with C4 training, 10-13 Hz reward and 2-7 Hz inhibit, which were adjusted against each individual's response to training. Individuals underwent 36 sessions on average (range 20-69) and statistically significantimprovements were seen on the ATEC and parent interviews.

    Scolnick (2005) trained 5 Asperger males (mean age 14 y, range 12-16 y) using a C4-Pz or Cz, Fz, or Pz-ear montage, 12-15 Hz reward and 4-10 Hz & 22-30 Hz inhibits. After 24 sessions Scolnick reported improvements on self-reports and parental and teacher checklists. In terms of EEG changes she only found theta/beta power ratio reductions in two boys only.

    Pineda (2006) trained 8 children with autism in hopes of increasing mu rhythm responsiveness. Mu wave activity (8-13 Hz activity over sensorimotor cortex) is associated with the mirror neuron system, and shows suppression during both self-performed motor actions and observed motor actions of others (Oberman et al., 2005). After 30 sessions, the five children who showed mu activity responsiveness with neurofeedback training performed better on tasks involving imitation (Pineda, 2006). These results should be published shortly.

    Case Studies:

  • Sichel, Fehmi, & Goldstein (1995) reported on a mild autistic case (or possibly TBI with autistic traits), an 8 y old boy who underwent central and parietal training, 12-15 Hz reward and 4-8 Hz inhibit, for 31 sessions. The boy improved behaviorally according to parental and clinician and showed a theta/beta power ratio reduction (presumably at site Cz).

  • Ross & Caunt (2003) reported on a single 10 y old boy with Asperger's syndrome who underwent 40 sessions. The child improved on behavioral ratings and showed reductions in 6-9 Hz parietal activity during eyes open rest and posterior 9-12 Hz during reading and math.

  • Beaumont & Montgomery (2005) reported on a single 7 y old boy with autism who underwent Cz training, 16-20 Hz reward with EMG and 2-8 Hz inhibit for 33 sessions. They reported improvements on ABC, CARS, and parental report as well as theta and beta power reductions.

  • Paoletti & Kaiser (2006) trained an 8 y old boy with autism for 20 half-hour sessions. Protocols were C3-to-contralateral ear for the first 4 sessions and T3-T4 bipolar training for the remaining 16 sessions to address emotional lability. As the subject’s SMR rhythm was atypically slow (Kaiser, 2002), reward band was set at 9-14 Hz, with 2-7 Hz and 22-30 Hz inhibit bands to control artifact. Jarusiewicz (2002) also began with a slower SMR reward band, 10-13 Hz or lower depending upon the child’s condition. The child’s forward digit span improved from 4 items to 5 items after training (i.e., 35th to 69th percentile improvement for his age, WISC). He became calm and less talkative during sessions when familial stimuli were used as rewards (i.e., pictures and/or sounds of his mother and siblings). He also showed improvement in general behavioral self-regulation by cleaning up and washing hair on his own in latter sessions, although the Neuro-ABC and ATEC assessments were inconclusive.. Greater rhythmicity was also evident across multiple EEG sites after training.

    There are other case studies presented at conferences, but these had published or otherwise available abstracts.

    References

  • Beaumont AL & Montgomery DD (2005). The effects of neurofeedback on a child with autism. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 30, 407.

  • Jarusiewicz B (2002). Efficacy of neurofeedback for children in the Autistic Spectrum: A Pilot Study. Journal of Neurotherapy, 6, 39-49

  • Kaiser DA (2002). Rethinking Standard Bands. Journal of Neurotherapy, 5, 87-96.

  • Oberman LM, Hubbard EM, McCleery JP, Altschuler EL, Ramachandran VS, Pineda JA. (2005). EEG evidence for mirror neuron dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders. Brain Research: Cognitive Brain Research, 24, 190-8.

  • Paoletti JL & Kaiser DA (2006). Neurotherapeutic Assessment and Training of an Autistic Individual. Presented at 37th Assoc. Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback, Portland, OR, April 7.

  • Pineda J (2006). Efficacy of Neurofeedback Training on Autism Spectrum Disorders (poster). Presented at Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco CA, April 8-11.

  • Ross J & Caunt J (2003). Case study: Ten year old male with Asperger‘s syndrome. Presented at 11th Intl Society for Neuronal Regulation, Sep 18-21, Houston TX.

  • Scolnick B (2005). Effects of electroencephalogram biofeedback with Asperger‘s syndrome. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 28, 159-163.

  • Sichel A, Fehmi LG & Goldstein DM (1995). Postive outcome with neurofeedback treatment in a case of mild autism. Journal of Neurotherapy, 1, 60-64.

