What's New in Neurofeedback
A Monthly Summary of News and Events

Vol. 9 No. 10 - October 2006

This newsletter is sponsored by EEG Spectrum Intl Inc,
a leader in providing clinical service and training
professionals. Past issues available at
http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/
To subscribe or cancel, see newsletter's end.
Opinions related in this newsletter reflect
author's only. Copyright (C) 2006 by EEG Spectrum
Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
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Announcements - News
In the Spotlight - When will Neurotherapy go under
the microscope?
News & Reviews - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word - Just a thought
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Announcements

* Revamped brain could slow CJD
* Psychopathic brain 'different'
* Harnessing mysteries of the brain
* Small ecstasy use harms brain
* 'I wish I could just scratch an itch on my face'
* Scientists dissect mystery of genius

All links at:
news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
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In the Spotlight

When Will Neurotherapy go under the Microscope?

The history of biofeedback began with ear wiggling
(Bair, 1901), but the history of SMR biofeedback
emerged serendipitously from toxin-induced seizures
(Sterman, Fairchild, & McRae, 1972; Sterman &
Kovalesky, 1979), along with an incidental
investigation of electroencephalographic correlates
of behavioral inhibition in cats (Roth et al., 1967;
Sterman & Wyrwicka, 1967; Sterman et al., 1969). SMR
biofeedback was preceded by alpha biofeedback
(Adrian, 1934; Kamiya, 1968); however SMR
neurofeedback and associated protocols are the
primary form for treating ADHD symptoms.

The treatment of ADHD with neurofeedback began 30
years ago. In a replication and extension of
Sterman's research into motor inhibitory processes
(Sterman, 1973), Lubar and Bahler (1976) trained
epileptics in order to reduce seizure but also noted
that a hyperactive epileptic showed a general
decrease in his overactivity after SMR enhancement
and theta suppression training. This led to further
case studies in which ADHD symptoms were directly
addressed with neurofeedback (Lubar & Shouse,
1976;1977; Shouse & Lubar, 1979).

More than 200 patients has since been involved in
controlled research for ADHD (cf.Monastra et al.,
2005) and nearly 2,000 patients in case studies and
clinical trials (e.g. Alhambra et al, 1995; Lubar et
al, 1995; Rossiter & LaVaque, 1995; Linden et al.,
1996, Rossiter, 1998; Boyd et al. 1998; Thompson &
Thompson, 1998; Kaiser & Othmer, 2000; Carmody et
al, 2001; Monastra et al., 2002; Fuchs et al., 2003;
Rossiter, 2004; Strehl et al., 2006, although some
continue to ignore the vast majority of this work.

Loo & Barkley (2005), for instance, attacked
neurofeedback research by discounting the accuracy
of unknown psychiatrists (i.e., faulty client
diagnosis), among other factors, and supported their
conclusion with an unpublished conference
presentation (Fine, Goldman, & Sandford, 1994),
definitely not the stuff of which strong scientific
argument is made. Despite fishing in the unpublished
world, they failed to find the dozens and dozens of
supporting studies including my own at a more
prestigious conference than Fine's APA, i.e., AAAS,
the most prestigious of all scientific societies and
publisher of the journal Science (Kaiser & Othmer,
2000).

Polemics aside, neurofeedback for ADHD diagnosis
appears to be as effective as stimulant medication
for this condition without notable side effects.
Stimulant therapy, on the other hand, is associated
with "measurable effects on the rate of growth in
school-age children" -- a 20% reduction in height
growth rate (Charach et al, 2006; Swanson et al.,
2006). And the presidence of training a child to
swallow a pill to govern his behavior is not the
lesson I care to teach. Teaching a child the value
of self-regulation and learning is the foundation of
our culture, at least we pretend it is.

