Posted by Larry Hoover on March 30, 2009, at 8:24:14
In reply to Re: EEG Neurofeedback for inattentive ADD? » Larry Hoover, posted by TriedEveryDrug on March 30, 2009, at 1:09:29
No, nothing like that.
My pain psychologist had EEG equipment better than most hospitals have.
It started with 16-channel EEG (or was it more?) under differing conditions. Digital recordings were sent out to be mapped. For each 1 Hz frequency from 2 to 40, maps gave relative intensity of my own readings in different areas, coherence comparisons of those variations, and normalized scores (Z-scores) based on comparisons of my brain to a database held by the analyst.
I had some substantial distortions in my normalized scores, sometimes over four standard deviations above normal (beta and high beta, especially posterior) and up to three standard deviations below (frontal alpha). This was entirely consistent with the effect of the pain, and my subjective cognitive difficulties.
Thereafter, we would target specific frequencies and regions identified by the maps, so we'd hook up two to four electrodes rather than the whole array. I'd then attempt to regulate the frequencies using various biofeedback techniques. Not only did I have immediate but modest improvements, those improvements persisted between sessions.
There is some art to the process. My best improvements in alpha came from work at inhibiting beta, for example. If you're going to proceed with this, meet with the therapist and ask for evidence of previous successes. There are people who do this who don't know what they're doing.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:887578
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20090204/msgs/887709.html