LORETA neurofeedback
Research Papers
Language Rehabilitation of Traumatic Brain Injury Patient by LORETA Z-Score Neurofeedback: A Single-Case Study
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) creates a variety of sequelae such as aphasia that can be highly challenging for clinicians when developing rehabilitation interventions. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of LORETA z-score neurofeedback (LZNFB) on language performance for a 21-year-old male suffering from aphasia following TBI. To this end, LZNFB was applied while focusing on the language network for 15 sessions. The study used an experimental design with a pre-post comparison. Baseline and posttreatment comparisons were made on qEEG/LORETA metrics, aphasia symptoms, working memory, and attention. The results indicated clinical improvements in language, working memory, and attention performances after 15 sessions of LZNFB. Our findings suggest that LZNFB may have the potential to aid language performance among those with TBI
View Full Paper →19 Channel Z-Score and LORETA Neurofeedback: Does the Evidence Support the Hype?
Neurofeedback is a well-investigated treatment for ADHD and epilepsy, especially when restricted to standard protocols such as theta/beta, slow cortical potentials and sensori-motor rhythm neurofeedback. Advances in any field are welcome and other techniques are being pursued. Manufacturers and clinicians are marketing 'superior' neurofeedback approaches including 19 channel Z-score neurofeedback (ZNFB) and 3-D LORETA neurofeedback (with or without Z-scores; LNFB). We conducted a review of the empirical literature to determine if such claims were warranted. This review included the above search terms in Pubmed, Google scholar and any references that met our criteria from the ZNFB publication list and was restricted to group based studies examining improvement in a clinical population that underwent peer review (book chapters, magazine articles or conference presentations are not included since these are not peer reviewed). Fifteen relevant studies emerged with only six meeting our criterion. Based on review of these studies it was concluded that empirical validation of these approaches is sorely lacking. There is no empirical data that supports the notion that 19-channel z-score neurofeedback is effective or superior. The quality of studies for LNFB was better compared to ZNFB and some suggestion for efficacy was demonstrated for ADHD and Tinnitus distress. However, these findings need to be replicated, extended to other populations and have yet to show any "superiority." Our conclusions continue to emphasize the pervasive lack of evidence supporting these approaches to neurofeedback and the implications of this are discussed.
View Full Paper →LORETA Neurofeedback: Odd Reports, Observations, and Findings Associated with Spatial Specific Neurofeedback Training
Neurotherapeutic techniques continue to advance in sophistication and complexity, and as such so does the need to reference odd occurrences or adverse reactions as a result of training in different regions of the brain. This is important to the field of neurotherapy in addition to those practitioners who may encounter patients on medications at the time of training, and this type of information can only add to the armamentarium of tools at our disposal. We discuss noted odd occurrences that have transpired during our studies employing LORETA neurofeedback (LNFB) in both children and adults. We also discuss negative events reported by patients or parents and medications interactions with LNFB. Positive results are also discussed. The field of neurofeedback can benefit immensely from more reports of this type.
View Full Paper →QEEG Guided Neurofeedback Therapy in Personality Disorders: 13 Case Studies
According to DSM-IV, personality disorder constitutes a class only when personality traits are inflexible and maladaptive and cause either significant functional impairment or subjective distress. Classical treatment of choice for personality disorders has been psychotherapy and/or psychopharmacotherapy. Our study is to determine if subjects with antisocial personality disorders will benefit from quantitative EEG (qEEG) guided neurofeedback treatment. Thirteen subjects (9 male, 4 female) ranged in age from 19 to 48 years. All the subjects were free of medications and illicit drugs. We excluded subjects with other mental disorders by clinical assessment. Psychotherapy or psychopharmacotherapy or any other treatment model was not introduced to any of the subjects during or after neurofeedback treatment. For the subject who did not respond to neurofeedback, training was applied with 38 sessions of LORETA neurofeedback training without success. Evaluation measures included qEEG analysis with Nx Link data base, MMPI, T.O.V.A tests and SA-45 questionaries at baseline, and at the end of neurofeedback treatment. Lexicor qEEG signals were sampled at 128 Hz with 30 minutes-neurofeedback sessions completed between 80–120 sessions depending on the case, by Biolex neurofeedback system. At baseline and after every 20 sessions, patients were recorded with webcam during the interview. Twelve out of 13 subjects who received 80–120 sessions of neurofeedback training showed significant improvement based on SA-45 questionaries, MMPI, T.O.V.A. and qEEG/Nx Link data base (Neurometric analysis) results, and interviewing by parent/family members. Neurofeedback can change the view of psychiatrists and psychologists in the future regarding the treatment of personality disorders. This study provides the first evidence for positive effects of neurofeedback treatment in antisocial personality disorders. Further study with controls is warranted.
View Full Paper →LORETA Neurofeedback for Addiction and the Possible Neurophysiology of Psychological Processes Influenced: A Case Study and Region of Interest Analysis of LORETA Neurofeedback in Right Anterior Cingulate Cortex
Introduction. This case study explores the efficacy of low-resolution electromagnetic tomographic (LORETA) neurofeedback (LNFB) in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as a method for addiction treatment and examines the frequency specific effects of this training in eight other regions of the cortex identified as playing an important role in substance use disorders. Methods. This case study was completed with one right-handed, 28-year-old female participant with 3 years of continuous abstinence from polysubstance abuse; her drugs of choice were heroin and alcohol, and she reported an 8-year history of alcohol abuse and a 4-year history of heroin use (IV). She completed 25 sessions of LNFB training in which she increased 14-18 Hz activity in the right ACC. We utilized electrophysiological measures to assess the increase or decrease in eight regions of interest (ROI): the right hippocampus, the right amygdaloid complex, the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the right occipital lobe, the right insular cortex, the right uncus, and two regions in the left prefrontal cortex and compared them using complex linear mixed model and partial correlation procedures. Results. The data indicate significant associations between these limbic and cortical regions. The linear increase in the right ACC was in the desired direction; however, this will require more than 25 sessions to reach significance. The effects of training in the right ACC show significant increase and decrease for all frequencies in specific regions of interest.Conclusion. This is the first study of its kind to explore the relationship between these nine ROI as influenced by LNFB in the right ACC. The data suggest that these regions may play an intricate role in behaviors and characteristics involved in addiction; specific changes in the alpha frequency in limbic regions and increases in associations between regions in the theta frequency may influence personality and other behaviors associated with addictive traits. This case study illustrates the possible neural mechanisms involved in the negative self-reference associated with addiction even after a significant period of abstinence and possibly offers insight into antecedents to the onset of substance use disorders.
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