EEG training likely impacts long-term potentiation,
perhaps either increasing the number of GABAergic
receptors in the somatosensory pathway or increasing
their efficacy or like mechanism. Neurophysiological
changes associated with EEG training were sure to
emerge and are likely to flourish as more clinicians
gain access to neuroimaging technology. Beauregard &
Levesque (2006; Levesque et al., 2006) are the first
to report functional neuroimaging differences
between neurofeedback and untreated ADHD children
using fMRI technology. Other researchers have found
rhythm-associated seizure resistance in rats, a
creature not well known for placebo effect (Miller
et al., 1994). Last year I tried to convince Dennis
McGinty, a neuroscientist involved in receptor
research, to seek out anatomical substrates of
behavioral inhibition in terms of GABA, the brain
primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. A near-term
goal of our field should be to determine whether SMR
training leads to increased GABAergic receptor
density or not. A couple studies and a few looks
under the microscrope may resolve the issue once and
for all.

Selected References

Charach A, Figueroa M, Chen S, Ickowicz A, Schachar
R.(2006). Stimulant treatment over 5 years: effects
on growth. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 45,
415-21.

Heinrich H, Gevensleben H, Freisleder FJ, Moll GH,
Rothenberger A. (2004). Training of slow cortical
potentials in attention- deficit/hyperactivity
disorder: evidence for positive behavioral and
neurophysiological effects. Biol Psychiatry, 55,
772-5.

Kaiser, D.A., & Othmer, S. (2000). Effects of
neurofeedback on variables of attention in a large
multi-center trial. American Assoc. Advancement of
Science, Feb 17, Wash DC.

Kamiya, J. (1968, November). Conscious control of
brain waves. Psychology Today, 1, 56-60.

Loo SK, Barkley RA. (2005).Clinical utility of EEG
in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Appl
Neuropsychol. 12, 64-76.

Lubar JF, Bahler WW. (1976). Behavioral management
of epileptic seizures following EEG biofeedback
training of the sensorimotor rhythm. Biofeedback
Self Regul. 1976 Mar;1(1):77-104.

Levesque J, Beauregard M, Mensour B. (2006). Effect
of neurofeedback training on the neural substrates
of selective attention in children with
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a
functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
Neuroscience Letters, 394, 216-21.

Miller JW, Turner GM, Gray BC. (1994).
Anticonvulsant effects of the experimental induction
of hippocampal theta activity. Epilepsy Research,
18, 195-204.

Sterman MB. (1973). Neurophysiologic and clinical
studies of sensorimotor EEG biofeedback training:
some effects on epilepsy. Semin Psychiatry. 1973
Nov;5(4):507-25.

Sterman MB, Fairchild MD, & McRae GL (1972). Effects
of hydrazine on electrophysiology, behavior and
runway performance in the cat. DTIC technical report
AD0746014.

Sterman, M.B. & Kovalesky, R.A. (1979).
Anticonvulsant effects of restraint and pyridoxine
on hydrazine seizures in the monkey. Experimental
Neurology, 65, 78-86.

Strehl U, Leins U, Goth G, Klinger C, Hinterberger
T, Birbaumer N. Self-regulation of slow cortical
potentials: a new treatment for children with
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Pediatrics. 2006 Nov;118(5):e1530-40.

Swanson J, Greenhill L, Wigal T, Kollins S, Stehli
A, Davies M, Chuang S, Vitiello B, Skrobala A,
Posner K, Abikoff H, Oatis M, McCracken J, McGough
J, Riddle M, Ghuman J, Cunningham C, Wigal S.
(2006). Stimulant-related reductions of growth rates
in the PATS. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 45,
1304-13.

-DK
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News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

First Class: Autism In The Classroom
by Fran Hunnisett
Attacks the common notion of savantism in this
developmental disorder, among other things.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1843103087/eegspectrum


Sleep Disorders Medicine: Basic Science, Technical
Considerations, and Clinical Aspects
by Sudhansu Chokroverty (Ed)
Resource for professionals.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/075069954X/eegspectrum


Treating Bipolar Disorder: Social Rhythm Therapy
by Ellen Frank
Role of psychotherapy for a biological disorder.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1593852045/eegspectrum


The Brain (Inside the Human Body)
by Adolpho Cassan, A. Cassan
With school starting again, a short book for high
schoolers.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0791090140/eegspectrum

Everything Parent's Guide To Children With
Asperger's Syndrome
by William Stillman
Parental resource to this baffling condition.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1593371535/eegspectrum


Drugs Across the Spectrum
by Raymond Goldberg
Comprehensive drug text, 5th edition.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0495013455/eegspectrum


