ADHD
The diagnosis “ADHD” describes a range of issues, but ADHD is not a mental illness, it is simply a description of difficulties. Most importantly, ADHD has no single neurological cause, and therefore there is no single, effective treatment. As neuroimaging becomes increasingly refined, it reveals the complexity of human attention and cortical self-regulation. It shows that the difficulties commonly described as “ADHD” can be caused by an almost infinite number of issues, very few of which are improved by ADHD medications. It is only with functional brain imaging (qEEG) that we’re able to identify the specific brain regions (or networks) that are disregulated, and target them precisely with neurofeedback to normalize their function. When this is done correctly, an ADHD diagnosis is simply a starting point for treatment and resolution, rather than a statement of limitation.
Anxiety
Anxiety is readily seen with qEEG, which shows the “racing” brain’s hyperarousal, with abnormal amplitudes of faster, beta brain waves in the high beta EEG bands. The ability to differentiate the over aroused from the under aroused brain is incredibly important with children, as both issues affect self-regulation and the ability to quietly focus – but must be treated quite differently to avoid making symptoms worse. Neurofeedback is highly effective at calming the racing brain that characterizes anxiety in both children and adults, whether the cause in situational or inherited, allowing people to function at their best.
Autism and Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback does not offer a cure for Autism, but when the severity of the symptoms of Autism are reduced (such as anxiety, or sensory issues), relatively small improvements can be life-changing. A child with Autism shows significant excess theta in the left temporal lobes (associated with receptive speech), and the right parietal lobe (associated with social functioning), combined with excess high beta in regions associated with emotional hyperarousal. All these problems can be aided with regular neurofeedback sessions.
Depression
According to the Center for Disease Control, one in ten U.S. adults take antidepressants at any one time. For women in their 40’s and 50’s that number is one in four. The prescription of antidepressants in the U.S. has increased 400% since 1988. Sadly, antidepressants are effective for only around 30% of those who take them. While qEEG shows great promise in predicting antidepressant medication response, and ending the need for lengthy “medication trials”, neurofeedback has been repeatedly found effective in activating brain areas responsible for depression, and helping people re-engage with life. Our use of EEG to map brain function makes the depressed brain visible. We can see the brain areas that have become less active, reflecting the disengagement of the patient. More importantly, we can target these areas with neurofeedback to reactivate them, allowing the brain to normalize itself.
Migraines
According to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics (part of the Centers for Disease Control), 14.2% of U.S. adults experience a severe headache or migraine in the previous 3 months. For women between the ages of 18 and 44, the 3 month prevalence of migraine is 23.5%. making it one of the greatest health problems experienced in the U.S. Migraines can have many causes, ranging from vision issues, hormonal imbalances, head injury and muscle tension, to simply changes in barometric pressure. However many people who experiencing migraine have a pattern of distinctively hyper-aroused brain activity, seen in EEG by excess amplitudes of EEG in the high beta frequency band. Neurofeedback is used to reduce this cortical hyper-arousal, and calm the brain, is highly effective in alleviating migraines. Brain Core Neurofeedback has an established record of calming the irritated brain, and bringing relief to migraine sufferers.
PTSD and generalized stress
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a severe disturbance of normal function resulting from exposure to highly stressful events or circumstances. A primitive part of the brain, that responds to perceived threats becomes stuck in a state of permanent readiness, or “fight or flight”. Symptoms can include severe emotional reactivity, fear and avoidance, and a disturbance of memory, and behavioral issues. The PTSD diagnosis has historically been attributed to returning veterans. Today, the diagnosis has been expanded to include any significant trauma (physical or emotional) that causes a change in mental or emotional function and stability. Returning veterans, first responders, accident victims, and domestic violence victims are just a few examples of individuals who can fall into this category.
Complex Trauma (C-PTSD)
Repeated, long-term exposure to traumatic events can cause significant physiological dys-regulation. Chronic fear, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, mood, and behavioral issues are just some of the symptoms these individuals may experience, often throughout their lifetimes. Individuals who have experienced early life abuse, neglect, street violence, bullying or a host of other chronic stressors may fall into this category. Brain Core Neurofeedback has significant expertise working with the full range of trauma disorders through the use of Neuro-imaging, Neurofeedback, EMDR, and Psychotherapy. Our multidisciplinary team has decades of combined experience in the research and treatment of trauma, allowing us to offer unprecedented and quantifiable results. The example below shows swLORETA imaging of a 16-year victim of cyberbullying. The trauma she experienced was so great that, when re-triggered, she dissociated, losing her sense of reality and forgetting who and where she was. The initial image shows significant issues, especially in the left hippocampus, responsible for episodic memory. The second image shows her brain after one month of intensive treatment with Brain Core Neurofeedback. As the dramatic improvement in the images below suggest, she is now functioning dramatically better.
Sleep disorders
Healthy sleep is foundational for all aspects of our well-being and mental health. It is the essential process by which our brain re-organizes itself, and prepares for the demands of new experience. But for at least 40 million Americans who suffer from chronic sleep disorders, the impact of impaired sleep on their daily function is immeasurable. Neurofeedback seeks to improve how the brain regulates itself, and has been proven effective in treating sleep disorders for decades – even for people who’ve been struggling with sleep issues for years. Sleep problems often reflect a brain that is “stuck” – a brain that has lost the ability to regulate itself, and is often chronically hyper-aroused. Neurofeedback trains the brain to return to a normal equilibrium, resulting in deeper and more refreshing sleep and improved daytime function.