Neurotherapy

Neurotherapy (also know as neurofeedback and EEG feedback), first introduced in 1957, is a specialized form of biofeedback. Biofeedback utilizes behavior change in conjunction with regulation of one's own physiology. In neurotherapy, the goal is to bring order to a disordered brain physiology through operant conditioning, and should be thought of as a technique of rehabilitation. The closest model for comparison is the physical therapist using various modalities to rehabilitate an injured or paralyzed muscle in order to restore function. Many conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, ADD/ADHD, depression, stroke, epilepsy, closed head injury and others give rise to chronic under-arousal and/or over-arousal of various areas of the brain. In these conditions, lower frequency brain waves associated with sleep, drowsiness and relaxed alertness are overactive when they should not be. Likewise, higher frequency waves associated with concentration, memory, speech and other cognitive tasks are underactive when they should be present. This relative overabundance and lack of appropriate brainwaves, depending on the particular locations of the brain affected and the frequencies involved, results in a wide range of symptoms: profound fatigue, problems sleeping, headaches, memory problems, emotional disturbances, difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity, speech and reading problems, motor and balance problems and many others. The common link to all these seemingly disparate symptoms lies in the brain’s role as the central actor in controlling and directing so many of the body’s activities and processes. Across the past several decades, both research and clinical experience has shown neurotherapy to be an effective training for conditions where the underlying cause of the symptoms results from dysfunction in the brain. Neurotherapy encourages production of underactive and inhibits production of overactive brainwaves, thus restoring the brain to normal functioning.

A Siber Imaging Patient Undergoes Neurofeedback Training

During a neurotherapy session, electrodes are placed on the patient’s scalp to monitor brainwave activity in one or two specific locations. The signal from these leads is displayed on a computer screen. The patient sits still and relaxed, attention focused calmly on the screen. Based on a set of training parameters, the computer evaluates the patient’s brainwaves. Whenever there is increased activity of the desired brainwaves and reduced activity of the undesired brainwaves, the patient receives a visual and auditory “reward.” Through a process known as operant conditioning, the brain begins to “learn” which levels of brainwave activity result in rewards, and seeks out increased rewards on its own, rather than as a direct result of active effort or control by the patient.

A few samples of training screens the patient uses to focus on re-training the brain.

Over time, both within a training session and from one training session to the next, the training parameters are gradually changed to move the brain further and further in the direction of the desired normal state of functioning. Very gradually, small, cumulative and permanent improvements occur, resulting for most patients in a significant reduction, and in some cases elimination, of symptoms. Training sessions typically last for one hour. Depending on the condition from which a patient is suffering, its severity and the response to training, anywhere from 20 to 100 sessions, one to three times a week are required to see maximal permanent improvement.

Siber Imaging has been successfully using neurotherapy for more than a decade and has helped hundreds of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, ADD, ADHD, chronic pain, sleep disorders, headaches, stroke, spinal cord injuries and more. Click here for a complete list of conditions.

For various reasons, many patients will not be able to stay in Charlotte or at one of our Affiliate Locations to receive training. We have developed a home unit program to accommodate these patients' needs. Please see the Home Training section for more information.

If you are a healthcare worker and think neurotherapy may work for one of your patients, or if you think you or a family member may suffer from any of these ailments and are looking for alternatives to surgery or medication, please contact us by clicking here or by calling us directly at 704-543-0427.

Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS)

Various protocols for neurothearpy exist for many illnesses. However, due to the unique brain abnormalities in CFIDS patients, those protocols have generally not been effective in attempting to treat the symptoms of those suffering from CFIDS

After using several of these neurotherapy protocols in initial training studies of the early 90's, Siber Imaging developed, fine-tuned and patented a protocol which has been successfully with hundreds of patients. This protocol must be individually designed, as each patient responds in a unique way. The training protocol used is specifically tailored for each patient based on the length of illness, patient's EEG dysfunction, and the patient's physical and cognitive stamina.

In CFIDS patients, it is necessary to follow a very careful, slow process in increasing underactive and reducing overactive brainwaves, to avoid actually exacerbating symptoms. Since each patient's EEG and progress are unique, the initial training sessions may involve routine experimentation to establish the proper training parameters.

If you are a healthcare worker and think neurotherapy may work for one of your CFIDS patients, or if you think you or a family member suffers from CFIDS and are looking for alternatives for training, please contact us by clicking here or by calling us directly at 704-543-0427.