Handbook of Bipolar Disorder: Diagnosis And
Therapeutic Approaches
by Siegfried Kasper, Robert M. A. Hirschfeld (Eds)
Neurobiology, symptoms, and treatment of bipolar
disorder.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0824729358/
eegspectrum

Focus on Neuropsychology Research
by Joshua R. Dupri
Newest publication from Nova Science.
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1594547793/eegspectrum


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JOURNAL PAPERS

Initial fMRI data modeling on connectivity reported
between brain areas. :
Initial attempts to correlate blood flow between
regions.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16963281


MEG and TMS combined with EEG for mapping alcohol
effects. : Alcohol changes
the functional connectivity between motor and
prefrontal cortices and alcohol
is associated with decreased prefrontal cortical
excitability.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16713500


Long-Term Treatment of Children with ADHD : A fraction
of ADHD children are
treated for this condition and few persist for any
length of time.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16968623


Evaluating brain activity in obsessive-compulsive
disorder : Abnormal
corticostriatal activity in OCD patients was observed
using a network-analysis
approach.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16949800


Brain neuroimaging in cannabis use: a review. :
Structural and functional
neuroimaging studies of cannabis use.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16963581


Cortical Thinning of Attention and Executive Function
Networks in ADHD :
Adults with ADHD show thinning of cerebral cortex in
attentional and executive
networks, especially in the right hemisphere.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16920883


Intra-personal EEG variability of multiple personality
disorder. : EEG
variability between alters was mostly observed in
frontal and temporal beta
activity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16929711


EEG correlates of WAIS : Temporal theta correlated
with working memory
ability.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16923691

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Events & Locations

Upcoming Courses

A Pathway to Brain Regulation - Neurofeedback helps
improve
neuroregulation. It's used by health care
professionals for ADHD,
depression, anxiety disorders, LD, mood disorders, and
behavioral
problems. This 4-day course, Neurofeedback in a
Clinical Practice,
provides the basis for using Neurofeedback clinically.
- *28 CEs

4-Day Comprehensive Course Dates (subject to change)

* Dallas TX Jan 11-14
* San Diego CA Jan 25-28
* Oakland CA Feb 22-25 * Jacksonville FL Mar 8-11 * Houston TX Mar
22-25
* St Louis MO Apr 12-15
* Boston MA May 3-6

Our course is a hands-on experience right from the
start. Attendees
consistently say this format is a very good way to
learn
Neurofeedback.

"Neurofeedback should be viewed as one of the three
essential or
primary forms of intervention - psychotherapy,
psychopharmacology,
and Neurofeedback. In my experience, neurofeedback is
every bit as
important and powerful as the other two forms of
treatment." - Dr.
Laurence Hirshberg of Brown University Medical School,
a
psychologist specializing in Developmental Disorders
and Autism.

Contact Karie Kramer, our training coordinator, for
more information
818-789-3456 ext 847 or see www.eegspectrum.com/
Training

*EEG Spectrum International, Inc. is approved by the
APA to offer
continuing education to psychologists. ESII maintains
responsibility
for the program.


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Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers


CONFERENCE LOCATION DATES

AAPB www.aapb.org Monterey CA Feb 2006

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Last Word

Just a thought

In Lanford Wilson's play "Fifth of July" a disabled
child writes a science fiction fable which captures
in a single thought the unheralded truth of
adulthood.

"After (humans) had explored all the suns in the
universe, and all the planets of all the suns, they
realized that there was no other life in the
universe, and that they were all alone. And they
were very happy, because then they knew it was up to
them to become all the things they had imagined they
would find."

Adult must become what they as a child imagined an
adult should be. As a child I imagined that by the
time I reached 40 and civilization had moved into
its 21st century, we would have flying cars,
wristwatch phones, and moon vacations. But more
importantly we would have cures for cancer, and
schizophrenia, and autism and learning disabilities.
But now I realize that this strikes at the hidden
reward of being an adult. It is the chance to become
in yourself all the things you imagined you would
find when you got here but aren't here.

I doubt I'll figure out nuclear fusion or
aerodynamics required for flight of a Ford Taurus,
but I was given the boon of arriving at the 21st
century with nearly nothing I imagine yet
accomplished. Thanks, world. Thanks alot....

----end--