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

Vol. 10 No. 5 - May 2007

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) 2007 by EEG Spectrum
Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Mating Disorders
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - 25 Online Tools+
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements

     * Many Brain Cells Seek, to Help You Find
     * Poor Memory Tied to Sleep Woes in Aging Women
     * Remember your home phone number? Forget it
     * Fantasy Gaming Gives Insight Into Learning
     * You can forget the unhappy past: study

       All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
--------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Mating Disorders

"So far as love or affection is concerned,
psychologists have failed..." Harry Harlow, 1958.

Sadie Hawkins Day, February 29, 1972, a day when
women propose and men accept their proposals or pay
the consequences; a day when women approach men,
girls chase boys. Our 2nd grade teacher Mrs
Katherine explained the strange day, leap day, then
walked over to Peter's desk, knelt beside the shy
boy, and asked him to marry her. Recess came and we
ran outside to play. I found myself being chased by
Tammy over and around the piles of snow a plow had
pushed against the school. And as she was about to
catch me, and kiss me, I called time-out. What a
coward! And although I realized my mistake
instantly, and called time-in, preparing to let her
catch me, I didn't count on Olivia crossing our
path. She appeared out of nowhere and I was not
going to let Olivia kiss me so I dashed across the
parking lot and she followed and fell on a spot of
ice and cut her head and that was the end of our
game -- forever, and the start of a mating disorder
on my part, alas.

A Google search of the term "mating disorder"
reveals nothing, or nearly so (two pornographic
sites). Neither the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual (DSM) nor the International Classification of
Diseases (ICD) list Mating Disorders on any axis.
How can we exclude such important behavior from our
roll of dysfunctions? What, do we believe everyone
is successful at mating and all attempts are
performed effortlessly and without conflict? Given
its importance I suspect it is done properly and
trauma-free by only a select few. Maybe so, but some
of us must be doing it worse than others, clinically
so, and need help, need assistance, need therapy
along these lines. The first step in treatment is
knowing what we are treating, so delineation and
diagnoses of mating disorders are necessary.

Sexual selection is why we survive. Life requires
consumption but continuance requires selection. To
paraphrase Darwin in two of his later works, sexual
selection is about a billion times more powerful
than natural selection. Nature only acts as a grim
reaper in those cases where sexual selection has
created a near-species-wide mating disorder, where
there are too many resources spent on the chase and
fending off rivals and too little thought and
response given to predators and the ever-changing
environment.

DSM-IV and ICD-10 list the end points of rare mating
disorders -- sexual dysfunction and paraphilias --
but both manuals fail to incorporate the range of
behaviors and cognitions involved in mating or
dismating, to make up a term for it. The most
important decision a child makes in his or her short
life is to what degree to invest in him- or herself.
The most important decision an adult makes in the
years after being a child is who will be his or her
partner and to what degree will they invest in him
or her. Mating underlies both significant decisions.

Popular culture and mating disorders are nearly
synonymous. From celebrities to politicians, we
witness full circle the cacophony of disorders: from
short-term mating, serial monogamy, partner
swapping, polygamy, extravagent lifestyles,
bountiful waste, jealousy crimes, martyrdom and
related forms of homicide, as well as a dozen
different forms of histrionics.

Childhood mating disorders include early maturation,
early exposure, late maturation, late exposure, as
well as insufficient interactions with opposite and
same sex members to ensure competent approaches to
intersexual and intrasexual competition and adaptive
responses to failures on both fronts. It is well
known that late maturing boys and early maturing
girls often undergo social isolation and most mating
disorder emerge from some form of social or familial
deprivation. To give an example, consider a woman
who was always the prettiest around in both junior
and senior high school, but without the confidence
to respond to the girls who successfully isolated
her. This lack of acceptance by the same sex
compelled her to seek acceptance from the opposite
sex, unwavering acceptance. You may guess how her
life progressed from there.

Did she have a personality disorder? No. A sexual
dysfunction, no. An emotional disturbance, not
exactly. She developed a mating disorder, stemming
from low confidence and gender isolation, which led
directly to behaviors inappropriate to her level of
maturity. In high school she was abused by a series
of boyfriends because she bonded out of the family
group too early and trusted adolescent boys without
familial investment in her when the boys were still
bonded to their families and unprepared for
couplehood. Again and again.

David Buss, professor of Psychology at UT Austin, is
well known for his research of human mating
behaviors. There were considerable adaptations
during human evolution for our complex system of
mating to arise, and for every adaptation, there is
an opportunity for malfunction and disorder. Here is
his list of obstacles which must be overcome (by all
creatures) for successful mating (Buss, 2002):

-Selecting a fertile mate
-Outcompeting intrasexual rivals for attracting a mate
-Fending off mate poachers
-Preventing mate defection
-Engaging in appropriate sexual/social behaviors to ensure conception

For each of these goals, think of an approach and
think of it going wrong. Used too often, too
severely, too rarely, too resourcefully. Based on
his work and others, I would characterize the
following general categories of mating disorders:

* Selection disorder: Unable to find appropriate
potential mates in terms of age, interests,
commitment, relationship status, etc.; with a
subcategory for hyper- and hypo-responsiveness to
rejection.

* Intrasexual competition disorder: Too little time
spent developing one's desirability, or too much
time to the exclusion of our domains of function.

* Intersexual competition disorder, or gender
disorder: extreme involvement in gender-cultural
stereotypic behaviors to exclusion of intersexual
abilities, or too little.

* Pathological mating disorders which include
behaviors such as harrassment, stalking, preference
on mate substitutes (often inanimate)

* Bonding disorder: Maladaptation at any of stage of
relationship development, with a focus on blending
and nesting (McWhirter & Mattison, 1984). Primary
bonding disorder would be premature or postponed or
ineffectual blending or nesting. Blending is when
two individuals become a couple, a single unit,
spending much of their free time together; and
nesting is when homemaking occurs, when couples
strengthen their commitment through acceptance and a
realistic understanding of relationship (McWhirter &
Mattison, 1984).

