Your Brain and Neurofeedback: A Beginner's Manual

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Kerry Hamilton
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1 Yur Brain and Neurfeedback: A Beginner's Manual Dr. Dana McDugall Chartered Psychlgist Missin Bridge Psychlgical Assciates Calgary, Alberta Intrductin t Bifeedback and Neurfeedback Bifeedback as a field has been grwing since the late 1960s. This frm f training and treatment uses mnitring instruments attached t the bdy t "feed back" t peple infrmatin n the functining f their bdies. In this way, peple view infrmatin f which they are nt nrmally aware, such as hand temperature, bld pressure, number and depth f breaths being taken, level f muscle tensin in any target muscle, r the electrical activity f their brains. It has been established that, nce peple have mre detailed access t infrmatin n what their bdies are ding, they are able t either cnsciusly r subcnsciusly alter r cntrl thse functins. In this way, peple with tensin headaches can learn t relax tense muscles, peple with urinary incntinence can learn t cntrl their bladders, peple with Raynaud s disease (circulatin difficulties in the extremities) can learn t warm themselves by increasing bld flw, and peple with high bld pressure can learn t cntrl that symptm. Of particular interest t psychlgists is the electrical functining f the brain. The frm f bifeedback that enables peple t alter brain electrical activity is called "neurfeedback" (r EEG bifeedback). The reasn that neurfeedback is f special cncern t psychlgists is that the brain is a central cntributr t the emtins, physical symptms, thughts, and behaviurs that define many prblems fr which peple seek psychlgical cnsultatin. Prblems being addressed thrugh neurfeedback include anxiety, depressin, attentin deficit and hyperactivity disrder, memry difficulties and general cgnitive functining, learning disabilities, head injury, bsessive-cmpulsive disrder, chrnic pain, epilepsy, immune system disturbances, panic attacks, sleep disturbances, and mre. Scientists have identified specific patterns f brainwaves that cntribute t a lack f wellness, and that tend t be related t disrders such as sme f thse listed here. The Mind-Bdy Cnnectin Bifeedback, including neurfeedback, is based n the increasingly accepted idea f the intercnnectedness f mind and bdy. Recgnitin f the mind-bdy cnnectin is becming a standard in the practice f a healthy lifestyle, and many health prfessinals assert that the health f mind is intimately cnnected with the health f bdy. Is yur brain "mind" r "bdy"? The answer that makes the mst sense is, "It is bth." mcdugall.htm 1.

2 During the past 30 years, there has been a pwerful scientific mvement t explre the mind s capacity t affect the bdy and t rediscver ways in which the mind affects and is affected by the bdy and all f its functins. Investigatin f the mind-bdy cnnectin has been encuraged by the rise in chrnic illnesses that appear t be related t envirnmental and emtinal stress: heart disease, cancer, depressin, arthritis, and asthma included. Als being examined are specific links between mental prcesses and the functining f immune and nervus system functining. Munting evidence f the mind-bdy cnnectin includes the fllwing findings and facts: Researchers in the area f bsessive-cmpulsive disrder have fund that the changes that ccur during "talk therapy" are visible in "befre" and "after" PET scans. PET scans measure the metablic activity in varius parts f the brain. Thus, talk therapy has been fund t alter brain functining. Researchers in the area f fitness fund that a grup f "cuch ptates" wh simply clsed their eyes and visualized ding physical exercise actually increased their muscle mass by 16%. If a persn imagines mving a particular bdy part, the part f the crtex assciated with that bdy part will shw sme indicatin that the bdy part actually IS mving. Strng negative emtins, which can be triggered during abuse situatins, trigger the release f txic neurchemicals such as crtisl, which dramatically influence the develping brain in a way that makes peple mre vulnerable t anxiety and depressin thrughut the lifespan. One study fund that medical students wh experienced high levels f stress during exam week prduced lesser levels f a particular messenger mlecule, which resulted in cmprmised immune system functining. Thus, emtinal stress (mind) translated int physical effect (bdy) and many f them gt sick. This same messenger mlecule has been shwn t be related t the immune system s ability t fight sme types f cancer (interleukin-2). Antidepressant drugs change the availability f neurchemicals in the brain, such that changes in thught, md, and behaviur result. These are just a few f the phenmena that make it increasingly difficult t talk abut the mind and the bdy as separate entities. Mind changes are bdy changes, and bdy changes are mind changes. Neurfeedback is a therapy f training the mind and bdy t functin in a mre ptimal way in rder t ease negative emtinal, cgnitive, physical, and behaviural experiences. It is seen by many peple as a viable alternative t medicatin, instead encuraging and nurturing the bdy s wn ability t rerganize, change, and heal itself in a natural way. mcdugall.htm 2.

