[Info] Neurofeedback at home

[Nakamova]

I read a recent review of a home EEG set made by NeuroSky. For $100 you get a high-quality EEG headset plus ten bundled Applications, including ones designed to enhance meditation and cognition. And it works Mac and PC.

It's nowhere near as precise and targeted as Neurofeedback with a trained practitioner. But it does suggest a potential direction for Neurofeedback in the future. They encourage developers to create new apps -- perhaps there would be a way to customize a software once a Neurofeedback practitioner made an initial evaluation. It's way cheaper than than the $3000 – $4000 that non-insured neurofeedback costs now.

I'm tempted to try this if I find a spare $100.

Here's the link: http://www.neurosky.com/People/WhatWeDo.aspx

 

[Bernard]

... It measures brainwave impulses from the forehead from a position neuroscientists call FP1 with medical grade precision. ...

It only measures input from a single location. I don't think that's anywhere near sufficient to address the protocols used for normalizing epileptic activity.

Hopefully they will expand the scope of the equipment in the future.

 

[Nakamova]

I agree, it's not there yet for epilepsy treatment (although the mediation app might be useful for general stress-relieving), but it seems like it could be a model for home treatment in the future.

 

[epileric]

I'm very optimistic about neurofeedback but I feel that because there is no regulation that states what standards are critical for NF to be effective, we're going to have a lot of people trying to sell us things that are not as effective.

For that reason I feel we have to be very critical in evaluating what and who we use. As well we should all share our experiences with various NF products and practitioners that we try.

 

[Nakamova]

I'm considering trying neurofeedback next year (if I save enough money this year). There is a practitioner nearby who would be convenient. His experience is primarily in treating children with ADD/ADHD, but he said he would consult with a neurofeedback specialist with an epilepsy background if I decide to go ahead.

There's a great book about the history of the neurofeedback movement called "A Symphony in the Brain". It lays out the progress that has been made, along with the stumbling blocks that will have to be overcome if it is to gain widespread acceptance. It mentions issues of standardizing and evaluating neurofeedback treatment, and certifying the practitioners as being key to any future success.

 

[AM2012]

I posted some info. on a thread over in the "kitchen" that didn't get much response. I'll move it here as I think it fits in this area better:

Tips for Selecting a Neurofeedback Provider:
Call around to the nearby providers and ask them the following questions:
1) If they do a QEEG assessment to help guide the neurofeedback.

2) If they use coherence training

3) If they use Z-score training. Pretty much any of the z-score variables seen on a Neuroguide QEEG report can also be trained using Z-Score neurofeedback. This makes it easier to correct issues cited in the QEEG report more directly.

4) If the doctor has experience with both LENS and normal neurofeedback. That way he'd be able to recommend what's best for you. (Good luck with this one)

EDIT: It's going to be a bit difficult to just depend on neurofeedback alone to get off epileptic meds. rTMS (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation) combined with it might help. There have been many studies using rTMS to treat many different kinds of conditions. The placement, duration, frequency, intensity, and repitition all need to be finetuned according to what type of issue it is your dealing with though. A cookie cutter approach is mainly being used in the clinical setting in the US for a very limited range of issues (mainly depression) but hopefully more widespread usage will take hold in the future. The research and techniques have been in place, it's just about gaining more popularity. "MindcareCenters" in Canada are currently trying to put rTMS into more clinical usage right now. There's also a place in the US that's been using EEG to individually finetune rTMS treatment for a range of conditions as well.

Home Training:
I think that the Brainmaster Atlantis or Discovery systems (not talking about the other cheaper systems Brainmaster sells) have some definite advantages that make it a more favorable buy over top notch systems sold by other companies.

If anyone here with epilepsy lives with someone who can assist them with in-home training, this is obviously ideal. Once the assessment process is finished and a number of training sessions are done, if the practitioner is willing to "ok" the purchase of a neurofeedback system direct from the manufacturer with one's own money (while avoiding the traps of "renting" a system on a pay by the minute basis) this is the first step. The next would be seeing if they know someone (or you can find someone) willing to do remote training from time to time to make adjustments as needed to the prescribed protocols.

For any of you reading this interested in possibly purchasing a neurofeedback system here's some of the reasons for why I think Brainmaster is the best system to go with (although if the clinician doesn't use this system, he's obviously only going to "ok" the one that they use so keep this in mind):

1) A readily available customer support team and plenty of educational material about their products that can be found online. As most neurofeedback systems are targeted towards selling to clinicians, this benefit isn't something to be taken for granted.

2) This is a system commonly used by remote trainers for home based neurofeedback training. However, while Brainmaster actually sells
remote versions of their Atlantis 1 and Atlantis 2, I wouldn't recommend purchasing these at all. The "clinical Atlantis 1" and "clinical Atlantis 2" cost
about just as much and can also be used at home for remote training as well while allowing ALOT more options without unnecessary limitations to a responsible user. Make sure it's the "clinical" and not the "remote" system and you've got your moneys worth.

3) A fast "sampling rate" as well as wide "bandwidth range" comparable to other top notch systems. One interesting development is that Brainmaster has fairly recently adjusted their AC amplifier to allow for DC based neurofeedback training as well. Therefore, "othmer protocols" (used to be available exclusively on the EEGspectrum amplifiers) or "scp" (slow cortical potential training; a form of feedback training developed over in Europe that is based on cortical potential shifts; something that some have said has promise for epilepsy) training can now be done with the brainfeedback system. Certain forms of "infra-low frequency training" have been around for a while but before most systems in the US were just AC amplifiers and didn't allow this type of training. More on this can be found here: brainmaster.com/kb/entry/296/ (won't let me put the www in but you get the idea of where to go to get the necessary info. at least)

4) The Atlantis can do Z-score training if you purchase the add-on.

5) PirHEG (feedback based on heat signature) can be plugged directly into the amplifier. NirHEG (feedback based on bloodflow) requires a more expensive add-on to plug into the amplifier but still the possibility is there. While nirHEG supposedly offers more flexibility in terms of placement location than the pirHEG, picking one over the other depends on the symptoms that are being treated. Eitherway, Brainmaster accomodates both of them.

6) Certain forms of neurofeedback software produced by other companies can be used with BrainMaster. For example, "Bioexplorer" software is needed to use the HEG with the Brainmaster system but an add-on can be purchased to use this outside software with the system.

7) The Atlantis can be programmed to double as a LENS machine. More on this can be found here: brainmaster.com/kb/entry/290/


If anybody has any feedback questions regarding purchasing a system, I hope I've helped somewhat.

There are many other great systems not made by Brainmaster as well. "Mindmedia" and "Thought Technology" produce great systems as well. The only problem with "Thought Technology" is that you have to buy an EEG port to plug in for every single channel in order to use each one which can become quite costly but if you're going with the 2 channel unit one's built in already so it isn't so bad. The J+J machine is another option since it seems to be the main machine LENS is commonly used with.

Overall, the main thing is finding a professional grade unit that's something which has remote trainers out there willing to monitor sessions and do status checks from time to time between the basic evaluation appointments at the doctors office. Over time, paying for a system costs the same amount as it would going to 20-30 sessions. At least this way, the investment is kept.

 

[RobinN]

Nutritional improvement on the part of the patient was expected when Rebecca began her Neurofeedback therapy.