Instability disorder: Trying to revisit and resolve
the primary relationship conflict from childhood in
a person less invested in you than the person you
had the conflict with.

Finally, there are five types of mates: parent,
sibling, self, child, stranger. You can marry
someone who re-creates the parent- child bond with
you (on either end), the sibling bond, the
auto-erotic bond, or go out and create your own
disorder by rejecting all you've ever known.

-DK
--------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Awakening the Mind PA: Harnessing the Power of Your Brainwaves
by Anna Wise
Describes brain-wave patternsin hopes of elucidating processes of creativity
and enlightenment.
--www.amazon.com/exec/ obidos/ASIN/1585421456/eegspectrum

Awareness of Deficit after Brain Injury: Clinical and Theoretical Issues
by GP Prigatano, DL Schacter (Eds)
Multidisciplinary approach on awareness deficits following brain injury.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195059417/eegspectrum

The Challenge of Epilepsy
by Sally Fletcher
Educates and provides resources, contacts. Includes biofeedback.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0961551364/ eegspectrum

Speaking of Sadness: Depression, Disconnection, and the Meanings of Illness
by David A. Karp
Psychological, chemical, and cultural perspectives on depression.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195113861/eegspectrum

Brain Allergies: The Psychonutrient and Magnetic Connections
by WH. Philpott et al
Overviews psychopharmacology and related topics.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0658003984/eegspectrum

The Highly Sensitive Person
by Elaine Aron
Case studies, self-tests, and exercises to assist the HSP.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553062182/eegspectrum

Communities That Care: Action for Drug Abuse Prevention
by JD Hawkins, RF Catalano Jr
Community and educational strategies for drug abuse.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1555424716/eegspectrum

  ----------
JOURNAL PAPERS

Working memory and EEG to academic performance: high school students. : Low
academic attainment students show EEG evidence of a diminished WM capacity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17454248

ADHD and substance use disorders: developmental aspects and stimulant
treatment. : Deficits in self-regulation may underlie the developmental
progression of substance abuse.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17453602

Intrahemispheric reorganization of language in children with intractable
epilepsy : Anterior displacement of Broca's area was seen in some children with
epilepsy.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17445300

Genetic influences on bipolar EEG power spectra. : Variability in bipolar EEG
recordings are derived to a great degree by genetic factors.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17383039

Auditory brain-computer interface (BCI). : Auditory BCI take longer to learn,
but are necessary for visually impaired patients.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17399797

Changes in brain function during acute cannabis intoxication : Cannabis mimics
lateral prefrontal cortex lesions in slow potentials.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17393553

Quantitative EEG in aging and in the evolution of dementia. : EEG may be used
to predict future declines associated with mild cognitive impairment and
Alzheimer's disease.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17413018

Classification algorithms for EEG-based brain-computer interfaces. : Review of
EEG-based brain-computer interface algorithms.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17409472

  ----------

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)

     * Atlanta GA Jul 26-29
     * Denver CO Aug 9-12
     * Glensdale CA Aug 23-26
     * Alexandria VA Sep 6-9

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.


------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE             LOCATION           DATES

ISNR - www.isnr.org San Diego, CA     Sep 6-9,   2007
AAPB - www.aapb.org Daytona Beach, FL May 13-18, 2008

------------------------------------------------------------

Last Word

     25 Online Tools

There are now 76 yahoo groups associated with
neurofeedback. What a change from when I started
this newsletter 10 years ago. Here are some of
the best online resources available for
neurotherapists and other professionals.

Neurofeedback groups:
  http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=neurofeedback

Medline citations.
  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Neuroscience Intro:
  http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html

Brain Research:
  http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research/

EEG News:
  http://news.google.com/news?q=eeg

Knowledge Network:
  http://www.nytimes.com/college/

Scientific articles:
  http://scholar.google.com

Wikipedia:
  http://en.wikipedia.org

Free Net-Phone: http://www.skype.net

WebUnyte: http://www.unyte.net

Great music: http://www.mydrivefm.com

Email: http://mail.yahoo.com,
http://www.hotmail.com, http://www.gmail.com

Quotes: http://www.quotationspage.com

Software: http://www.tucows.com

News coverage: http://news.google.com

Online Newspapers: http://www.metagrid.com,
http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/

Discussion groupshttp://groups.yahoo.com

Images: http://images.google.com

Time: http://www.arachnoid.com/abouttime

Statistics online:
http://faculty.vassar.edu/lowry/VassarStats.html

Dictionary: http://www.m-w.com

Thesaurus: http://www.m-w.com

Synonyms: http://vancouver-webpages.com/synonyms.html

Translation Tools: http://babelfish.altavista.com,
http://www.google.com/language_tools

Psycholinguistic Tools:
http://www.psy.uwa.edu.au/mrcdatabase/uwa_mrc.htm
----end--

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

Vol. 10 No. 4 - April 2007

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) 2007 by EEG Spectrum
Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Collapse Dynamics
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Auto-relation
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements

     * Name that feeling: You'll feel better
     * Puzzles May Be a Real Brain-Booster
     * Stressed-out types at risk for memory problems
     * Folic Acid Supplements Cut Stroke Risk
     * Study shows children good at approximate math
     * The five biggest neuroscience developments of the year

       All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
--------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight


Collapse Dynamics
"If there is anyone who is in the sun/ Will you help
me to understand" - lyrics by Joseph Arthur

My son suffers from a communication and cognition
disorder known as autism, a condition in which his
world does not fully overlap with ours. His world
appears to orbit a sun outside of our own, one we
cannot see nor follow, one of immense joy. He is
often the embodiment of bliss, moving and giggling,
swallowed in a light of his own making; and that is
his problem: He rarely drops from his heavenly realm
to receive instruction from this one.

Autistic children show deficits in sociability,
communication, and imaginative play as well as
exhibiting stereotypical motor behaviors. My son is
uniquely hyper-social, constantly seeking interaction
with everyone he finds, making few distinctions
between people, calling girls boys and by the names
of babysitters they resemble. When we are out and
about and I warn him not to "stranger talk", he
approaches everyone just the same, taking a
stranger's hand, hugging "Grandma" at the
supermarket, because to him there are no such things
as strangers.

