What's New in Neurofeedback

A Monthly Summary of News and Events

Vol. 12 No. 3 - March 2009

This newsletter is sponsored by EEG Spectrum International, Inc.,
the leader in providing neurotherapeutic services and training professionals.

Past issues are available at start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/
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Opinions in this newsletter reflect those of the author only.
Copyright (c) 2008 by ESII or David Kaiser, Ph.D. All rights reserved.


  • Announcements  - News
  • Spotlight     - Neurobiology of psychological trauma
  • Reviews - Books & journal papers
  • Events - Conferences, Courses
  • Last Word    - Continuing conversations between a physicist and neuroscientist

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    Announcements

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

     

    Spotlight

    Neurobiology of psychological trauma

    The goal of therapy is asymptomatic end-state functioning.

    Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., a pioneer in the neurobiology of psychological trauma, will be speaking at this year's CIC later this April. Here is a summary of his work during the past decade, to prime you for questions (those who plan to attend):

  • Hopper JW, Frewen PA, van der Kolk BA, Lanius RA.(2007). Neural correlates of reexperiencing, avoidance, and dissociation in PTSD: symptom dimensions and emotion dysregulation in responses to script-driven trauma imagery. J Trauma Stress, 20, 713-25. [abstract]         Primary right hemisphere brain areas were associated with the avoidance, dissociation, and traumatic reexperiencing of PTSD recovery.

  • van der Kolk BA, Spinazzola J, Blaustein ME, Hopper JW, Hopper EK, Korn DL, Simpson WB. (2007). A randomized clinical trial of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), fluoxetine, and pill placebo in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: treatment effects and long-term maintenance. J Clin Psychiatry, 68, 37-46. [abstract]         Psychotherapy with EMDR was more successful than pharmacotherapy in sustained symptom reductions for PTSD and depression, but mostly for adult-onset trauma survivors (as opposed to child-onset).

  • van der Kolk BA.(2006). Clinical implications of neuroscience research in PTSD. Ann N Y Acad Sciences, 1071, 277-93 [abstract]         Traumatized individuals may respond with subcortically initiated responses that are irrelevant or even harmful for the present situation. Traumatic cues activate brain areas involved in emotional intensity and deactivate cortical regions involved in sensorimotor integration, modulation of arousal, and verbal communication of ongoing experiences.

  • Zucker M, Spinazzola J, Blaustein M, van der Kolk BA. (2006). Dissociative symptomatology in posttraumatic stress disorder and disorders of extreme stress. J Trauma Dissociation., 7, 19-31. [abstract]         Sufferers of PTSD with Disorders of Extreme Stress Not Otherwise Specified (DESNOS) exhibit more dissociation, particularly absorption/fantasy and depersonalization/derealization.

  • Walsh K, Blaustein M, Knight WG, Spinazzola J, van der Kolk BA. (2007) Resiliency factors in the relation between childhood sexual abuse and adulthood sexual assault in college-age women. J Child Sex Abus. 2007;16(1):1-17. [abstract]         Childhood sexual abuse contributed to the possibility offorced adult assault.

  • Stein DJ, van der Kolk BA, Austin C, Fayyad R, Clary C. (2006). Efficacy of sertraline in posttraumatic stress disorder secondary to interpersonal trauma or childhood abuse. Annals of Clin Psychiatry, 18, 243-9. [abstract]         Interpersonal trauma and childhood abuse were more common in females than males and their presence was associated with longer duration PTSD.

  • Hopper JW, Spinazzola J, Simpson WB, van der Kolk BA. (2006). Preliminary evidence of parasympathetic influence on basal heart rate in posttraumatic stress disorder. J Psychosom Research, 60, 83-90. [abstract]         Many PTSD suffers do not have elevated basal heart rates.

  • Spinazzola J, Blaustein M, van der Kolk BA. (2005). Posttraumatic stress disorder treatment outcome research: The study of unrepresentative samples? J Trauma Stress, 18, 425-36. [abstract]         Many published reports in the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies omitted vital data such as exclusion criteria and rates, demographics, and trauma exposure history, and information about comorbidities is critical to research.

  • van der Kolk BA, Roth S, Pelcovitz D, Sunday S, Spinazzola J. (2005). Disorders of extreme stress: The empirical foundation of a complex adaptation to trauma. J Trauma Stress, 18, 389-99. [abstract]         Trauma early in life often have trouble regulating emotions and impulses, cognitive processes, self-perception, and other important aspects of daily living.