    -DK

     

    News & Reviews NEW BOOKS

    Not Even Wrong: A Father's Journey into the Lost History of Autism
    by Paul Collins
    A journey into the realm of permanent outsiders. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582344787/eegspectrum

    Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone
    by Douglas Biklen, et al
    Confronts misunderstandings and misperceptions about autism. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0814799272/eegspectrum

    Handbook of Epilepsy Treatment: Forms, Causes and Therapy in Children and Adults
    by Simon D. Shorvon
    Recent advances in treatment including new drugs, new investigations, novel surgical approaches are discussed. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1405131349/eegspectrum

    Soft Bipolar: Vivid Thoughts, Mood Shifts and Swings...
    by Charles K. Bunch
    Materials to provide outpatient treatment to "soft Bipolar" sufferers. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0595348246/eegspectrum

    Trends in Brain Research
    by F. J. Chen
    Newest research on the brain --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1594547955/eegspectrum

    Reflections on the Problem of Consciousness
    by Errol E. Harris
    How does electro-chemical activity in the brain translate into conscious experience? --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1402043090/eegspectrum

    Cannabis : A History
    by Martin Booth
    From 12th-century Sufi monks to today's druglords, a history of this plant is discussed. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312424949/eegspectrum

    Understanding Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction
    by Novartis Foundation
    Cigarette smoking kills nearly 5 million people per year worldwide, and 10 million by 2020. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470016574/eegspectrum

     

    JOURNAL PAPERS

    Quantitative EEG in low-IQ children with ADHD : IQ is not reflected in EEG power measures for this population. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16793337

    The origin of the focal spike in musicogenic epilepsy. : Right temporal lobe, notably the auditory area, is involved in musicogenic epilepsy. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16793574

    Affect and the computer game player : In-game reinforcement and skill impact affective measures such as excitement and frustration. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16780398

    EEG recording during TMS : Two electrode types can be used with TMS: a conductive-plastic surface electrode with a conductive-silver epoxy coat and a subdermal silver wire electrode. After TMS pulses amplifiers recover within 30 ms. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16793336

    Cannabis and neurodevelopment: implications for psychiatric disorders. : Cannabis use during adolescence can impact cognition, depressive symptoms, schizophrenia and substance use disorders in the long term. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16783814

    Role of corticothalamic coupling in human temporal lobe epilepsy. : Overall increase of synchrony between thalamus and temporal lobe structures during seizures is seen, particularly at seizure onset. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16760199

    Deactivation of brain areas during self-regulation of SCP : Unsuccessful regulators fail to deactivate cortex below the training electrode. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16752105

    Role of electroencephalography in ADHD : Discusses how EEGs may help evaluate ADHD children and those at risk. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16734521

    EEG topography and tomography for pharmacodynamics of psychotropic drugs. : Shows how pharmaco-EEG topography and tomography assist in neuropsychopharmacology and clinical psychiatry. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16733939

    Functional and Anatomical Cortical Underconnectivity in Autism : Underconnectivity in autistics was found during challenge, by reduced synchronization between frontal and parietal areas of activation and smaller sections of the corpus callosum. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16772313

    Impaired functional connectivity at alpha and theta bands in major depression. : Right anterior and left posterior brain areas may discriminate depressive patients from controls in terms of connectivity. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16779797

    Brain maturation in adolescence: neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. : Slow wave EEG activity declined in a curvilinear fashion with gray matter volume during adolescence in specific area. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16767769

     

     

    Events & Locations

    Upcoming Courses

    A Pathway to Brain Regulation - Neurofeedback helps improve neuroregulation. It's used by health care professionals for ADHD, depression, anxiety disorders, LD, mood disorders, and behavioral problems. This 4-day course, Neurofeedback in a Clinical Practice, provides the basis for using Neurofeedback clinically. - *28 CEs

      4-Day Comprehensive Course Dates (subject to change)
    • Los Angeles CA - Aug 17-20
    • Philadelphia, PA Sep 14-17
    • Chicago IL Oct 19-22
    • Portland OR Nov 16-19
    • Los Angeles CA Dec 7-10

    Our course is a hands-on experience right from the start. Attendees consistently say this format is a very good way to learn Neurofeedback.

    "Neurofeedback should be viewed as one of the three essential or primary forms of intervention - psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and Neurofeedback. In my experience, neurofeedback is every bit as important and powerful as the other two forms of treatment." - Dr. Laurence Hirshberg, Brown University Medical School, psychologist specializing in Developmental Disorders and Autism.

    Contact Karie Kramer, our training coordinator, for more information 818-789-3456 ext 847 or see www.eegspectrum.com/Training

    * EEG Spectrum International, Inc. is approved by the APA to offer continuing education to psychologists. ESII maintains responsibility for the program.

    Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

    CONFERENCELOCATIONDATES
    ISNR - www.isnr.orgAtlanta GASep 7-10

     

    Last Word

    Online Resources

    Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/

    Merriam-Webster Dictionary & Thesaurus http://www.m-w.com/

    Google Book Search (search inside the full text of books) http://books.google.com/

    Science & culture debates http://www.ingenious.org.uk/

    One-page Reference Desk http://www.refdesk.com/

    Medline Plus (Medical Information) http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/medlineplus.html

    APA Style http://www.wooster.edu/psychology/apa-crib.html

    Google's newest info tools: http://www.google.com/intl/en/options/

    Psychology in the News http://www.psychwatch.com/news.htm

    Health & Medicine News http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_summaries.php

    Newspapers and Magazines http://www.metagrid.com/

    http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/

    Quotations http://www.quotationspage.com/

    BrainInfo (includes links to numerous atlases) http://braininfo.rprc.washington.edu/

    Sylvius (Brain function atlas) http://www.sylvius.com

    -DK