A Monthly Summary of News and Events
Vol. 1 No. 3 - March 1998
This newsletter is sponsored by EEG Spectrum International, Inc.,
a leader in providing clinical service and training professionals.
Past issues are available at www.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) 1998 by David Alan Kaiser. All rights reserved.
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Bookmark this page and check every day or two.
John E. Kelley, Ph.D. The Anxiety & Stress Ctr 1400 E. Katella Ave. Anaheim, CA 92805 (714) 978-9571 James Garcia, Ph.D. Bishop Diego Garcia H.S. 4000 La Colina Rd Santa Barbara, CA 93110 (805) 967-1266 Clark R. Elliott 1423 Gillespie Street Santa Barbara, CA 93105 (805) 730-1008 Elizabeth Lake 21561 San Gabriel Drive Tehachapi, CA 93561-8923 (805) 822-1484 Deborah Orr 8965 Ridgemont Drive Atlanta, GA 30350-1611 (770) 642-9633 Catherine Rule, MEd.,CAGS, CRC. 60 Maple Street Northampton, MA 01062 (413) 584-5108 cathryn@javanet.com Meredith Gould, Ph.D. 119 Water Street Leeds, MA 01053-9701 (413) 584-6480 Paula Murphy, LCSW, LMT 25 Main Street, Suite 203 Northampton, MA 01060-3130 (413) 586-6680 |
Susan Ott, Ph.D. 110 North Main St Petersham, MA 01366-9501 (978) 939-2161 Bruce Goderez, M.D. Brightside, Inc. School Street Counseling Inst. 33 School St. Springfield, MA 01105 (413) 846-4938 Jane Doner, M.A. 5620 Briar Meadow Saline, MI 48176 (313) 482-9711 Dixie Placek, MA, LMFT, MCC Affiliates & Family and Individual 2605 Yankee Hill Rd Milford, NE 68405 (402) 761-3069 Mary Jo Sabo, MPA Pain & Stress Biofeedback Ctr, Inc. 15A Perlman Drive Spring Valley, NY 10977 (914) 356-2393; F 426-1545 John Pugh 1025 Cocalico Road Denver, PA 17517-9545 (717) 569-7071 x397 Sue Ford 1110 East Lakeshore Drive Landrum, SC 29356-9370 (864) 457-4776 Ing. Josef Tomek, Pres. Tak Co., Ltd. Holandska 1 101 00 Praha Czech Republic 011 420 2 724187 |
Online Peer-Reviewed Evidence for Neurofeedback Efficacy
What do the following conditions have in common with each other? (No fair peeking at the section title....)
Experiences of physicians and other health care professionals as patients who have had neurologic illnesses. All but four papers were written by the afflicted professional. Beginning with the famous description by Lordat of his own aphasia which was originally published in French in 1843, this work contains numerous accounts published between 1870 and 1996, the majority in the past two decades. A physician turned patient brings a unique perspective on the nature and character of his or her neurologic symptoms. K.S. Lashley describes migrainous scotomas, for instance, and A. Brodal describes self-observations and neuroanatomical considerations after a stroke.
The book is divided between accounts of cognitive disorders (memory, language, and visual disorders) and clinical conditions (brain tumor, stroke, head injury, and epilepsy). Each account is introduced by the editor and followed by a commentary.
For more information, see www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0198521448/
Many people online revile this work. See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0826194907/ for an example review by a reader. When I mentioned Breggin's book in th ADD support newsgroup, one individual replied that the author was viewed as "Dr. Mengele to people with ADD". That recommendation alone, from a person whose opinion I greatly admire in the negative (i.e., his opinion x -1 = my opinion, usually) made me want to read more about Breggin's "dangerous" ideas. So much so that I looked up his next book, which is ...
by Peter Roger Breggin,
$23.95 ( $16.77 from amazon.com) Hardcover, 265 pages, Published by Common Courage Press, February 1, 1998
Synopsis (from publisher, I believe): Millions of children take the drug Ritalin for Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder. The drug's manufacturer, Novartis, claims that Ritalin is the "solution" to this widespread problem. But hidden behind the well-oiled public relations machine is a potentially devastating reality: children are being given a drug that can drastically impair their minds and brains. "Talking Back to Ritalin" gives readers the facts about this controversial drug.
