What's New in Neurofeedback

• Sleep Loss Linked To Increase In Alzheimer's Plaques
• Cracking The Brain's Numerical Code: Researchers Can Tell What Number A Person Has Seen
• Gammaglobulin Treatment For Alzheimer's Disease To Be Tested
• Certain Colors More Likely To Cause Epileptic Fits, Researchers Find
• Whale, Dolphin Evolution: Origin Of Cetaceans
• Pinpointing Problems In The Brain

Links at http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain

 

The 8th conference for the Society for the Advancement of Brain Analysis (SABA) was held in Marineland, Saint Augustine, FL May 1-5, 2009 and was sponsored by the University of Florida. SABA is a group of educators, researchers, and clinicians focused on psychological electroencephalography (EEG) with the purpose of integrating knowledge of brain structure and function in the practice of neurotherapy and psychological evaluation. This year’s conference focused on both structural and functional neuroplasticity and including some wetware neuroscience (animal research) in addition to conventional EEG studies. Below are selected abstracts:

Real-time fMRI feedback training by Mario Beauregard, Ph.D.
Real–time fMRi methods werereviewed, as well as recent studies showing learned control over localized brain activity involved in various functions (e.g., sensory and motor processing, pain and emotion regulation). The potential therapeutic applications of this new neuroimaging approach was discussed.

Can models of homeostatic plasticity explain nervous system functional stability? by Dirk Bucher, Ph.D.
We are only beginning to understand how nervous systems strike a balance between altering individual neurons and synapses in the name of plasticity, while maintaining long-term stability in neuronal system function. Our research focuses on the question of how stability of network function is achieved through regulation of neuronal properties, including morphology, synaptic and intrinsic membrane properties.

Brain laterality, brain states and ADHD by Sigi Hale, Ph.D.
Adults with ADHD demonstrate increased right hemisphere (RH) contribution during early-stages of sensory information processing, and that this is associated with compromised LH linguistic abilities and abnormal interhemispheric interaction. Moreover, we have found evidence that this is likely a brain-state associated phenomenon rather than reflecting inherent capacity. We suspect that increased RH relative to LH contribution during early-stages of sensory processing is generally associated with ADHD symptoms and that what distinguishes ADHD-pathology from a more typical expression of such traits is a matter of the frequency, duration, and/or adaptive expression of a RH biased mode of processing. Towards this understanding we’ve recently found evidence of increased rightward alpha asymmetry in frontal and parietal regions of adults with ADHD during an eyes closed condition and during the Conner’s Continuous Performance Task (CPT). Moreover, we’ve found robust rightward high beta asymmetry in parietal regions of adults with ADHD also during the CPT.

Instrumental conditioning of human sensorimotor rhythm (12-15 Hz) and its impact on sleep and memory By Kerstin Hoedlmoser, Ph.D.
The present study sought to clarify the effects of instrumental conditioning of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR; 12-15Hz) in humans on sleep parameters during a 90min midday nap as well as on declarative memory. Twenty-seven subjects were randomly assigned to either 10 sessions SMR-conditioning or randomized-frequency-conditioning. Before and after this instrumental conditioning period subjects had to attend the sleep laboratory to take a 90 min nap and to perform a declarative memory task before and after sleep. The three major findings are: (i) the experimental design was successful in conditioning an increase in relative 12-15Hz amplitude within 10 sessions (d=0.7); (ii) the increased SMR activity is also expressed during subsequent sleep by eliciting positive changes in various sleep parameters (sleep spindle number [d=0.6], total sleep period [d=0.7], sleep onset latency [d=0.7]); and (iii) this increased relative 12-15Hz amplitude is associated with enhancement in declarative memory performance (d=0.9). Results thus indicated that SMR frequency constantly increased over the 10 training sessions (in the SMR group only) and that this "shaping of one's own brain activity" also facilitated the expression of 12-15Hz oscillations during subsequent sleep. Most interestingly, these electrophysiological changes were accompanied by profound positive sleep as well as memory performance.

The Periodicity Table: Introduction to bimodulation and entropy By David A. Kaiser, Ph.D.
The Periodicity Table organizes spectral properties on number of signals, frequencies, and phase relationships. Of recent interest are the measures of bimodulation (Pearson product moment correlation of two frequencies at the same electrode site) and spectral entropy. Spectral entropy is a relative incidence measure from information sciences which may be conceived as a measure of signal disorder or constituent variability. High spectral entropy occurs when activity is spread across most of the spectrum and low spectral entropy is when activity is localized to a handful of frequencies, as seen in sleep and coma states. Nunes likened entropy to freedom of choice in that "conscious cortex is free to move among a huge number of available microstates" when entropy is high. Entropy indexes the number of possible microstate rearrangements which can produce same macrostate. EEG rhythm training is discussed in terms of entropy training, increasing or reducing the possible accessible microstates as indicated by specific EEG rhythms. The value of these coefficients and related measures were discussed in terms of normative EEG assessment.

