Neurofeedback has been growing as a more popular form of neurotreatment for its reported mental health benefits. It is a non-invasive, medication-free approach to treating neurological conditions and mental health disorders such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and autism.
Understanding what neurofeedback is, the different types of neurofeedback that exist, and how it can help certain mental health conditions is an important first step in deciding whether it is the right treatment fit.
What is Neurofeedback?
Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that measures and helps develop healthy patterns of brainwaves. By becoming aware of brainwaves, patients can learn to control or influence them.
For example, slower brainwaves are associated with deep sleep, relaxation, and stress reduction, while faster brain waves are associated with focus, concentration, and awareness.
The goal of neurofeedback is to change how one thinks and feels, while also improving brain functioning at a biological level.
The brainwaves involved in neurofeedback include:
- Gamma: peak focus & concentration, expanded consciousness
- Beta: awakeness, alertness, and increased cognition
- Alpha: relaxation, creativity, visualization
- Theta: increased memory, state of meditation
- Delta: deep sleep and rest
What is Neurofeedback Good For?
Neurofeedback can support several neurological conditions and mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and autism. For example, someone with ADHD may benefit from increasing gamma and beta brainwaves, while someone with anxiety may benefit from increasing alpha and delta brainwaves.
Neurofeedback is also growing in the field of general cognitive function improvement. It has been used by athletes and professionals to increase sports, academic, or work performance.
Growing research shows that neurofeedback can also support and speed up the process of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to adapt and evolve with certain situations in life.
Neurofeedback allows individuals to communicate with their brain using brain waves, the language that is spoken by the brain. By recognizing what state of brainwaves one is in, it can be easier to focus or calm down.
Types of Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback is a general term for different types of “EEG biofeedback systems”. These can differ depending on the brain waves being trained, the goals of the therapy, the kind of condition being treated for, or the number of targeted sites in the brain.
Hemoencephalography
This type of neuro EEG measures levels of brain flow and oxygen to the frontal cortex. This region of the brain plays a key role in influencing brainwave activity, especially with focus and concentration.
Z-score neurofeedback
Also known as Z-score training, this approach focuses on encouraging a patient´s brain wave activity to move towards the brain wave activity of the average healthy person.
3D Neurofeedback
This creates a 3D image of the brain, allowing treatment to go beyond the surface. It can target areas not discovered by typical kinds of neurofeedback. It allows one to view more regions of the brain such as the hippocampus, cerebellum, and amygdala. Rather than focusing on the actual frequency of the brainwaves, it focuses on communication between different regions of the brain.
fMRI biofeedback
Using fMRI imaging, this allows patients to see their brainwaves in real-time. It can guide how emotional states or environments influence different brainwave activity.
Amplitude Training
This is the most popular kind of neurofeedback, and the original form of neurofeedback created. It focuses on either increasing or decreasing the size of different brain waves. For example, for someone looking to have better focus, this therapy may focus on increasing the size of beta and gamma brainwaves.
Swloreta
This form of neurofeedback stands for “standardized weighted low-resolution electromagnetic tomography”. This allows for precise measurements and localization of brain wave activity in real-time.
Brainwave Frequencies
This feedback focuses on the different frequencies of the brainwaves: delta, gamma, alpha, beta, and theta. It can help balance them or increase one kind of frequency that could benefit someone with a certain mental health condition.
LORETA Neurofeedback
Loreta NF is a king of 3D brain scanning also using z-score neurofeedback to provide a look at the function of deep brain regions. It produces images similar to an fMRI, looking at brain regions such as the anterior cingulate, insula, and fusiform gyrus.
Neuroptimal
This form of neurofeedback is used to promote clarity in the mind and increase focus. It helps optimize brain activity for patients with ADHD or autism who struggle to concentrate by increasing beta and gamma brainwaves.
Neurofeedback Solutions in Utah
Harper Clinic is a state-of-the-art functional medicine clinic treating mental & physical health problems by focusing on the root of sickness and healing the brain-gut connection.
We offer revolutionary therapies such as Neurofeedback to increase brain performance and support a number of mental & physical health problems.
Sources
Martz, M.E. Real-time fMRI neurofeedback: the promising potential of brain-training technology to advance clinical neuroscience. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2023.