  • de Jong JT, Komproe IH, Spinazzola J, van der Kolk BA, Van Ommeren MH. (2005). DESNOS in three postconflict settings: assessing cross-cultural construct equivalence. J Trauma Stress. 2005 Feb;18(1):13-21. [abstract]         The Structured Interview for Disorders of Extreme Stress did not extract equivalent information as the Disorders of Extreme Stress Not Otherwise Specified (DESNOS).

  • van der Hart O, Bolt H, van der Kolk BA. (2005). Memory fragmentation in dissociative identity disorder. J Trauma Dissociation. 2005;6(1):55-70. [abstract]         Dissociative identity isorder patients first experience somatosensory re-experiencing of trauma before any narrative reliving.

  • Gupta MA, Lanius RA, Van der Kolk BA. (2005). Psychologic trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder, and dermatology. Dermatol Clin., 23, 649-56. [abstract]         Dermatologic symptoms often persist after trauma, such as. cutaneous sensory flashbacks, autonomic hyperarousal, conversion symptoms such as numbness or pain, and cutaneous self-injury

  • van der Kolk BA. (2003). The neurobiology of childhood trauma and abuse. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am., 12, 293-317. [abstract]         He argues that helping traumatized child to physically respond to current demands of life is more central to therapy than recreating the past.

  • Van Der Kolk BA. (2001) The psychobiology and psychopharmacology of PTSD. Hum Psychopharmacology, 16(S1):S49-S64. [abstract]         Reviews psychobiology and psychopharmacology of PTSD.

  • Osterman JE, Hopper J, Heran WJ, Keane TM, van der Kolk BA. (2001). Awareness under anesthesia and the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. Gen Hosp Psychiatry, 23, 198-204. [abstract]         As many as 140,000 patients fail to attain insensation during general anesthesia may produce PTSD, and did in a half of a small sample.

  • Davidson JR, Rothbaum BO, van der Kolk BA, Sikes CR, Farfel GM. (2001). Multicenter, double-blind comparison of sertraline and placebo in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 58, 485-92. [abstract]         Intrafamilial violence produces pervasive psychological and biological dysfunctions.

  • Gersons BP, Carlier IV, Lamberts RD, van der Kolk BA. (2000). Randomized clinical trial of brief eclectic psychotherapy for police officers with posttraumatic stress disorder. J Trauma Stress, 13, 333-47. [abstract]         Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy was found effective for police officers with PTSD.

    -DK

     

    Reviews NEW BOOKS NEW BOOKS

    Neuroimaging in Developmental Clinical Neuroscience
    by Judith M. Rumsey and Monique Ernst
    Reviews deficits of inhibitory control and other issues involved in development.
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0521883571

    Insomnia and Other Adult Sleep Problems (The Facts)
    by Gregory Stores
    Among other facts reviewed, how ADHD symptoms in children may be the result of disturbed sleep cycles.
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0199560838

    The Neurobiological Basis of Violence: Science and Rehabilitation
    by S Hodgins, EViding, and A Plodowski
    Soon to be released review on an important evaluation of the brain correlates of aggression and violent behavior.
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0199543534

    Island of the Colorblind
    by Oliver Sacks MD
    Investigation in human vision and psychology by a master author.
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375700730

    Brain Energetics and Neuronal Activity
    By RG Shulman & D Rothman
    Neurochemical explanation of brain activity.
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470847204

     

    JOURNAL PAPERS 
    MTA at 8 Years: Prospective Follow-up 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19318991

Cardiovascular safety of medication treatments for aDHD.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19306385

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in prison: a treatment protocol.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19297632

Sleep Disorders and their Impacts on Healthy, Dependent, and Frail Older Adults.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19300867

Diagnosing and treating patients with symptoms of depression.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19317955

The epidemiology and recognition of pain and physical symptoms in depression.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19317954

Traumatic brain injury and long-term quality of life
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19317590

Longitudinal trajectories of delta and theta EEG as indicators of adolescent brain maturation.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19307577

Mapping the bilateral visual integration by EEG and fMRI.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19306933

Social power and approach-related neural activity.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19304842

     

     

    Events

    Upcoming Courses

      4-Day Comprehensive Course on Neurotherapy (dates subject to change)
    • Glendale, CA Apr 24-26 (CIC)
    • Boston MA May 14-17
    • Baltimore MD Jun 4-7

    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 EEG Spectrumfor more information 818-789-3456 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 - isnr.orgIndianapolis INSep 3-6

     

    Last Word

    Continuing conversations between a physicist and neuroscientist

    My physicist friend Moni from India swaps questions with me between missives on dark energy and consciousness. In this one I provide my insight into why many of us need therapy and dolphins do not. Moni's questions are numbered, and my replies begin with pluses.