3 In the remainder f this paper, yu will learn abut: The Birth f Neurfeedback as a Discipline Quantitative Electrencephalgraphy (qeeg) The Variables f Brain Functining The Experience f Neurfeedback Whether Neurfeedback May Be Right fr Yu. The Birth f Neurfeedback as a Discipline In the early 1960s at the University f Chicag, psychlgist Je Kamiya made the discvery that sme f his research subjects culd learn t alter the pwer and speed f their brainwaves if they were prvided with infrmatin n the activity f their brains. Barry Sterman als did research invlving neurfeedback in the 1960s. He fund that cats culd learn t alter their brainwaves if they were given rewards fr prducing the "gal" brainwave. With repeated expsure t neurfeedback training, the cats became adept at ding s. Sterman s subsequent research prject studied the effects f rcket fuel txicity. Sterman injected cats with the rcket fuel, and fund a clse relatinship between the cats seizure activity and the amunt f expsure t rcket fuel. The mre rcket fuel, the mre seizures. It is always scientifically pleasing t find a straightfrward relatinship, and Sterman began t make sme cnclusins frm his results. Hwever, he began t get results that did nt fit the relatinship he had been establishing. Sme f these cats seemed t remain seizure free, even at dsages that had made ther cats erupt int seizures. Upn further examinatin, Sterman fund that it was his neurfeedback cats (that had been transferred t the rcket fuel study) that were thrwing ff his results. This finding was impressive: the cats wh had received neurfeedback had a higher seizure threshld than did ther cats. There was a clear clinical applicatin that had nt been apparent befre. Research n neurfeedback fr epilepsy began. While these were astunding discveries, this technique sn fell int disrepute fr a number f reasns: sme parties made claims fr neurfeedback that were nt yet supprted by science; ther invlved parties frmed a clse link with "flakier" mvements that cmprmised the scientific integrity f the discipline; and still thers thught that this technique was t clse t "mind cntrl." The result was that neurfeedback was kept nly barely alive by a few diehard pineers until its revival in the 1980s. The field f neurfeedback has grwn very rapidly in the last 20 years, and especially in the last 10 years. The number f practitiners wrldwide is appraching 2000, with the bulk f thse practitiners residing in the U.S.A. There is a small scattering f practitiners acrss Canada. The field is beginning t recver frm the lw esteem in which it was frmerly held nw, the science is catching up with the claims that have been made fr its efficacy. Even while new infrmatin is being cllected and published, many health prfessinals such as psychlgists, psychiatrists, and family physicians are unaware f current develpments in the field. mcdugall.htm 3.

