alpha enhancement

A Randomized Trial of Comparing the Efficacy of Two Neurofeedback Protocols for Treatment of Clinical and Cognitive Symptoms of ADHD: Theta Suppression/Beta Enhancement and Theta Suppression/Alpha Enhancement

Introduction. Neurofeedback (NF) is an adjuvant or alternative therapy for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This study intended to compare the efficacy of two different NF protocols on clinical and cognitive symptoms of ADHD. Materials and Methods. In this clinical trial, sixty children with ADHD aged 7 to 10 years old were randomly grouped to receive two different NF treatments (theta suppression/beta enhancement protocol and theta suppression/alpha enhancement protocol). Clinical and cognitive assessments were conducted prior to and following the treatment and also after an eight-week follow-up. Results. Both protocols alleviated the symptoms of ADHD in general (p < 0.001), hyperactivity (p < 0.001), inattention (p < 0.001), and omission errors (p < 0.001); however, they did not affect the oppositional and impulsive scales nor commission errors. These effects were maintained after an eight-week intervention-free period. The only significant difference between the two NF protocols was that high-frequency alpha enhancement protocol performed better in suppressing omission errors (p < 0.001). Conclusion. The two NF protocols with theta suppression/beta enhancement and theta suppression/alpha enhancement have considerable and comparable effect on clinical symptoms of ADHD. Alpha enhancement protocol was more effective in suppressing omission errors.

A Review of EEG Biofeedback Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

Alpha enhancement as a treatment for pain: A case study

Drawing on past reports of raised pain thresholds of yogis in a meditative state, the high alpha content during meditation, and reports of operant alpha wave conditioning, a hypothesis was formulated that a high alpha state and pain are incompatible behaviors, and thus the production of alpha could be used for symptomatic treatment of pain. A patient, who suffered from severe headaches resulting from head injuries, went through 67 alpha conditioning sessions and increased his alpha activity from 20 per cent time alpha with eyes closed to 92 per cent time alpha with eyes closed and 50 per cent with eyes open. Although the patient was not able to rid himself of pain by achieving a high alpha state, he was in some instances able to prevent pain by going into a high alpha state before the headache began.