    MONI:(1) How would we compare mind of a dolpin, with say, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking? Hawking, with conscious control of one finger, is able to churn out sentences and papers, through a computer on his wheel chair (as well as control the movement of the chair). Perhaps a 3 feet by 6 feet touchscreen display, could significantly boost a Dolphin's creativity and control, in a similar fashion. The dolphin would touch the icons on the touch screen with its snout, and increase scope of its interaction with the environment. Communication between dolphins and humans, could be taken to a new level alltogether using such a touch screen. I would call such a touchscreen "The dolphin-human interface"

    +++A student of Lou Herman looked at lexigram boards with dolphins in the late 1980s. I haven't heard of anything remarkable. Dolphin consciousness is thought to be more unimodal (acoustic perception of world and acoustic expression of communication) whereas ours is more cross-modal (visual perception and acoustic expression). Our cross-modality gives us a freedom of representation dolphins may lack and with representational freedom came self-representational freedom and altering of the environment, including graphic symbolization. I go into this in my C-exam paper from 1990, http://www.skiltopo.com/kaiser/html/cexam.htm cf section titled: "Semantic functions in cetacean vocalizations?"

    Perhaps solution to the quantum gravity problem lies within the mind of a dolphin.

    +++ Is there a quantum gravity problem? Gravity is not light and may not have a quantum property. In fact the interaction between quanta and continuous phenomena may be why there is consciousness, a non-automatic resolution of the two properties. Were EM and gravity readily relatable, we might not be having any conversation ever. Whatever you consider yourself to be more of (light or gravity), consider me the opposite. (That's how I understand my wife :-)

    (2) The dolphins could be provided with bionic arms. A cyborg dolphin - so to say.

    ++ I think you have an amazing project idea there, if PETA doesn't get in the way. You might suggest this to Adam Pack out in Hawaii. I knew Adam briefly 20 years ago. pack@hawaii.edu This sounds like something NOSC and other military users of dolphins would be interesting it trying; though getting a steady harness and some interface with the dolphin to run the arm (via flipper movement or brainwaves) sounds like a 10-20 year project. But someone could make a career doing it.

    (3) And some genetic tweaking could give dolphins biological arms. Now that would be some mermaid. One is reminded of the movie Narnia. And what wonders they would do underwater? What Taj Mahal they would make?

    ++ Beware of PETA when you try to adjust the course of natural lives of animals.

    (4) Bouancy experienced in the under water environment gives a sense of weightlessness - somewhat akin to what one may experience in space. As you know, astronauts train within water to simulate the space environment. And the space environment gives profound spiritual experiences - as has been reported by some astronauts.

    ++The late John Lilly MD, inventor of the isolation tank in the 1960s, moved to dolphin research because of this insight.

    (5) Dolphin - as I learnt from David - has a brain which sleeps only one hemi-sphere at a time. Now that is an example of right and left brain coordination. Understanding sleep, may be a vital key to understanding consciousness. Advanced meditators, they say are able to do away with sleep altogether. Perhaps dolphins are better seers then humans - and we could learn from them - by developing the "Dolphin-human interface".

    ++ To show how a grad student can influence his mentors, my professor for sleep neuroscience is the last author below, Jerry Siegel, and it was my discussion of Mukhametov's research (some dolphins failed to exhibit clear REM) that got him in contact with this Russian research team.

    Lyamin OI, Manger PR, Ridgway SH, Mukhametov LM, Siegel JM. (2008). Cetacean sleep: an unusual form of mammalian sleep. Neurosci Biobehav Reviews, 32, 1451-84. Unihemispheric slow wave sleep (USWS) is seen in all members of the order Cetacea examined to date. Cetaceans sleep is characterized by USWS, a negligible amount of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep if any, and asymmetrical eye states. Possible selection pressures that produced such unusual sleep are proposed, such as the need to offset heat loss to the water, sentinel functions and breathing.

    (6) What about providing dolphins with neurofeedback !? :-)

    +++ Do they really need it? The ones in captivity -- perhaps. :) Unlike humans, who are 99% in captivity on my guestimation, most dolphins still live in the environment within which they evolved and thus are unlikely to have the mental illnesses of a species removed from its natural environment like us. -David Kaiser, Ph.D.