4 Quantitative Electrencephalgraphy (qeeg) he electrencephalgraph (EEG) has been studied and applied since the early 20 th century as a way f lking at the electrical functining f the brain. Billins f neurns in the crtex, which are als influenced by structures that are deeper beneath the crtex, prduce electrical activity that is readable by attaching sensrs t the scalp. Because f the skull, the impulses are very faint at the level f the scalp. The electrencephalgraph amplifies thse faint impulses s they may be viewed by the human eye. As digital cmputer technlgy develped in the 1960s and 1970s, scientists were able t mre precisely examine a persn s electrical brain functining in ways that were nt pssible thrugh a simple visual inspectin f raw brain wave tracings. The cmputer can calculate and make visible many features f the EEG that the human eye can nt. This frm f cmputer analyzed brainwaves is called quantitative EEG, r qeeg. Recrding f the qeeg invlves placing an elastic cap n the head, with 19 sensrs held in place n the scalp. In additin, a clip n each earlbe prvides a reference pint fr the brain activity. Because there is very little electrical activity in the earlbes, they are much mre electrically "dead" than scalp sites. Once the cap has been placed, each f the 19 sensrs is checked t ensure that it has a gd cnnectin with the scalp. The electrical activity at each f the 19 scalp sites is then recrded and calculated by cmparing it t the mre electrically neutral earlbe. Data n the electrical functining f the brain is recrded simultaneusly at each f the 19 sites. One set f data is recrded with eyes pen, and a secnd set is recrded with eyes clsed. During recrding f the brainwave data, it is very imprtant t remain as still as pssible s as nt t cntaminate it with a lt f electrical "nise." Prir t the quantitative analysis f the brainwave recrdings, the data is "artifacted." An artifact is defined as any activity that can be seen in the EEG recrding that is nt actually brain activity. Fr example, muscles als perate electrically. This means that any muscle tensin n the scalp, the frehead, r anywhere near the sensrs will be picked up by the sensr. This "artifact" is electrical nise that must be cleaned ut f the brainwave recrding in rder t ensure that the results reflect brain activity and nt sme ther irrelevant infrmatin. Once the brainwave recrding is cleaned up, it is put thrugh a number f analyses by the cmputer, and the result is a cllectin f measurements. A number f variables f brain functining are calculated and cmpared t a database cmprised f a cllectin f measurements taken frm peple wh are free f difficulties, injury, and disease. Scientists have created such databases t enable the cmparisn f ne individual s brain functining t a grup f thers f the same age and gender. In this way, an individual s brain may be evaluated in terms f hw much its functining departs frm "nrmal" r "ptimal." These variables f functining and the degree t which they are higher r lwer than ptimal are f interest in assessing the strengths and weaknesses f an individual s brain functining. An utline f sme key variables fllws. mcdugall.htm 4.

5 The Variables f Brain Functining Quantitative analysis f brainwaves prduces measurements f frequency, amplitude, symmetry, cherence, and thers (these measures are described belw). The reprt f the analysis prvides a value fr each f these variables fr each f the 19 sites at which the brainwaves have been measured. Each value represents hw much the activity at a given site differs frm usual. Values that are psitive (i.e. +2.4) represent activity that is higher than usual, and values that are negative (i.e. 2.4) represent activity that is lwer than usual. Because each value represents hw different a site is frm usual, the number "0" represents a clse match with the brains t which an individual s brain has been cmpared. Frequency Frequency refers t the rate at which a brainwave repeats its cycle within ne secnd. The number f cycles per secnd is called "hertz" (Hz). The mre times a brainwave repeats its cycle per secnd, the FASTER it is said t be. Sme practitiners divide the frequency f brainwaves int categries: 0-4 Hz Delta 4-8 Hz Theta 8-12 Hz Alpha 12 Hz and abve Beta Delta waves ccur primarily during sleep, hwever, they are als present t varius degrees thrughut nrmal brains when awake. Theta waves are als slw waves, and are ften assciated with twilight states such as that between sleep and wakefulness. Theta is much mre cmplicated than this simple explanatin, as it has als been shwn t be imprtant in memry cnslidatin. Alpha is thught f as an idling rhythm, smetimes assciated with relaxatin r meditatin. Alpha is als assciated with multi-tasking. Fr example, a persn is multi-tasking when he is fcused n many things at nce such as irning a shirt, listening t the weather reprt, and wndering what is fr breakfast. Alpha is prduced by large grups f neurns that are nt engaged in any particular task, but rather, are standing at the ready t serve a functin shuld they be called upn. Alpha may be likened t "the ready psitin" in vlleyball, r a car sitting in neutral. Beta is the fastest and mst active frm f brainwave, and is assciated with fcus and cncentratin. When excessively present, Beta can cntribute t anxiety. Cnsider hw much fcus and cncentratin ne may have while driving dwn a busy freeway in a snwstrm: this is fcus that is exaggerated t the pint f pssible anxiety. mcdugall.htm 5.