In actuality, his world orbits not a sun but a black
hole, an infinite collapse, a darkness built not of
evil but of loss, separation, and ultimately
isolation, and he continues to be drawn inwards. He
is in his 9th orbit around our sun but spiraling ever
faster away from it. When he was 3, he underwent 20
sessions of SMR uptraining. I was fortunate to train
him incorrectly on the first day so I knew
immediately how much impact the training had -- all
in the wrong direction. We trained 12-15 Hz up and he
wet his bed that night for the first time in a year
and became aggressive in school. SMR was his beta
rhythm and we had aroused or disinhibited him. So we
lowered the frequency in later training sessions and
some inhibition returned to his nature.
[Wrong-training is a useful lesson for anyone who
thinks neurofeedback is a placebo. A session or two
in the wrong direction -- compel someone into a
neurochemical depression (e.g., downtrained alpha F4,
uptrained alpha F3) -- will open their eyes to the
power of rhythm training.]

I trained him in a car seat, a helpful restraint, but
after 20 sessions on the Neurocybernetics system, he
stared at a filing cabinet instead of the computer
monitor. He had burnt out on the games, which led to
a multi-year hiatus from training as I invented a set
of "Infinite Content" games for him. Last year a
student of mine (Justine Paoletti) trained him
another 20 sessions, mostly to induce rhythmicities
in his temporal poles. He shows very little dominnt
frequency, making the term "dominant frequency"
oxymoronic. Soon after his initial set of training we
discovered that his sleep spindle, and presumably
sensorimotor rhythm, was in the 10-12 Hz range,
overlapping his alpha range -- and this may be common
to autistics.

Autism involves severe disturbances of attention,
often with evidence of compromised temporal lobe
function (Gendry et al., 2005). A careful QEEG
assessment of my son's data showed elevated delta in
his right temporal lobe. Delta activity is perfectly
normal -- for an infant, for cortex prior to
subcortical connection. Apparently this part of his
brain never joined the thalamocortical confederacy
that governed the rest of his cortex; it never
matured past infancy. And it is this area of the
temporal lobe which is important in the formation of
episodic memories, so I suspect his autobiographic
sense of himself is infantile, like a
schizophrenic's. His sense of experience often
collapses to self-referentiality, which is why he
laughs inappropriately, treats others as objects, and
generally has difficulty with social information. His
internal mental representations shout while the
sensory stream from the outside world remains a
whisper. We have to train him to shush his
auto-relational representation and grab hold of those
provided from without, so he can expand his world.

Neurofeedback training has been shown to be
beneficial for seizures, hyperactivity, attention
problems, anxiety, and sleep disturbances (Egner &
Sterman, 2006; Monastra et al., 2005; Hammond, 2005;
Hauri 1981). We evaluated the impact of operant
conditioning of temporal lobe activity on behavioral,
psychophysiological, and neurocognitive function. The
goal was to induce greater rhythmicity to his
anterior temporal poles, especially right sided.

Method
My son was diagnosed at three years of age with
autism and recent training used a 2-channel system.
Feedback images included animals, ocean life,
children playing, and family members. Audio feedback
included statements by his mother such as "you can do
it" or his brother exclaiming "Perfect!" and other
comments and sounds. A Neuro-ABC (Autism Behavior
Checklist), Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist
(ATEC), and WISC digit span were administered pre and
post training.

He underwent 20 half-hour neurotherapy sessions and
was evaluated pre- and post-training. Training
montages were C3-to-contralateral ear for the first 4
sessions and T3-T4 bipolar training for the remaining
16 sessions to address emotional lability. As the
subject's SMR rhythm was atypically slow (cf. Kaiser,
2002), reward band was set at 9-14 Hz, with 2-7 Hz
and 22-30 Hz inhibit bands to control artifact.
Jarusiewicz (2002) also began with a slower SMR
reward band, 10-13 Hz or lower depending upon the
child's condition.

Results
Cognitive & Behavioral Assessments: Forward digit
span improved from 4 items to 5 items after training
(i.e., 35th to 69th percentile improvement for his
age) although the Neuro-ABC and ATEC assessments were
inconclusive.

Behavioral Observations: He was highly engaged by
images and voices of family members. He became much
calmer and less talkative during sessions when
familial stimuli were used as rewards. In addition to
images, the client screen presented filtered EEG
signals and he attended to these complex signals as
he discovered how to alter his breathing to produce
SMR bursts, with subsequent reward, by the 3rd
session. After 19 sessions he showed signs of
improved self-regulation by cleaning up and washing
his hair on his own. Greater rhythmicity was evident
across EEG sites after training.

Operant conditioning of temporal lobe activity
produced signs of EEG and cognitive normalization:
there was increased EEG rhythmicity during baseline
recordings and improvement in memory span
performance. Social functioning was specifically
targeted by temporal lobe training and the use of
social and emotional rewards (e.g., pictures of
children playing, faces, and emotional expressions)
and some improvements were observed in this domain,
although a quantitative assessment of sociality was
not performed. That symptom changes were observed
after only 20 sessions is remarkable and additional
training sessions are recommended as most clinical
studies for this population involve 30 or more
sessions. (This work was part of my student Justine
Paoletti's Senior project for Psychology at RIT.)

In my experience autism is a disorder of agency: too
much agency, too little reception, probably due to
too much testosterone and too little estrogen, a
neuroendocrine disorder with neuroanatomical and
physiological consequences. Inhibition training
(along with connectivity training) ought to be very
useful in addressing hyper-agency, especially if the
area of the cortex disconnected from subcortical
influence can be identified. After a modicum of
training (40 sessions), and a many other
interventions, my son was recently diagnosed with
P.D.D. by one psychiatrist who worked with him
briefly. But this is wishful thinking as my son's
world still orbits that black hole and he may
collapse into infinite auto-relation at any given
moment. Our goal is to slow and reverse his collapse
but only time will tell if we are successful and he
can join the expanding universe.