For more information, see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1567511287/
One expert believes more cases of TV-induced epileptic seizures, like those experienced by hundreds of Japanese youngsters last autumn, are inevitable unless governments implement more rigorous broadcasting standards.
Dr. Graham Harding, an expert on photosensitive epilepsy, describes why almost 700 Japanese children suffered epileptic seizures while watching TV cartoons three months ago. If Japan had implemented guidelines similar to those currently used in the UK to prevent transmission of dangerous color and luminance sequences, it is almost certain that the program would not have caused the epilepsy. No such guidelines are in place in the US, Canada, Japan or Australia, meaning that the chance for TV-triggered epilepsy still exists in these countries.
Harding, whose comments appear in the current issue of the journal Nature Medicine - http://medicine.nature.com/, investigated the stimuli responsible for the epileptic seizures last fall in nearly 700 young Japanese fans of the popular "Pocket Monsters" cartoon.
(Note: After a similar incident occurred during a 1993 airing of a British TVcommercial, a series of preventive guidelines were imposed on all programming broadcast in the UK.)
For more information, http://www.yahoo.com/headlines/980302/health/stories/tv8_1.html
For more information, http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/980225/dc_foods_f_1.html
For more information, http://biz.yahoo.com/upi/98/03/02/general_news/uspersona_1.html
In an article in Feb 6th's issue of The Lancet, however, a team of child-development experts says that new brain-imaging techniques, such as positron-emission tomography and magnetic-resonance imaging, show that there are significant differences in the brains of some people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and a related condition called hyperkinetic disorder. They analyzed the results of a number of brain-imaging studies looking at patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, they found that the patient's frontal lobes, which are responsible for many higher intellectual and social functions, as well as some deeper brain structures that connect the frontal lobe to other parts of the brain were about 10 percent smaller than normal.
For more information, http://www.thelancet.com/
You can listen to shows dating back to Sept. 1995. About 250 hours of audio content, all on science! Listen to Carl Sagan discuss whether we are alone in the billions and billions of star systems (September 15,1995) or listen to the shows about the mind and mental health (below). The Real Audio player is free from www.real.com All you need is a sound card on your PC.
The Mind - October 17, 1997
Brain Research - July 4, 1997
Personality Change - Sep 20, 1997
Science of Sleep - March 22, 1996
Other Addictions - February 2, 1996
''At that age, children ask the hardest questions; they test our thinking, but they are filled with incredible wonder and interest and enthusiasm and passion,'' he said. ''They seek the caring guidance of somebody who knows more than they. That's where this field is.''
As health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, begin to include alternative medicine among their options, such questions will increase, conference attendees warned. And the results could be a loss of the factors that give alternative medicine much of its consumer appeal.
Sample thread subject Newsgroup ----------------------- ------------------------ qEEG alt.med.cfs Does sound retraining work? alt.support.tinnitus Neurofeedback alt.support.ibs Suddenly taking Ritalin alt.support.attn-deficit Headaches bit.listserv.tbi-support Once more on MOL & therapy bit.sci.purposive-behaviorThe OCD bulletin board at http://www.nimbusnet.com/wwwboard/ocdboard.html had a brief discussion of neurofeedback for OCD.
My contribution to an IBS thread (previous person's message talked about ineffectiveness of peripheral biofeedback for IBS):
The training also includes the all-important practicum section which focuses on actual operation and use of instrumentation. Additionally, opportunity is provided outside the formal curriculum for practitioners to experience training on themselves as well as discussing professional issues, marketing, and the particulars of establishing a financially successful practice based on this modality.
Faculty: Siegfried Othmer, Ph.D., BCIAC; Susan Othmer, BCIAC; M. Barry Sterman, Ph.D.; Nancy White, Ph.D. ; Julian Isaacs, Ph.D.; Pat Fields, Psy.D.; Martin Wuttke, BCIAC; William Scott, BSW, CCDP
| LOCATION | DATES | ||||||||||
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No.Miami, FL
| Mar 5- 9, 1998
| Encino, CA
| Mar 26-30, 1998
| St. Louis, MO | Apr 16-20, 1998
| Atlanta, GA | May 14-18, 1998
| Encino, CA | Jun 6- 8, 1998
| Toronto, ONT | Jun 14-18, 1998
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| TOPICS COVERED |
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| EEG Biofeedback Theory: Neurophysiological Basis; Research History |
| Clinical Applications: Assessment, Protocol Selection, Practicum & Case Review |
| Specialty Applications: For Behavior Modification & Performance Enhancement |
| COST (5-Day Course): $895.00
Additional Attendees from Same Facility: 30% discount Reattendees: $200.00 |
To enroll, contact Dennis Campbell
or call EEG Spectrum International at 800-789-3456 or (818) 788-2083.