6 Frequency is ne f the parameters f brain functining that has t d with the speed f the brainwave r hw many times it repeats itself per secnd. All sites f the brain shw all frequencies f activity, hwever, the amunt f a particular frequency that is desirable depends n where it is lcated in the brain. In general, cncentratins f alpha are fund at the back f the head, and faster waves are mre prminent at the frnt f the head. Thus, n brain wave is gd r bad. It is simply mre r less adaptive, depending upn where it is cncentrated in the brain. Amplitude The amplitude f the EEG is defined as the vltage in micrvlts. Anther way t think f amplitude is in terms f pwer r hw much energy is being put int a particular brainwave. Put simply, the amplitude can be thught f as the "vlume" f the brainwave. A high amplitude theta signal at a particular site means that a lt f energy r pwer is being put int theta at that site. Symmetry Symmetry is the degree t which the activity at a particular site n ne side f the brain is similar t the crrespnding site n the ther side. In this way, a persn can serve as his r her wn reference. Fr the mst part, the activity at ne site shuld lk similar t the activity at the crrespnding site n the ppsite side f the head. Recrding data simultaneusly frm each f the 19 sites enables the symmetry between left and right t be calculated. Cherence Cherence is a measure f hw clsely each site cmmunicates with each ther site. There is an ideal amunt f cmmunicatin that shuld take place amng sites. With t much cmmunicatin, the brain is devting t much energy t ding the same thing this is nt a gd use f resurces. With t little cmmunicatin between sites, the brain als is nt using its resurces mst ptimally. Cmmunicatin in the brain may be thught f in the cntext f the crew n a sailing vessel. If the captain issues an rder fr sme f the crew t slve a prblem n ne side f the ship, it wuld nt be wise fr the entire crew t rush ver and leave the rest f the ship unattended. Further, if nne f the crew cmmunicated with each ther, the running f the ship wuld quickly becme disrganized. Recrding data simultaneusly frm each f the 19 sites enables calculatin f the cherence (r level f cmmunicatin between each pair f sites). mcdugall.htm 6.

7 The Experience f Neurfeedback Once the specifics f an individual s brain functining have been assessed, psychlgists lk fr cnnectins between trubling symptms and the strengths and weaknesses that have been identified by the qeeg. While the qeeg ften reveals generalized prblems in brain functining that will influence many aspects f the individual s experience, peple mst ften seek assistance frm psychlgists fr a particular difficulty the qeeg variable that mst clsely matches the cmplaint f the individual will be addressed first. It is n the basis f this "strengths and weaknesses" prfile that the psychlgist will write a cmputer prgram t assist the individual in the learning prcess that will lead t the enhancement f strengths, r, mre ften, the ameliratin f weaknesses. Fr example, if qeeg assessment shws that an individual has t much slw activity (theta) and nt enugh fast activity (beta) at the frnt f the brain, and that persn s cmplaint is f attentinal difficulties (which matches the cmplaint f frntal slwing), training will cnsist f inhibiting the slw (theta) activity and enhancing faster activity (beta). The individual receiving neurfeedback training wears a clip n each ear, ne sensr n the frehead, and ne sensr n the site that has been targetted fr training (i.e. the site(s) that the qeeg indicated was different frm usual). The sensr that is designated as the "target" site is referred t as the "active sensr." The brainwave activity recrded by the active sensr is displayed n the cmputer mnitr, perhaps as a clured bar. In the example abve, where the gal is t enhance faster activity (beta), the clured bar represents beta and fluctuates up and dwn with the individual s beta waves. Als visible n the screen is a "high jump bar" r threshld, set at an apprpriate level such that the beta activity is able t "jump ver it" (exceed the threshld) at least 60% f the time. Each time the beta "jumps" ver the "high jump" (i.e. each time the beta recrding reaches r exceeds the gal threshld that was set fr it), the cmputer emits a pleasant tne. With repeated expsure t this frm f feedback, that is bth visual and auditry, the brain begins t recgnize a relatinship between its wn activity and what it is bserving n the cmputer mnitr. In ther wrds, the brain begins t recgnize itself. This is when learning begins t take place. Once the brain "catches n" t what it needs t d in rder t make the high jump successfully and t hear the pleasant tne, it begins t d s mre cnsistently. This sunds rather unbelievable, hwever, it has been established that this prcess ccurs. Frtunately, the changes are quantifiable and bservable thrugh measurements taken during neurfeedback sessins, as well as thrugh fllw up qeeg assessments. Learning may be lked at in three ways: subcnscius learning, the frming f a cnscius assciatin between feelings and brain states, and the develpment f flexibility in neural pathways. mcdugall.htm 7.