References

Egner T, & Sterman MB (2006). Neurofeedback treatment
of epilepsy: from basic rationale to practical
application. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 6,
247-57.

Gendry I, Zilbovicius M Boddaert N, Robel L, Philippe
A, Sfaello I et al. (2005). Autism severity and
temporal lobe functional abnormalities. National
Library of Science Medicine, 58, 466-900.

Hammond DC (2005). Neurofeedback with anxiety and
affective disorders. Child and adolescent psychiatric
clinics of North America, 14, 105-23.

Hauri P (1981). Treating psychophysiologic insomnia
with biofeedback. Archives of Gen. Psychiatry, 38,
752-758.

Jarusiewicz B (2002). Efficacy of neurofeedback for
children in the Autistic Spectrum: A Pilot Study.
Journal of Neurotherapy, 6, 39-49

Kaiser DA (2002). Rethinking Standard Bands. Journal
of Neurotherapy, 5, 87-96.

Monastra VJ, Lynn S, Linden M, Lubar JF, Gruzelier J,
& LaVaque TJ. (2005). Electroencephalographic
biofeedback in the treatment of AD/HD. Applied
Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 30, 95-114.

Paoletti JL & Kaiser DA (2006). Neurotherapeutic
Assessment and Training of an Autistic Individual.
Presented at 37th Assoc. Applied Psychophysiology &
Biofeedback, Portland, OR, April 7.

-DK
--------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Not Even Wrong: A Father's Journey into the Lost History of Autism
by Paul Collins
A journey into the realm of permanent outsiders.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582344787/eegspectrum

Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone
by Douglas Biklen, et al
Confronts misunderstandings and misperceptions about autism.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0814799272/eegspectrum

Handbook of Epilepsy Treatment: Forms, Causes and
Therapy in Children and Adults
by Simon D. Shorvon
Recent advances in treatment including new drugs, new
investigations, novel surgical approaches are discussed.
-- www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1405131349/eegspectrum

Soft Bipolar: Vivid Thoughts, Mood Shifts and Swings...
by Charles K. Bunch
Materials to provide outpatient treatment to "soft Bipolar" sufferers.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0595348246/eegspectrum

Trends in Brain Research
by F. J. Chen
Newest research on the brain
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1594547955/eegspectrum

Reflections on the Problem of Consciousness
by Errol E. Harris
How does electro-chemical activity in the brain
translate into conscious experience?
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1402043090/eegspectrum

Cannabis : A History
by Martin Booth
From 12th-century Sufi monks to today's druglords, a history of this
plant is discussed.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312424949/eegspectrum

Understanding Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction
by Novartis Foundation
Cigarette smoking kills nearly 5 million people per year worldwide,
and 10 million by 2020.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470016574/eegspectrum

--------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

Quantitative EEG in low-IQ children with ADHD : IQ is not reflected in
EEG
power measures for this population.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16793337

The origin of the focal spike in musicogenic epilepsy. : Right
temporal lobe,
notably the auditory area, is involved in musicogenic epilepsy.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16793574

Affect and the computer game player : In-game reinforcement and skill
impact
affective measures such as excitement and frustration.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16780398

EEG recording during TMS : Two electrode types can be used with TMS: a
conductive-plastic surface electrode with a conductive-silver epoxy
coat and a
subdermal silver wire electrode. After TMS pulses amplifiers recover
within 30 ms.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16793336

Cannabis and neurodevelopment: implications for psychiatric disorders. :
Cannabis use during adolescence can impact cognition, depressive
symptoms,
schizophrenia and substance use disorders in the long term.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16783814

Role of corticothalamic coupling in human temporal lobe epilepsy. :
Overall
increase of synchrony between thalamus and temporal lobe structures
during
seizures is seen, particularly at seizure onset.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16760199

Deactivation of brain areas during self-regulation of SCP : Unsuccessful
regulators fail to deactivate cortex below the training electrode.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16752105

Role of electroencephalography in ADHD : Discusses how EEGs may help
evaluate
ADHD children and those at risk.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16734521

EEG topography and tomography for pharmacodynamics of psychotropic
drugs. :
Shows how pharmaco-EEG topography and tomography assist in
neuropsychopharmacology and clinical psychiatry.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16733939

Functional and Anatomical Cortical Underconnectivity in Autism :
Underconnectivity in autistics was found during challenge, by reduced
synchronization between frontal and parietal areas of activation and
smaller
sections of the corpus callosum.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16772313

Impaired functional connectivity at alpha and theta bands in major
depression. : Right anterior and left posterior brain areas may
discriminate depressive
patients from controls in terms of connectivity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16779797

Brain maturation in adolescence: neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. :
Slow wave
EEG activity declined in a curvilinear fashion with gray matter volume
during
adolescence in specific area.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16767769

  ----------

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)

     * Washington DC Jun 21-24
     * Denver CO Jul 12-15
     * Atlanta GA Jul 26-29

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.


------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE             LOCATION           DATES

ISNR - www.isnr.org San Diego, CA Sep 6-9, 2007
AAPB - www.aapb.org Daytona Beach, FL May 13-18, 2008

------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

Auto-relation

Every Friday in 3rd grade math class (35 years ago)
we would play a game of competitive flash cards. Two
children would stand up and Mrs Thurston, our
teacher, would turn over a flash card with a problem
such as "8x7" If you answered "56" before the girl or
boy standing next to you could, you continued your
turn and stepped to the next row while your opponent
took the open seat beside you. Some minds break out
earlier than others and math is where my mind
emerged. My mental world was individuated at an early
point in development and I suspect much of my sense
of self remains shaped by such early individuation. I
was not able to hide in plain sight as some children
do.

As of late I've returned to 3rd grade, becoming more
mathematically-minded, less narrative minded. I've
been corresponding with a few mathematicians and
physicists via the ArXiv, an online repository of
p/reprints for math, physics, and all things
quantitative. Many of the scientists who work at
uncovering the contours of our universe speak of God
matter-of-factly, without reserve, as they attempt to
look over His/Her shoulder to crib answers off the
Test, this universe, as it were.

