sleep quality
Research Papers
Differential effects of theta/beta and SMR neurofeedback in ADHD on sleep onset latency
Recent studies suggest a role for sleep and sleep problems in the etiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a recent model about the working mechanism of sensori-motor rhythm (SMR) neurofeedback, proposed that this intervention normalizes sleep and thus improves ADHD symptoms such as inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. In this study we compared adult ADHD patients (N = 19) to a control group (N = 28) and investigated if differences existed in sleep parameters such as Sleep Onset Latency (SOL), Sleep Duration (DUR) and overall reported sleep problems (PSQI) and if there is an association between sleep-parameters and ADHD symptoms. Secondly, in 37 ADHD patients we investigated the effects of SMR and Theta/Beta (TBR) neurofeedback on ADHD symptoms and sleep parameters and if these sleep parameters may mediate treatment outcome to SMR and TBR neurofeedback. In this study we found a clear continuous relationship between self-reported sleep problems (PSQI) and inattention in adults with- and without-ADHD. TBR neurofeedback resulted in a small reduction of SOL, this change in SOL did not correlate with the change in ADHD symptoms and the reduction in SOL only happened in the last half of treatment, suggesting this is an effect of symptom improvement not specifically related to TBR neurofeedback. SMR neurofeedback specifically reduced the SOL and PSQI score, and the change in SOL and change in PSQI correlated strongly with the change in inattention, and the reduction in SOL was achieved in the first half of treatment, suggesting the reduction in SOL mediated treatment response to SMR neurofeedback. Clinically, TBR and SMR neurofeedback had similar effects on symptom reduction in ADHD (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity). These results suggest differential effects and different working mechanisms for TBR and SMR neurofeedback in the treatment of ADHD
View Full Paper →Neurofeedback Efficacy in the Treatment of a 43-Year-Old Female Stroke Victim: A Case Study
Introduction. A 43-year-old Caucasian woman presented with a series of physical and mental deficits following a right hemisphere cerebral artery embolus suffered at age 42. Method. For both the pretreatment and posttreatment evaluation, the client's EEG data were collected. Prior to beginning neurofeedback a self-developed symptom checklist was provided to the participant and was repeated every 10 sessions. The participant received 52 neurofeedback sessions with the use of Neurocybernetics equipment. To determine statistical changes between the pretreatment and posttreatment conditions, average cross-spectral matrices were computed for bands delta (1–3.5 Hz), theta (3.5–7.5 Hz), alpha (7.5–12.5 Hz), beta1 (12.5–25 Hz), beta2 (25–32 Hz), and gamma (37–47 Hz). In this study the pretreatment cross-spectra for each epoch were then compared to the posttreatment epoch cross-spectra using the previously mentioned frequency band ranges. For each condition, cross-spectral matrices were computed and averaged over 2-s epochs resulting in one cross-spectral matrix for each epoch and for each of the discrete frequencies within each band. Based on previous LORETA analyses, we used a rectangular window. No time frame or frequency wise normalization was performed. Results. Following treatment, comparative QEEG and eLoreta analyses illustrated significant decreases in the absolute and relative power theta measures and significant elevations of absolute and relative power occipital beta. These findings correspond to client self-report data demonstrating improvement in cognitive functioning and depressed mood. Conclusion. Overall, findings suggest the utility of neurofeedback for the treatment of stroke,with particular gains noted in the areas of cognitive functioning, sleep quality, emotional regulation, and energy.
View Full Paper →Comparison of subjective and objective assessments of sleep in healthy older subjects without sleep complaints
Older adults have reduced sleep quality compared with younger adults when sleeping at habitual times and greater sleep disruption when their sleep is at adverse times. The purpose of this analysis was to investigate how subjective measures of sleep relate to objectively recorded sleep in older subjects scheduled to sleep at all times of day. We analyzed data from 24 healthy older (55–74 years) subjects who took part in a 32-day inpatient study where polysomnography was recorded each night and subjective sleep was assessed after each scheduled wake time. The study included baseline nights and a forced desynchrony (FD) protocol when the subjects lived on a 20-h rest activity schedule. Our postsleep questionnaire both included quantitative and qualitative questions about the prior sleep. Under baseline and FD conditions, objective and subjective sleep latency were correlated, subjective sleep duration was related to slowwave sleep and wake after sleep onset, subjective sleep quality was related to stage 1 and 2 sleep, and sleepiness and refreshment at wake time were related to duration of premature awakening. During FD, most measures of objective and subjective sleep varied with circadian phase and many additional correlations between objective and subjective sleep were present. Our findings show that when sleeping at habitual times, these healthy older subjects did not perceive their generally poor sleep quality, but under FD conditions where sleep quality changed from day-to-day their subjective sleep ratings were more associated with their objective sleep
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