Pioneers in the field of brain science and the treatment of trauma are continually researching new ways to help treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) . . .
. . . and it looks like they’ve found something that works with the plasticity of the brain to help people gain control over a restless mind.
R.C. Kluetsch, MSc and a team of researchers wanted to find out if neurofeedback training can change the plasticity of brain networks linked to PTSD.
The research team investigated whether a single session of electroencephalographic (EEG) neurofeedback training would affect the state of anxiety and arousal in a group of 21 people with PTSD related to childhood abuse.
This neurofeedback session was aimed at teaching subjects how to reduce specific brain waves associated with anxiety and arousal. Each person was observed under a resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) scan before and after they underwent 30 minutes of EEG neurofeedback.
Researchers were looking for any differences in connectivity within areas of the brain.
They found significant correlations between the EEG and fMRI network activities, as well as subjects reporting a greater sense of calm. Together, these results indicate that neurofeedback played a direct role in the way the brain processed emotions for these people.
Now the researchers only looked at a small sample of folks who had PTSD. It would be good to see this intervention done again with a larger sample. It would also be good if the next study included a control group of participants receiving some other intervention.
But this study certainly helps to shed some light on the mechanisms behind neurofeedback, and it could lead to more interventions targeted at helping folks with PTSD learn how to better regulate their symptoms, even outside the clinician’s office.
Neurofeedback is just one technique to help patients with PTSD. There are plently more techniques you can learn about, just click right here.
And if you’d like to know more about the study above, it was published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica in August 2014 (Volume 130, Issue 2).
Have you worked with neurofeedback in your clinical practice? Please share your experience in the comments below.
I work with the method from Sus ans Siegried Othmer since around 8-9 years. It is absolutely an astonishing method and help in working with traumarecovery.
Yes, I practiced it in the 90s. We saw good results, esp. with ADHD. Hard to say how long-lasting the effects are – it’s important to teach mindfulness skills in conjunction. It’s like the neurofeedback rewards you when you’re completely mentally present, so it’s easier to figure out how to get to that state.
It’s interesting that there’s a connection between establishing a sense of calmness in people suffering from PSTD after undergoing neurofeedback brain processing. I could just imagine how looking at how your brainwaves function in real-time from a screen could be so mesmerizing and meditative. I’d suggest Aunt Rose try this therapy to calm her nerves after she got so jittery having survived a hurricane.
Appreciate it for this grand post, I am glad I observed this site on yahoo.
Remarkable! Its really awesome piece of writing, I have got much clear idea about from this piece of writing.
I’ve been using neurofeedback in my psychotherapy practice since 2011. It’s a powerful intervention and I’ve seen it change people’s lives over and over. A person who was constantly triggered and hiding at home in bed, now making a living as a public speaker. A person “waking up” after 30 years of depression. A sufferer of severe migraines going from several per month to none. Panic attacks and phobias disappear.
It’s a very steep learning curve to take this on and practice ethically in my opinion. There are several systems for clinical use on the market, as well as organizations that provide some training and they all have their plusses and drawbacks. Two professional (i.e. not tied to any one manufacturer/distributor or educational body) organizations to be aware of are bcia.org and isnr.org.
Sebern Fisher’s book is an excellent resource but specific to working with developmental trauma only. There are lots of other books out there. I have a brief introductory article about neurofeedback on my website and I offer consultation and mentoring to psychotherapists getting started with neurofeedback.
Please check out the Brainwave Optimization® study results with returning war veterans at BrainStateTech.com. There is a list of providers around the world on the website, as well as how to become a provider. Brainwave Optimization® is for anyone wanting to improve their overall wellness by achieving greater brain balance. Improving brain function has been shown to help with injuries, stress, pain, sleeplessness, major afflictions, addictive dependencies, compulsive disorders, and challenges to learning. There are medical research studies of Brainwave Optimization and HIRREM® ongoing at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. A summary of the research can be found at neuralnotesllc.com/research.html if not found readily on the Brain State Technologies website.
I have also used the Neuroptimal neuorfeedback system which provides direct feedback to the client’s brain and nervous system and found excellent results with trauma related issues and particularly TBI.
EEG Neurofeedback has been far surpassed by the state-of-the-art Neuroptimal neurofeedback (www.neuroptimal.com). It works simply training the brain to respond to its own feedback increasing resiliancy and flexibility. It eliminates the “expertise” most neurofeedback requires.
My clients use it with or without therapy and many PTSD clients use it in their own home.
I work with brainentrainment, special individual programmes, geared to the needs of the individual. I do see the benefits of “showing” or letting the brain experience how to “fire” the left and right hemispheres in synchronization. I do believe that brainentrainment is the next step to ensure permanent healthy changes in the brain and in the thinking patterns of the individual.
I would be interested in where, how to be trained in neurofeedback. Aslo, how and from whom to obtain the equipment would be useful.
Thanks,
david
I was very impressed by Dr Fisher’s presentation at the Trauma Conference but have been unable to find out where to be trained in this use of neurofeedback. Can anyone recommend some reputable sources, ideally in the Boston area? Thanks!
Many of may MSW students are now working in a agency that is full tilt at training and working with CBT for “trauma” with families…not sure at this point what is meant by trauma specifically. It claims and list many studies as the EBP to use. There is a frenzy of training and “treatment.” Any ideas about its use and any concerns or evidence for a more effective way to treat “trauma” in families and children??????
I have been using neurofeedback (eeg biofeedback) for several years in my practice to lower levels of arousal in anxious clients. I use it parallel to other psychotherapeutic approaches. I am very interested in studies that illuminate its use.
Thank You.
Penny….can you provide more details of your use of eeg biofeedback and where you obtained the equipment and training you use?…Thank you