Autism, as the name implies, is a severe form of
auto-relation, an inertness, like the noble gases
Argon or Helium which rarely mix with other gases. We
all have degrees of autism in that we all live within
a world of our own making, unshared in the details,
though the gross sweep of events are communal. Like
turtles we all live in our own shell. Some of us poke
our legs and head out very far while others retreat
at the slightest provocation. My autistic son thinks
we inhabit his shell, which is a nice thought, but
not always easy to deal with.

So my brief proof is about auto-relation.
Auto-relation is my term for a number raised to a
power, a number multiplied by itself over and over
again. The most interesting auto-relation is 1 raised
to any power as it remains itself (1) forever.... or
so we thought. I show that it doesn't in my little
proof. (This is not like saying 2+2 = 5 for large
values of 2, but actually using the rules of
mathematics to punch a hole into auto-relation.)

Fortunately my mathematics rarely venture into
concepts beyond the 12th grade level but in this case
I need a little Cantor, which is college sophomore
math (i.e., his work on infinities). And for those
who hate math, rest assured, language is a stronger
form of math than math, as it possesses causality and
agency whereas math is impotent on these matters.
Everything math can do so can language, although math
is often more economic in expression. Language allows
higher forms of relation, as shown by its location in
the brain (i.e., more of its operations are performed
in the front of the brain than math).

I shopped this paper around to a handful of old-guard
mathematicians, which has been interesting. None said
it was wrong (yet?), only that it is unconventional
and enigmatic. Mathematical formulations can be as
beautiful as a sonnet, or more so, given their
universality. My mathematical proof uncovers an
until-now hidden point of creation, and makes a
commentary on autism, although that is hidden in the
equations. An autistic limits his auto-relation and
in doing so, fails to create anything but himself.
Only by making all things you, transfinite
auto-relation, do we make all things.

I can forward my brief paper to whoever cares to read
it, but I can summarize it here.

Entitled "Infinite auto-relation and dimensionality",
using a simple technique of identifying dimensions or
number planes: square-root of -1 = i, square-root
(-i)=j;, sqr (-j)=k, etc., until we've run the
square-root(-...) infinitely so. Now start on i, the
imaginary plane, and ask at what point do we
hyperdimensionally rotate to get to 1, the real
plane. Think of it like a circular table setting,
with your father sitting at your right side, and he
asked to you to pass the potatoes to him, but you can
only pass objects to the left side of the table. Now
the table is infinite in size, infinite place
settings, just like those family clan dinners on
Thanksgiving. My proof looks at how many people or
passes will it take until the potatoes reach him.
Taking the square-root (-(square-root(-x)) is a trick
which forces only leftward passing. And those who
encountered complex math in 11th grade know that the
real and imaginary planes are adjacent, square-root
(-1) = i, which in this analogy means adjacent to the
right.

There are five possibilities for passing the potatoes
leftward to reach my father at my right side: Either
(1) the potatoes can never reach him (the table is
endless but in a way which doesn't include him, which
isn't fair or correct), or (2) the potatoes reach him
and continue leftwards and onwards to me, which mean
they did reach him at some point in the passing, or
(3) the potatoes fall short and remain a few passings
away from him, which means infinity ran out of gas
which it is not allowed to do, or (4) the potatoes
reach me and I am my father, but I am not him so
that's cheating (and doesn't meet the orthogonality
requirement), so what remains is an infinite amount
of passes (called Aleph_0 by Cantor) to reach him.

Simple, but it now places i and 1 in "bidirectional"
relationship with each other, which for some reason
no one took the time in doing. Either one pass to the
right or an infinite amount to the left. Now the
passes (dimensions) were based on my
square-root(-...) trick, and we can rewrite the
formula so (sqr-(sqr-...sqr(-i) = 1 becomes -i = 1
[squared raised to infinity], which means 1 raised to
Aleph-1 + i = 0, so when 1 is multiplied by itself an
infinite number of times (the infinity of the
continuum), it becomes imaginary (i.e., equal to -i).

1^c + i = 0

I've sent it around and no one has found the flaw
(yet?). As my wife would ask, so what? Well, here is
my conclusion:

Infinite auto-relation of a mathematical nature (1
multiplied by itself and itself ...) features
orthogonal extension of similar magnitude. Does a
similar principle of dimensionality and auto-relation
underline nature? Does physical reality necessarily
feature non-physical dimension of comparable
magnitude? Or conversely, does mental auto-relation
necessarily attain physicality at some point? Further
understanding of auto-relation and dimensionality may
shed light on the mind-brain problem, such as how
neurophysical events are associated with qualia
(i.e., mental experience).

Metaphorically, the 1^c is seen by me as God thinking
"I am what I am" an infinite number of times, and
then an infinite number of times beyond that, and in
doing this S/He manifests Him/Herself orthogonally,
with equal strength, as a new plane of existence
which we experience as the universe. More amazing is
when our minds and all those around us are doing
exactly the same thing.

-DK
----end--

What's New in Neurofeedback
   A monthly summary of news & events

Vol. 10 No. 3 - March 2007

This newsletter is sponsored by
EEG Spectrum International Intl, Inc.,
a leader in providing clinical service and
training professionals.

Past issues are available at
start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/
Information on how to subscribe or cancel a
subscription appear at the end.
Opinions related in this newsletter reflect
those of the author only. Copyright (C) 2007
by David Kaiser or ESII. All rights reserved.

---------------------------------------------------
  Announcements - News
  Spotlight     - Principles of Learning: Refresher
  Reviews       - Books & journal papers
  Events        - Conferences, Courses
  Last Word     - Surrounded by the Brain
---------------------------------------------------

Announcements

-Brain creates 'new' nerve cells
-Brain 'cannabis' Parkinson's hope
-New brain cells love to learn
-Biggest neuroscience developments of the year
-How does human memory work?
-Technology Review: Fueling Brain Research
-Can a brain scan prove you're telling the  truth?