Please include your name and phone number in all email messages.
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers | ||
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| CONFERENCE | LOCATION | DATES |
| Learning Disabilities Assn | Washington, DC | Mar 11-14, 1998
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| Calif. Psych. Assn | Pasadena | Mar 26-29, 1998
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| Assoc. for Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback (see below) | Orlando, FL | Apr 1-5, 1998
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| Society for the Study of Neuronal Regulation (see below) | Austin, TX | September 10 - 13 |
FutureHealth was a very successful conference. Rob Kall, the organizer, promises to have the presentation abstracts online by June so I will wait until then to discuss it further.
For more information on this conference http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/SMILE/97brainm.htm
Conference includes programs on geriatrics, respiratory physiology, stress management education, optimal performance, new technology, and biofeedback applications in school settings: Workshops and Short Courses
Contact AAPB for further information
10200 W. 44th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
1-800-477-8892
e-mail aapb@resourcenter.com
www.aapb.org
"CALL FOR PAPERS": The Society for the Study of Neuronal Regulation (SSNR) is seeking original research papers for presentation at the 1998 SSNR Conference in Austin Texas, September 10 - 13.
Research papers will be given either as a forty minute presentation, twenty minute presentation, or poster presentation. We are also seeking workshops for the conference of either two or three hour duration. Presenters should submit abstracts of under 300 words, indicating the type of presentation desired (40 minute, 20 minute, or poster or workshop). Entries need to be submitted by via e-mail, fax, or regular mail to David Trudeau, M.D., SSNR Program Chair (see addresses below) as soon as possible (deadline by 1 August 1998). Earlier is better, as last year we quickly filled all our presentation and workshop slots.
David L. Trudeau, MD SSNR Program Chair #4402 168 E. 6th St. St. Paul, MN 55101 Fax 612.725.2292 Voice 612.298.9773 trude003@maroon.tc.umn.edu
All submissions will be reviewed by the program committee and those accepted will be assigned to the program. The program committee will determine the type of presentation for research papers (40 minute, 20 minute, or poster) based on the content of the abstract, the judgement of the committee and the preference of the presentor. Every attempt will be made to notify presentors of their position/time on the program by August 15.
The following was written by Siegfried Othmer, Ph.D.
It is of interest to revisit a news item from last December, in which it was reported from Japan that the simple act of viewing a cartoon triggered seizures, vomiting, irritated eyes, and other symptoms in 618 Japanese children. More than 100 were still hospitalized one day later. The trigger was ostensibly five seconds of flashing red light in the eyes of "Pikachu," a rat- like creature. Other children were stricken later when the item was aired on news programs and the segment was replayed.
Here is a compelling demonstration of the importance of rhythmic activity in brain regulation. When internal brain rhythms are even slightly redirected, the subject may become dysfunctional. This can apparently happen even with brief exposures (5 seconds), and even when only a small portion of visual cortex is rhythmically illuminated. This story can be helpful in understanding the mechanisms underlying EEG biofeedback, or neurofeedback. In these clinical approaches, the brain is challenged in terms of its prevailing rhythmicity at particular frequencies. That is, the brain is asked to increase or decrease its rhythmicity by operant conditioning in the moment of training. This can be seen as a challenge to the regulatory machinery of the brain. If the challenge is sufficiently subtle, then the effect is to strengthen the mechanisms by which rhythmicity is managed, which in turn is deemed to manage such key functions as arousal regulation, attention, and affect. In a learning paradigm, such an exercise of fundamental regulatory function is then deemed to have a long-term beneficial effect.
Siegfried Othmer
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Near the 1st of each month you will receive this newsletter via email. Each issue includes reviews of recent neurofeedback publications, updates on new and ongoing research studies, reports in the media, and schedules of upcoming training courses and conference dates. To unsubscribe from this newsletter, email webmaster@eegspectrum.com and include in the body of your message "unsubscribe newsletter"
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