What's New in Neurofeedback

• Could The Hot Stuff In Chili Peppers Ease Your Tingling Nerve Pain?
• Milestone Discovery In Cell Behaviors
• Link Between Genetic Defect And Brain Changes In Schizophrenia Demonstrated
• New Light On Nature Of Broca's Area
• Promising Therapeutic Target For Central Nervous System Injuries Identified
• Mechanism Of Gene Linked To Autism, Schizophrenia Pinpointed
• Tiny But Adaptable Wasp Brains Show Ability To Alter Their Architecture
• Colombian Guerrillas Help Scientists Locate Literacy In The Brain
• 'Molecular Trigger' For Sudden Death In Epilepsy Found

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

 

The 17th annual conference of the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR) was held in Indianapolis IN, Labor Day weekend with more than 400 people in attendance. We had a number of new faces, a few famous faces (in science), and many of the regulars. As usual, I spent my time talking to people at the bar and lobby and less listening to the lectures, but here are some of the highlights:

Internally generated cell assembly sequences in the service of cognition By György Buzsáki, MD, PhD Buzsaki recently published "Rhythms of the Brain," a well-received volume on brain activity, and his talk focused on how cell assembly sequences underlie cognitive processes.

Self, Other and Object Processing in the Addicted Brain By Rex Cannon, MA, Debora Baldwin, PhD, Joel Lubar, PhD Rex is interested in substance abuse recovery and uses QEEG/LORETA to identify neural correlates of perception of self. The maladaptive self-referential cortical processes need to be address to remediate addiction.

Out of Injury Comes a New Discovery of Neurofeedback for a Baseball All-Star By Sean Casey, Wes Sime, PhD, Leslie Coates, PhD Ex-Boston Red Sox player Sean Casey enthusiastically described his use of biofeedback to improve his baseball hitting and mental performance. He said one winter he did little physical conditioning but started up with the biofeedback and he was in a race for the batting championship that entire season and credits the biofeedback with his ability to hit so well deep into the 162-game season of Major League Baseball.

EEG Coherences Validated by MRI Diffusion Tensor Imaging: An Autistic Case Series By Robert Coben, PhD Rob discussed his impressive work with co-registering axonal pathways with EEG activity, which I missed, unfortunately.

Group ICA of Brain Resting-state Networks: Nearly Identical Findings on Two EEG Databases By Marco Congedo, PhD, Marco explained his approach to EEG analysis using independent component analysis.

Limbic Dysrhythmia By Dirk De Ridder, MD, PhD, De Ridder discussed how many brain disorders included limbic disregulation and may be evaluated and monitored by measuring theta activity.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation By Felipe Fregni, MD, PhD Fregni discussed transcranial direct current stimulation to treat psychiatric disorders.

Referenced EEG -Ready for Medication Implementation: A Review of the Recent Research By Daniel Hoffman, MD Hoffman described a growing industry in QEEG, its use in predicting the effects of specific medications based on a database of past users.

Quantitative EEG in Children with Early Histories of Abuse, Trauma and Neglect By Jack Johnstone, Edward Hamlin, PhD, Jeff Atkinson, Andrea Meckley, MA, Michael Vendetti Children diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder exhibited a significant reduction of delta power over frontal sites.

More Words Than No: Two Cases of Juvenile Autism Treated with the LENS By H. Stephen Larsen, PhD, Nicholas Dogris, PhD Steve showed video of the rescue of two autistic children from solipsism and isolation.

Intensive Neurotherapy Facilitates Recovery from Severe Brain Injury and Seizures By Denise Malkowicz, MD, Diana Martinez, MD, Jorge Leon Morales, MD, M. Barry Sterman, PhD, David Kaiser, PhD Denise described how a 29 year old man who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury after a motor vehicle accident 10 years ago underwent successful treatment with neurofeedback.

EEG Suppression: A Theoretical/Clinical Talk on an Important New Variable in Neurofeedback and Neuroscience By Len Ochs, PhD Len described his new concepts of EEG suppression that differs from anesthic concepts of suppresssion.

Neuroplastic Effects of Endogenously Entrained Brain Rhythms: A TMS-EEG Study By Tomas Ros, MSc, Moniek A.M. Munneke, Diane Ruge, John H. Gruzelier, and John C. Rothwell Ros provides evidence of neuroplastic change following discrete training sessions.

Effects of Neurofeedback-based Behavioral Therapy on ERP Measures of Executive Functions in Drug Abuse By Estate Sokhadze, PhD, Christopher Stewart, MD, Guela Sokhadze, Margaret Husk MD, Allan Tasman, MD Tato explained his assessment and training approach to executive dysfunction in addicted individuals.

Autism and EEG Phase Reset: A Unified Theory of Deficient GABA Mediated Inhibition in Thalamo-Cortical Connections By Robert Thatcher, PhD, Duane North, MS, Carl Biver, PhD, James Neubrander, MD, Stuart Cutler, PhD, Philip DeFina, PhD Bob explains how cortical recruitmnt may be measured in EEG (i.e., using phase reset) and how cortical recruitment was limited in autistic spectrum individuals.