8 Subcnscius learning ccurs in a prcess whereby the brain, at a level belw awareness, begins t recgnize itself n the cmputer mnitr and t make the changes required t keep the bar abve the high jump. As this is ccurring, the individual may feel quite discnnected frm the prcess. Peple feel as thugh they are simply watching the display and listening t the tnes, withut experiencing it as a persnal prcess being driven by their wn neural activity. This learning is n a subcnscius level. Remember, cats and ther animals can learn t alter their brain functining when apprpriate rewards are utilized they certainly are nt cnsciusly cnsidering what they need t d in rder t receive the reward. This learning prcess ccurs ver time and utside the level f cnscius awareness. The secnd way that learning ccurs is thrugh the cnscius assciatin between indicatins that the target is being met (i.e. the visual and auditry cues) and hw the individual feels. Often, a descriptin f hw it feels t meet the target defies wrds. Fr example, many peple are unable t express in wrds what "mre alpha" feels like althugh they can tell when it is ccurring. This prcess f learning is cnscius, and invlves the develpment f an awareness f sensatins in ne s bdy that was nt present befre. In this way, individuals are able t vluntarily d what is necessary in rder t prduce that sensatin at will. There is the sense that, "this is what it is suppsed t feel like when I prduce mre alpha." Finally, change thrugh neurfeedback ccurs as a result f exercising underdevelped neural pathways. The mre the brain practices mving int a mre ptimal state, the mre flexible it will be in respnding t demands. Neurfeedback is seldm used in islatin frm ther techniques. It is usual fr a sessin with yur psychlgist t include neurfeedback as well as ther techniques such as EMDR and/r cgnitive-behaviural exercises t supprt the changes yu wuld like t make in yur life. Is Neurfeedback Right fr Yu? Engaging in neurfeedback requires a strng cmmitment, as peple may nt experience the beneficial effects fr ten r mre sessins. Sme cnditins will require frty r mre sessins. It is usually nt helpful fr peple t engage in a highly limited number f sessins, as change des nt ccur quickly. It requires a time cmmitment as well as a financial cmmitment, and yu must be prepared fr bth. Preliminary indicatins have shwn that the changes appear t be permanent, with bster sessins smetimes being necessary if sme type f life experience r use f a substance cmprmises gains that have been made. Neurfeedback is very helpful fr many peple, depending upn the particular prblem that they want t address. Thse wh are interested shuld be aware that it is a frm f training that is cnsidered experimental by many peple. Yu shuld read the attached cnsent frm carefully fr mre infrmatin. mcdugall.htm 8.

9 Neurfeedback is a healthy alternative t ther frms f treatment that are mre invasive, such as the use f medicatins that may have trubling side effects. Neurfeedback, used by qualified practitiners, is largely free f side effects. Pssible side effects that may ccur are managed as they cme up, by making slight changes t the way in which treatment is delivered. Fr example, a prtcl t increase faster activity, if delivered late in the day, may make fr sme difficulty in sleeping that night. With slight mdificatins, side effects are easily managed. Anther pssibly uncmfrtable effect f neurfeedback is emtinal: when changing the activity f the brain, it is pssible that a persn may ntice an emtinal change such as the surfacing f difficult emtins that yu may have experienced in the past. While this is smetimes initially trubling fr peple, it als frms an integral part f the treatment as peple learn t better manage their emtins and t prcess past experiences that may have been difficult. As yu think abut whether r nt t engage in this prcess, yu shuld: Cnsider the time invlved Cnsider the cst invlved Cnsider yur cmmitment t this prcess Ask lts f questins f yur psychlgist D yur wn research t make an educated decisin abut whether r nt this prcess is right fr yu Review the attached cnsent frm clsely with yur psychlgist Cnsider whether neurfeedback might be a useful additin t ther frms f treatment such as psychtherapy, physical therapy, medicatin, etc. r whether ne f these ther frms f treatment might be apprpriate fr yu. This dcument was intended t prvide preliminary infrmatin regarding the prcess f neurfeedback, hwever, a great deal f infrmatin is available t yu upn request. Yur psychlgist can prvide yu with cpies f scientific papers that describe hw neurfeedback is used t treat yur prblem. Further, yu may begin t d yur wn research n the internet. The fllwing websites cntain infrmatin that may be f interest t yu. The cntent is nt regularly mnitred by yur psychlgist, s use yur wn discretin in evaluating each site as yu cllect infrmatin. mcdugall.htm 9.

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