Decision-making in neurofeedback protocol selection By David A. Kaiser, Ph.D. and Penijean Rutter, MA
Normative EEG analysis can provide dozens or even hundreds of statistical abnormalities for any individual given the large number of EEG sites, frequencies, and spectral coefficients examined by state-of-the-art techniques. General rules for prioritizing EEG findings are direly needed as we tailor our protocols to address specific behavioral or mental impairments. Two models for interpreting normative EEG are presented based on clinical practice and theoretical considerations. In the first model, the brain is conceived in terms of maturation, where functional and structural brain disorders reflect regression toward primitive brain behavior, i.e., ontogenetic as well as phylogenetic immaturity. EEG indicators of immaturity include excessive delta, diminished connectivity, lack of functional differentiation in prefrontal cortex, reduced hemispheric specialization, and lack of coordination between anterior and posterior brain regions. In the second model, the brain is conceived as a reward-seeking machine in which all mental processes work to maximize reward within a limited resource system. Such resource allotment necessitates a hydraulic relationship between brain areas or systems. Whenever resources are allocation to one brain area or system they must be taken from another. With this in mind brain activity is organized along a number of dimensions including inhibition (output gating), meaning attribution (input gating), and recruitment. Disturbances in connectivity and evidence of hyper-recruitment or “resource hijacking” are viewed as likely candidates for EEG training.

Can theories of circuit modification with sensory motor rhythm feedback explain our remarkable effects with epilepsy? By Denise Malkowicz M.D. and Diana Martinez M.D.
After traumatic brain injury our subject had a 10 year history of severe refractory epilepsy with prolonged postictal states. He had failed multiple therapies. Initial QEEG showed diffuse delta and theta (+12 z-score) and no 12-=15 Hz sensorimotor cortex SMR. He underwent 3 spaced periods of intensive SMR EEG feedback training at C3-C4, with 5 months periods separating each of these periods. SMR EEG feedback resulted in seizure control within the first 3 weeks. He continued to improve in all areas of neurological function, including seizure control during the 5 month period between neurotherapy sessions. Post training QEEG showed normalization of delta and theta, increased SMR, and increased alpha and beta.

The SMR story by M. Barry Sterman, Ph.D.
The basic research literature provides ample data to support a very detailed model of the neural generation of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR), as well as the most likely candidate mechanism underlying its efficacy in clinical treatment. Further, while more controlled clinical trials would be desirable, a respectable literature supports the clinical utility of this alternative treatment for epilepsy. However, the skilled practice of clinical neurofeedback requires a solid understanding of the neurophysiology underlying EEG oscillation, operant learning principles and mechanisms, as well as an in-depth appreciation of the ins and outs of the various hardware/software equipment options open to the practitioner. It is suggested that the best clinical practice includes the systematic mapping of quantitative multi-electrode EEG measures against a normative database before and after treatment to guide the choice of treatment strategy and document progress towards EEG normalization. We conclude that the research literature justifies the assertion that neurofeedback treatment of epilepsy/seizure disorders constitutes a well-founded and viable alternative to anticonvulsant pharmacotherapy.

Reviews NEW &/OR USEFUL BOOKS - Focus on Cognitive Science

Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind Intercultural Cooperation and Its Importance for Survival
Geert Hofstede
The author calls for better co-operation between countries and different cultures.

Beyond the Post-Modern Mind
Huston Smith
A treatise on how to transcend materialistic psychology and sciences.

The Society of Mind
Marvin L. Minsky
A view of the mind and intelligence by one of the original AI researchers.

Figments of Reality: The Evolution of the Curious Mind
Ian Stewart, Jack Cohen
Human minds are products of the brain and culture.

Philosophy in the Flesh: The Embodied Mind and Its Challenge to Western Thought
George Lakoff, Mark Johnson
Rebuilding Western philosophy through the eyes of cognitive scientists.

The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind
Julian Jaynes
My favorite introduction to 21st century psychology is this book published in 1976. It espouses the revolutionary idea that human consciousness emerged with writing 2600 years ago.

Metamagical Themas: Questing for the Essence of Mind and Pattern
Douglas R. Hofstadter
A bestseller of brilliant and quirky essays.

Clinical applications of functional MRI in epilepsy.
Reviews biophysics of blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI in use for localizing seizure activity.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19774159

Neural correlates of altered consciousness during epileptic seizures.
Epileptic seizures provide a window into the relationship between brain function and altered conscious states.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19772840

Sex, trauma, stress hormones and depression.
Women show greater hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation than men when depressed and the loss of estrogens with menopause can result in HPA axis dysregulation.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19773810

Human brain evolution and the "Neuroevolutionary Time-depth Principle:"
Discusses evolutionary aspects of levels of fear beginning with neural circuitry evolved during Mesozoic (mammalian-wide) and Cenozoic (simian-wide) eras which are relevant to phobia and moving on to paleolithic & neolithic (Homo sapiens) circuitry responsible for mate-choice selection and gene-culture co-evolution.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16563589

Need for Individualization in Neurofeedback
Argues for the need for comprehensive QEEG assessment in order to tailor neurofeedback protocols.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19760143

I have put a number of powerpoints online about quantitative EEG assessment and neurotherapy, at http://www.skiltopo.com/demo30.htm