QEEG-Guided Neurofeedback for Remediation of Migraine Headaches By Jonathan Walker, MD, Jon described his treatment for migraines using neurotherapy.

Dr. Joe Kamiya on Neurofeedback, Biofeedback and First Person Science by Joe Kamiya, PhD, Thomas Collura, PhD Joe and Tom talk about studying physiology to study subjectivity.

QEEG Guided Amplitude and Coherence Neurofeedback for Autistic Spectrum Disorders by Michael Linden, Ph.D., Robert Coben, PhD, Jonathan Walker, MD Mike and other experts reviewed EEG profiles of Autism and Aspergers disorders.

Neurofeedback: The Past, Present and Future by Nancy White, PhD, Joe Kamiya, PhD, Juri Kropotov, PhD Three experts discussed their experiences.

We ended the conference at Jullian's, two dozen of us listening to music and sitting outside in the cool air, last night of the conference. I'll see most of them in San Diego this March, and then again and again after that.

Reviews NEW &/OR USEFUL BOOKS - Focus on Dawkins and Dennett

The Selfish Gene
Richard Dawkins
Classic text from revolutionary biologist and now renown atheist.

The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design
Richard Dawkins
Continuation of the selfish-gene hypothesis.

Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life
Daniel Clement Dennett
Dennett's theory of the evolution of consciousness is explained.

Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion, and the Appetite for Wonder
Richard Dawkins
Dawkins attempts to explain why poets and artists often disparage science in their work.

Consciousness Explained
Daniel Clement Dennett
Classic text by philosopher of the mind Dennett.

The Extended Phenotype: The Long Reach of the Gene
Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett (Afterword)
Dawkins examines evolution of life and natural selection.

QEEG reveals different physiological profiles between multiple sclerosis types
Changes in the high EEG frequencies (beta-2 and gamma) in MS patients reflect important aspects of this syndrome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19025654

Comparison of quantitative EEGs between Parkinson disease and age-adjusted normal controls.
Parkinson disease patients exhibit diffuse slowing compared to controls.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18997624

Integration of cortical areas during performance of a catching ball task.
Integration of left frontal, central and parietal activity reflects expectation, planning and motor preparation in catching a ball.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18822348

SCP neurofeedback in ADHD
SCP neurofeedback improves selected attentional functions.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18762860

Neuroscience of alcoholism: molecular and cellular mechanisms.
Reviews functional, genetic, and neurochemical research associated with alcoholism.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19756388

The perceptual defensiveness work is included among these papers. The DMT (Defense Mechanism test) quantifies how to what extent an individual may subconsciously block the perception of negative information. The test consists of multiple illustrations of violent events or implied violence, which are presented quickly, in steps of 50 ms increments. The same slide is shown over and over, with longer exposures. Most will not recognize a picture of a woman holding an axe above a crib when it is flash in front of them for 50 or 100 ms, but they will be able to make out the gist of the picture which it is on the screen for 250 ms, 500 ms. But individuals who defend against negative information will take more time, longer exposure, until the negativity is consciously perceived. Those who were slow to perceive threat, who blocked out signs of danger, turned out to be dangerous pilots to fly with, especially in experimental aircraft, where recognition and action at the onset of something going wrong is critical.

I found about 200 aviation and EEG papers, on a range of topics. Here is our lab's work:

Sterman, M.B., Kaiser, D., Mann, C. and Francis, J. (1992). Topographic EEG correlates of the basic attributes test for air force candidate selection. Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 1-824, 62-65.

Sterman, M.B., Mann, C.A. and Kaiser, D.A. (1992). Quantitative EEG patterns of differential in-flight workload. In: Space Operations and Research (SOAR), NASA Johnson Space Center, II: 466-473.

Sterman, M.B., Mann, C.A., Kaiser, D.A. and Suyenobu, B.Y. (1994). Multiband topographic EEG analysis of a simulated visuomotor aviation task. Int. J. Psychophysiol., 16, 49-56.

Poe, G.R., Suyenobu, B.Y., Bolstad, C.A., Endsley, M.R., and Sterman, M.B. (1991). EEG correlates of critical decision making in computer simulated combat. Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on Aviation Psychology, 2, 758-763.

Sterman, M.B., Mann, C.A., Suyenobu, B.Y., Beyma, D.C. and Francis, J.R. (1993). Application of quantitative EEG analysis to workload assessment in an advanced flight/mission aircraft simulator. Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 1-64, 118-121.

Sterman, M.B., Olff, M. and Ursin, H. (1992). Electroencephalo-graphic correlates of psychological defense. Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 1-824, 76-80.

Sterman, M.B. and Olff, M. (1991). Topographic EEG correlates of perceptual defensiveness. Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on Aviation Psychology, 2:764-769.

Sterman, M.B. and Mann, C.A. (1995). Concepts and applications of EEG analysis in aviation performance evaluation. Biol. Psych., 40, 115-130.

Sterman, M.B. (1995). Application of quantitative EEG to aircraft assessment, management, and control. Proceedings, American Control Conference, 2, 1378-1381.