Links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
---------------------------------------------------

Spotlight

Principles of Learning: A quick refresher

Behaviorism was promoted by John B. Watson
in order to transform the field of
Psychology into an objective science. To do
so required that scientists studied
behaviors, not mental processes, and with a
focus on learning. There are three forms of
learning: habituation (simple, 1 stimulus),
associative learning (simple, passive,
external), and cognitive Learning (complex,
strategic, internal). Learning is an
adaptive1 permanent change2 in behavior3
that is produced as a result of prior
experience4

(1 occasionally maladaptive such as
depressed mental set, obsessions; 2 not due
to fatigue, injury; 3 includes behavioral
tendencies to respond that might not have
been tested; 4 excludes maturation,
disease, instinct)

Habituation is the simplest form of
learning; a response to repeated stimulus
declines across repetitions which is not
due to fatigue (e.g., a response will
reoccur if stimulus is changed). It is
non-associative learning as it involves
only one stimulus. Associative learning
involves associating one stimulus with
another.

Learn to associate two events are usually
classified into two approaches, Classical
Conditioning -- associate two stimuli,
where one acts as a signal for the other;
and operant Conditioning, being able to
associate a behavior in a setting with its
consequences. Classical Conditioning (or
Pavlovian conditioning) was pioneered by
Ivan Pavlov who needed saliva to study
early digestive processes and would inject
meat powder into a dog's mouth. He noticed
how after a few injections, just presenting
the syringe to the dog, or just his
footsteps approaching the animal would
start the salivation. From this observation
grew the fully realized field of Classical
Conditioning in which an Unconditioned
Stimulus (UCS) which automatically triggers
a response (e.g.,food in mouth) has a
physiological (hard-wired) association
called the unconditioned Response (UCR). It
is an unlearned automatic response to
unconditioned stimulus. You salivate when
food is in your mouth automatically. Now
the interesting point is not the
physiology, but the psychology of it all.
How we learn to associate another stimulus
with the UCS. The Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
-- a neutral stimulus such as a bell
sounding -- becomes associated with UCS
through repeated pairings. With enough
pairings, the CS triggers (is conditioned)
response a Conditioned Response (CR),
nearly the automatic response but usually a
bit weaker (e.g., less salivation). But it
is learned, slightly weaker (a bit less
salivation in our example)

It was once thought that anything could be
used as a signal for any other stimulus and
that temporal Contiguity was thought to be
sufficient, the CS simply needs to occur
immediately prior to UCS for conditioning
to take place. Through research we
discovered that temporal Contiguity is Not
Enough. There must be Contingency: The CS
must reliably predict the occurrence of the
UCS (Rescorla, 1966) and more importantly,
Informativeness: The CS must provide new
information for predicting the occurrence
of the UCS. If first I train my cat to come
running for food when I turn on the
can-opener (nearly instinctual to them),
and then also sound of the refrigerator
door opening at the same time in later
training sessions, my cat will never use
the sound of the door opening as a signal
because she already has a perfect signal.
Only if I untrain the can-opener sound by
not providing food when it's run alone and
provide food after opening the fridge, only
then will the fridge door sound become a
signal. In classical conditioning terms, in
the earlier scenario, the can-opener
blocked the fridge door conditioning.

Another initial idea that didn't hold in
classical conditioning was
equipotentiality: any two stimuli could be
associated through conditioning. Not true,
the taste and smell of our food is
associated with sickness, not the sounds of
the restaurants or our dining companion.

Turning to Operant Conditioning, this field
of study began with the Law of Effect by
Thorndike which briefly put says that
Rewarded behavior is repeated. That's it.
Through trial-and-error learning, an animal
or person learns what behavior will be
rewarded in a setting or situation and what
will not. We call this field Operant
Conditioning nowadays due to the
contributions of B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)
who built on Thorndike's Law of Effect and
among other things discovered schedules of
reinforcement which built Las Vegas in the
desert, among other things.

Operant Behavior is called such because
this form of conditioning involves
voluntary behaviors, not involuntary ones.
The person or animals operates [acts] on
environment and by linking behavior with
its consequences, a behavioral response to
a setting or situation is optimized. A
reinforcer using Skinner's definition is
any event that follows behavior AND
strengthens it. Skinner invented the
Operant Chamber (called a "Skinner Box")
and I believe he partly raised his daughter
for a spell in a modified version. I am
raising my kids in one, or they are raising
me, but in my case the Skinner box is two
stories with a basement and attic. In
Skinner's chamber, there was a bar that an
animal can press to obtain a food
reinforcer and the frequency of responses
were recorded along with whatever parameter
was manipulated such as intervals or ratio
of responses. It was a dissertation
generated extraordinaire, and even better
from some of the students' perspectives,
Skinner detested statistical analysis; he
thought such summaries often washed out the
important findings.

There are two forms of Reinforcers: primary
Reinforcer, those items that serve to
satisfy a biological need such as food,
water, warmth, and Red Sox games. And
secondary reinforcers, or conditioned
reinforcers, which gain its reinforcing
power through association with primary
reinforcer, such as social approval from
loved ones and money (i.e., social approval
from strangers)

In terms of schedules of reinforcement, you
can reward after every behavior you are
training for or only occasionally after
these behaviors are generated. The former
is continuous Reinforcement -- reinforcing
the desired response each time it occurs --
and although learning occurs rapidly,
extinction occurs just as rapidly, which is
why the world runs on Partial Reinforcement
schedules, reinforcing a response only part
of the time. Sure, the learning may occur
more slowly, but there is more resistance
to extinction, meaning that when the reward
is pulled, the behaviors may continue for
awhile.

There are four general schedules of
reinforcement: Fixed Ratio (FR) in which a
behavior is reinforced only after behavior
occurs a specified number of times. So the
faster you respond, the more rewards you
get! There can be an number of ratios,
e.g., mean half of the trials are
reinforced, one-third, one-hundredth.

