Impulse control
Research Papers
To spindle or not to spindle: A replication study into spindling excessive beta as a transdiagnostic EEG feature associated with impulse control
Background Frontocentral Spindling Excessive Beta (SEB), a spindle-like beta-activity observed in the electroencephalogram (EEG), has been transdiagnostically associated with more problems with impulse control and sleep maintenance. The current study aims to replicate and elaborate on these findings. Methods Participants reporting sleep problems (n = 31) or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms (n = 48) were included. Baseline ADHD-Rating Scale (ADHD-RS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Holland Sleep Disorder Questionnaire (HSDQ), and EEG were assessed. Analyses were confined to adults with frontocentral SEB. Results Main effects of SEB showed more impulse control problems (d = 0.87) and false positive errors (d = 0.55) in participants with SEB. No significant associations with sleep or interactions with Sample were observed. Discussion This study partially replicates an earlier study and demonstrates that participants exhibiting SEB report more impulse control problems, independent of diagnosis. Future studies should focus on automating SEB classification and further investigate the transdiagnostic nature of SEB.
View Full Paper →Neurofeedback in Residential Children and Adolescents with Mild Mental Retardation and ADHD Behavior
Neurofeedback (NFB) research has reported improved concentration and attention in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and progress maintained over time. Would that also apply to children with an IQ between 50 and 70 (mild mental retardation [MMR]) and an IQ between 70 and 85 (borderline retardation [BR]) with characteristics of ADHD? To our knowledge this is the first NFB treatment study with long-term follow-up in this particular group. Ten adolescents with MMR and BR and ADHD received 30 sessions of quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG)-based NFB. QEEG differences with a gender- and age-matched group without mental handicap and ADHD (data provided by BRAINnet) were investigated, at pre- and posttreatment and at 6-month follow-up. Neuropsychological functioning was tested administering the Bourdon-Vos, and the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Testing Program subscales SA DOTS and SSV. Pretreatment eyes-closed EEGs were not statistically different in the children with MMR compared to the controls. With eyes open higher amplitudes were found in the lower frequencies in the children with MMR, normalizing over time. The neuropsychological tests improved for reaction times and errors. On the complex tasks in the SSV a number of errors remained. The subjects perceived an improvement in ADHD and increasingly enjoyed the study. After NFB treatment, attention and concentration in children with MMR and BR have improved. Task span and effort also increased, although impulse control remained weak. This may be explained by a limited working memory capacity. The subjective reports may have been affected by situational factors and should be interpreted with caution. This study is limited by its nonrandomized design.
View Full Paper →QEEG-guided neurofeedback for children with histories of abuse and neglect: Neurodevelopmental rationale and pilot study
Poor self-regulation of arousal is central to the behavioral difficulties experienced by children with traumatic caretaker attachment histories. EEG biofeedback teaches children to self-regulate brain rhythmicity, which may in turn affect global improvements in the areas of attention, aggression, impulse control, and trust formation. Research literature reports successful use of neurofeedback for children with ADHD, autism, asthma, stroke, and migraine. This study extends current research by investigating the effectiveness of neurofeedback in reducing behavioral problems commonly observed in abused/neglected children. Methods. Treatment records of twenty adopted children with histories of removal from their biological home by Child Protective Services were obtained from a private neurofeedback practice. All of the children were assessed prior to treatment using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) and again after 30 sessions of individualized, qEEG-guided neurofeedback. Results. T-test analysis of pre- and post-scores on the CBCL showed significant changes in the areas of externalizing problems, internalizing problems, social problems, aggressive behavior, thought problems, delinquent behavior, anxiety/depression, and attention problems (p < .05). TOVA omission error, commission error, and variability scores also improved significantly following neurofeedback training (p < .05). Some pre-treatment qEEG patterns common to this group of children were identified. Conclusions. The CBCL and TOVA score improvements observed in this study indicate that neurofeedback is effective in reducing behavioral, emotional, social, and cognitive problems in children with histories of neglect and/or abuse.
View Full Paper →The effectiveness of neurofeedback and stimulant drugs in treating AD/HD: Part II. Replication
This study replicated T. R. Rossiter and T. J. La Vaque (1995) with a larger sample, expanded age range, and improved statistical analysis. Thirty-one AD/HD patients who chose stimulant drug (MED) treatment were matched with 31 patients who chose a neurofeedback (EEG) treatment program. EEG patients received either office (n = 14) or home (n = 17) neurofeedback. Stimulants for MED patients were titrated using the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA). EEG (effect size [ES] = 1.01–1.71) and MED (ES = 0.80–1.80) groups showed statistically and clinically significant improvement on TOVA measures of attention, impulse control, processing speed, and variability in attention. The EEG group demonstrated statistically and clinically significant improvement on behavioral measures (Behavior Assessment System for Children, ES = 1.16–1.78, and Brown Attention Deficit Disorder Scales, ES = 1.59). TOVA gain scores for the EEG and MED groups were not significantly different. More importantly, confidence interval and nonequivalence null hypothesis testing confirmed that the neurofeedback program produced patient outcomes equivalent to those obtained with stimulant drugs. An effectiveness research design places some limitations on the conclusions that can be drawn.
View Full Paper →Effect of Neurofeedback on Variables of Attention in a Large Multi-Center Trial
Background: Neurofeedback studies have been criticized for including small numbers of subjects. The effect of SMR-beta neuro-feedback training on the Test of Variables of Attention was evaluated in more than 1, 000 subjects from thirty-two clinics. Methods: 1089 subjects (726 children, 324 females, 186 with ADHD or ADD diagnoses) underwent twenty or more sessions of SMR-beta neurofeedback training for attentional and behavioral complaints at thirty-two clinical settings affiliated with EEG Spectrum, Inc. Subjects were evaluated prior to training and at training completion. One hundred and fifty-seven subjects who elected extensive training (forty sessions or more) were tested after both twenty and forty training sessions. Results: Neurofeedback training produced significant improvement in attentiveness, impulse control, and response variability. Significant clinical improvement in one or more measures was seen in eighty-five percent of those subjects with moderate pre-training deficits. Conclusions: Neurofeedback training is effective in remediating atten-tional dysfunction. Nevertheless, large-scale studies with greater control (e.g., wait-list designs) are sorely needed
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