sustained attention
Research Papers
Can neurophysiological markers of anticipation and attention predict ADHD severity and neurofeedback outcomes?
Neurophysiological measures of preparation and attention are often atypical in ADHD. Still, replicated findings that these measures predict which patients improve after Neurofeedback (NF), reveal neurophysiological specificity, and reflect ADHD-severity are limited. METHODS: We analyzed children's preparatory (CNV) and attentional (Cue-P3) brain activity and behavioral performance during a cued Continuous Performance Task (CPT) before and after slow cortical potential (SCP)-NF or semi-active control treatment (electromyogram biofeedback). Mixed-effects models were performed with 103 participants at baseline and 77 were assessed for pre-post comparisons focusing on clinical outcome prediction, specific neurophysiological effects of NF, and associations with ADHD-severity. RESULTS: Attentional and preparatory brain activity and performance were non-specifically reduced after treatment. Preparatory activity in the SCP-NF group increased with clinical improvement. Several performance and brain activity measures predicted non-specific treatment outcome. CONCLUSION: Specific neurophysiological effects after SCP-NF were limited to increased neural preparation associated with improvement on ADHD-subscales, but several performance and neurophysiological measures of attention predicted treatment outcome and reflected symptom severity in ADHD. The results may help to optimize treatment.
View Full Paper →Positive behavioral and electrophysiological changes following neurofeedback training in children with autism
Two electrophysiological studies tested the hypothesis that operant conditioning of mu rhythms via neurofeedback training can renormalize mu suppression, an index of mirror neuron activity, and improve behavior in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In Study 1, eight high-functioning ASD participants were assigned to placebo or experimental groups before 10 weeks of training of the mu frequency band (8-13 Hz). Following training, experimental participants showed decreased mu power and coherence, increased sustained attention ability, and improved scores on subscales of the ATEC compared to the placebo group. Both groups showed improvement in imitation ability. In Study 2, 19 high-functioning ASD children underwent a similar procedure with verified diagnoses, a modified double-blind protocol, and training of the high mu band (10-13 Hz). The results showed decreases in amplitude but increases in phase coherence in mu rhythms and normalization of mu rhythm suppression in experimental participants compared to placebo. Furthermore, like Study 1, participants showed improvements in sustained attention and in ATEC scores but no improvements in imitation following training. This suggests that training of the mu rhythm can be effective in producing changes in EEG and behavior in high-functioning ASD children, but does not affect imitation behavior per se
View Full Paper →The Boys Totem Town Neurofeedback Project: A Pilot Study of EEG Biofeedback with Incarcerated Juvenile Felons
Seven male adolescents, ages 14 to 17 who were in a juvenile detention residential treatment program and diagnosed with the combined type of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD-C) or with Conduct Disorder, participated in a study examining the effects of electroencephalographic (EEG) neurofeedback on sustained attention, response inhibition, executive functions, intellectual ability, and memory. All of the participants received 20 sessions of EEG biofeedback therapy in conjunction with treatment received in a residential program. Pre- and post-treatment measures were collected within one week of treatment, and data were analyzed using an adapted model of Jacobson and Truax's method of clinically significant change (Jacobson & Truax, 1991) which allows criterion scores to be set and 95 percent confidence intervals determined at the level of individual performance on the collected measures. Sixty-four percent experienced improved performance after EEG neurofeedback on one or more measures. Clinically significant and reliable improvements were observed on teacher ratings of the Global Executive Composite from the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (average improvement = .22 mean item raw score points; Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2000). Normal range performance was enhanced on the Composite IQ measure of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (average gain = 9 points; Kaufman & Kaufman, 1990), on the Omissions subscale from the Conners' Continuous Performance Test (average decrease = 13 errors; Conners, 1994) and on the four subtest screening measures from the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (Sheslow & Adams, 1990), with average gains ranging from 2.0 to 3.67 scaled score points across the four subtests. The results are consistent with previous findings, and suggest that the methodology used for data analysis is a useful tool to assess individual levels of change, and indicate that EEG biofeedback may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of juvenile offenders.
View Full Paper →Intentional Increase of Cerebral Blood Oxygenation Using Hemoencephalography (HEG): An Efficient Brain Exercise Therapy
Intentional enhancement of regional cerebral blood oxygenation (rCBO2) in specific cerebral locations was studied as a brain exercise. A review of literature showed the effect of brain exercise on brain physiology. Hemoencephalography (HEG), a graphic analog of brain blood flow of oxygenated hemoglobin indicated by non-invasive infrared spectroscopy, was used to guide intentionally increasing rCBO2. A musical note and visual graphic keyed to changes in cortical blood oxygenation was provided to the participant. A primary aim of this study was to demonstrate the capacity of subjects with brain disorders to increase oxygenation of selected brain tissue using HEG and test the hypothesis that multiple repetitions of these brain exercises improved sustained attention measured with a continuous performance test. The impulsivity score for subjects in the exercise group was in the normal range after 10 sessions. In a small set of subjects, low arousal SPECT images showed increased vascularity after 30 half-hour sessions of intentional enhancement of local blood oxygenation.
View Full Paper →Changes after EEG biofeedback and cognitive retraining in adults with mild traumatic brain injury and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Introduction. Adults diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were treated with EEG Biofeedback and cognitive retraining. Methods. Psychological and neuropsychological tests were completed at pre-treatment and post-treatment and compared to a normal control group that did not receive training, but tested on two occasions. Results. The results found significant improvement on full scale attention and full scale response accuracy of a continuous performance task in the mTBI and ADHD groups compared to the control group. A self report showed a significant decline in symptoms in the mTBI and ADHD groups compared to the control group. Errors on a problem solving task decreased only in the mTBI group. Discussion. The treatment model used in this study showed significant improvement in the sustained attention of individuals diagnosed with mTBI and ADHD after twenty treatment sessions.
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