The FR results in a very high rate of
responding. Someone paid by the word is
using FR. One could also use the schedule
that built Vegas (and all gambling
establishments), the variable Ratio (VR),
in which a behavior is reinforced after an
unpredictable number of times, but will
average to some rate like FR. So one
average one-third of the trials are
reinforced, but it may be the 1st trial,
3rd trial, and 9th trial to produce 3
rewards across 9 behavior elicitations. The
VR is prominent in gambling, fishing,
dating, and much of life, and it is the
hardest schedule when it comes to
extinguishing behavior once reward has
stopped because of its unpredictability. VR
is at work when we buy a lottery ticket. We
are guaranteed to win, but not every time;
we might have to buy 2 million tickets or
more before we get a lucky scratch.

The ratio schedules give control of the
reward to the animal or person. The more
they do, the more they are rewarded.
Control is given to the reward
administrator when interval schedules are
used. With a Fixed Interval (FI), behavior
is reinforced only after a specified time
has elapsed. This produces in the person or
animal increasing amounts of the behavior
when the time for reward window of
opportunity or time-window draws near. For
instance, if I tell my daughter I will pay
her $1 if her room is clean when I check it
and I always check it on Saturdays (a fixed
interval of 7 days), she will clean her
room when? Friday night, of course. In the
Variable Interval (VI), behavior is
reinforced at unpredictable time intervals
like pop quizzes in school or watching the
night sky during a meteor storm and seeing
a shooting star. This produces slow, steady
responding. If I check my daughter's room
randomly, she'll clean her room but not as
often (or predictably) as with a FI, and
neither as often than if I use an FR or VR.
I can imagine an FR at 1/3rd and she needs
$10 for a movie, so she messes up her room,
cleans it, messes it, cleans it, etc., as
quickly as she can.

Most behaviors are so complex that they
will not spring spontaneously from an
animal or person's natural repertoire.
Throwing a 75 mile curve ball that cross
home plate in baseball doesn't just happen
spontaneously, the individual's behavior
must be shaped. Shaping refers to rewarding
successive approximations to goal behavior.
So throwing a baseball with spin, then with
the proper spin, then with enough velocity,
then near the plate, then finally over the
plate. Each stage is rewarded and takes
months to years to shape to a final
behavior rewarded with a swing and miss by
the batter.

Where there is reinforcement, there is also
punishment. Withholding reward in certain
contexts is punishment, as my kids inform
me when one gets a treat and the others do
not. Punishment is any aversive event that
decreases the behavior that it follows.
There are two forms of reinforcement and
two forms of punishment. Positive
reinforcement, Negative reinforcement,
Positive punishment, Negative punishment.
Sounds confusin, even oxymoronic --negative
reinforcement, positive punishment, but the
positive and negative refers to presenting
a stimulus (positive) or withdrawing a
stimulus (negative). A treat is positive
reinforcement, stopping your sister's
crying is negative reinforcement (removing
an aversive stimulus). Likewise, walking
into a door while chatting and distracted
is positive punishment (presenting an
aversive stimulus) and taking away the TV
remote control or taking away dessert is
negative punishment (removing an appetitive
or good stimulus).

The problems with punishment is mostly that
the punished behavior is not forgotten,
it's merely suppressed, usually around the
punisher, and the behavior may return when
punishment is removed. Physical punishment
causes increased aggression and fear and
may generalize to undesirable behaviors,
e.g., fear of school. Punishment does not
necessarily guide a person toward desired
behavior: Rreinforcement tells us what to
do, punishment tells us merely what not to
do. So all in all punishment most teaches
us how to avoid it

Operant and Classical Conditioning cannot
explain a number of phenomena such as
latent Learning -- learning without
reinforcement (Tolman & Honzig, 1930),
Observational Learning -- learning without
behaving or being reinforced directly
(Bandura, 1977), Overjustification -- when
rewards decrease the frequency of behavior
(such as paying someone to help you who
initially offered the help for free), and
the death knell of behavioristic principles
in addressing all phenomena was language
Acquisition. Chomsky's critique of Skinner
marked the end of behaviorism as the
dominant paradigm of psychology.
Association is insufficient to explain
language learning. We acquire rules of
language, not instances, due to genetic
endowment for language, according to
Chomsky. Mere associations between words
cannot explain why a child says "I goed to
the store" or "he bringed the candy."

The end of behaviorism's dominance led
directly to the cognitive revolution in
Psychology. By George, people actually do
possess a mind.

-DK
---------------------------------------------------
Reviews

NEW BOOKS

The Johns Hopkins Atlas of Digital EEG
by GL Krauss and RS Fisher
Tutorial on how to read digital EEG, including a collection of MRI images
showing positions of standard EEG electrodes. --
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0801883725/eegspectrum

Teaching Children with Autism to Mind-Read
by Howlin
How to teach social brain skills to those less inclined.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470093226/eegspectrum

Medtronic Forum for Neuroscience and Neuro-Technology 2005
by Bob van Hilten (Editor), Bart Nuttin (Editor)
Newest neurotechnology advances are described.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0: 3540327/eegspectrum

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Communication
by Vesna Mildner
One of the most exciting applications for neuroimaging is in the field of human
communication - disorders and normal development.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805854363/eegspectrum

Hot Thought: Mechanisms and Applications of Emotional Cognition
by Paul Thagard
Explains how emotions influence thought.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/026220164X/eegspectrum

Addiction and Change
by Carlo C. DiClemente
Discusses competing theories, data, and arguments on addiction treatments.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 1593853440/eegspectrum

-----


JOURNAL PAPERS

Mapping brain structure in attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder :
Structural brain abnormalities associated with ADHD were localized to attention
and executive systems.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17291727


Cortical inhibition and excitation in abstinent cocaine-dependent patients :
Cocaine users show an elevated resting motor threshold and increased
intracortical facilitation.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17314673


Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Biofeedback for Fibromyalgia. : A pilot study with
promising results of using HRV biofeedback for fibromyalgia.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17219062


Greater Cortical Gray Matter Density in Lithium-Treated Bipolar patients. :
Gray matter density was greater in treated bipolar patients, notably in
cingulate and paralimbic cortex.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17240360


Lifetime Prevalence of Learning Disability Among US Children. : Half of all
learning disability occur in children with special health care needs.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17272589


Nonlinear analysis in EEG biofeedback treatment of intractable epilepsy :
Complexity and approximate entropy of EEG increase after a month of SMR
uptraining and theta downtraining in 5 epileptics.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17281256


Classification of Schizophrenia and Depression by EEG with ANNs. : Artificial
neural networks were used to effectively distinguish clinical disorders based
on their EEGs.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17282791


Frontal brain asymmetry measures in diagnosis of depression. : Frontal EEGs in
21 individuals revealed that current or previous incidence of depressive
disorders tend to have an extreme asymmetry ratio.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17282020
---------------------------------------------------

Events

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)

  Glendale CA May 17-20
  NYC NY May 31-Jun 1
  Washington DC Jun 21-24
  Denver CO Jul 12-15
  Atlanta GA Jul 26-29


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, Brown University Medical School,
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.
---------------------------------------------------

Conferences

SABA - www.skiltopo.com   Catalina, CA   Jun 2006
---------------------------------------------------

Last Word

Surrounded by the Brain

Our minds emerge in the world surrounded,
surrounded not only by the world itself but
by a structure we call the brain, an
intricate device coupled to the mind in
ways not fully understood. Most of us find
this mate a friend, and thoroughly explore
it, but many fear becoming fully intimate
with this stranger. A creature organizes
itself by modulating its relationship with
the world and this includes its
relationship to the brain.

We divvied up social control on much of
this continent to three branches of
government: executive, legislative, and
judicial. The brain is similarly divided in
three governing bodies, at least in terms
of organizational rhythms. Frontal theta,
sensorimotor, posterior dominant. Judicial,
executive, legislative. Why rhythms instead
of constant chatter? See it once, maybe
it's real or maybe it's imaginary,
hallucinatory, false. See it twice, likely
real, unlikely false. Witness it three
times, more and more real with each
repetition. Rhythms stabilize the
processors so they are unified in time and
energy when new information comes in.

Too few people outside of neuroscience and
neurotherapy who grasp the importance of
rhythmicity and feedback loops in the
brain. The sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) was
identified in cats when the animals were
forced to wait before responding to a
reward. Each cat awaited a signal -- a
light above a lever -- and stood quietly
until the light went on. When it did go on,
the animal transformed ongoing imagined
movement in its head into external motor
movement. You might say the sensorimotor
rhythm was present whenever a cat imagined
moving without moving. My shorthand for SMR
is the motor quiescence rhythm, present
whenever the motor pathway is inhibited.
Likewise, alpha activity is the sensory
quiescence rhythm, and frontal theta the
executive quiescence rhythm -- all this
inhibition going on. The importance of
inhibition to brain function, however,
cannot be understated. Neurosurgeon Joseph
Bogen used to summarize brain function for
non-neuroscientists with the following
koan:

The brain consists of inhibitory systems
which inhibit inhibitory systems which
inhibit inhibitory systems which inhibit
other inhibitory systems...

If you grasp this, you grasp why
neurotherapy is so powerful. Neurotherapy
provides a feedback loop under volitional
control. Volition is the most important
source of action we have. Once something
falls under volitional control, it can be
reorganized to our benefit including the
brain. In human EEG we primarily alter the
rhythms associated with the extensive
thalamocortical circuitry of the brain,
bringing one of the major sources of
inhibition to a tangibility never before
known. With the proper tools an individual
may adjust the amount of inhibition (or
shared inhibition) for any accessible
regions of the brain. Not bad. The mind can
finally watch and control the brain.

The Diagnostic and Statistical manual (DSM)
defines mental disorders by symptoms, age
at onset, predisposing factors, and similar
factors. Neurophysiological and
neuroanatomical substrates of disorders are
overlooked. This means that disorders of
similar cortical dysfunction are delineated
from each other, even segregated into
different axes. However pharmacology shows
us that when a treatment is developed to
remedy a specific neurotransmitter action,
a whole host of DSM conditions are
impacted. For instance, Prozac has been
found to be effective in treating bulimia,
anorexia nervosa, childhood depression, and
fibromyalgia. Depakote may be effective in
treating migraines, anxiety, and complex
partial seizures, but what if the term
neurofeedback appeared in its place? Would
there be any different reaction from
skeptics? Do we believe molecules control
the brain more than the mind?

Grant applications often fall victim to DSM
balkanization. One reviewer of a chemical
dependency grant rejected the grant partly
on the grounds that although there was good
evidence of alpha-theta neurofeedback being
effective in treating alcoholism, there was
no evidence whatsoever of alpha-theta
neurofeedback being effective in treating
chemical dependency. (The study was
eventually published despite NIDA's refusal
to fund it; Scott, Kaiser, Othmer, &
Sideroff, 2005.) Fifty years of research
has shown neuroanatomical commonalities
among all behavioral and chemical
addictions (e.g., Olds, 1955; Sari, Bell, &
Zhou, 2006); but because the DSM-IV
describes various addictions on different
pages, they are often treated as separate
and unrelated entities.

Neurofeedback requires a re-evaluation of
the power of the mind to affect the brain,
which is not anything new to those of the
younger generations. But for those who
memorized the DSM and think of the brain as
the controller or apart from the mind in
some ethereal way, then such mental
dominance of the hardware is hard to grasp.
But the mind inhabits the brain, it is a
mate created by the reaction to volition, a
higher representation of mind, solidified
to so where the infinities interact. We
have only to embrace the brain fully to be
always new again.

-DK

References

Olds, J. (1955). "Reward" from brain stimulation in the rat. Science, 122, 878.

Scott WC, Kaiser D, Othmer S, & Sideroff SI. (2005). Effects of an EEG
biofeedback protocol on a mixed substance abusing population. American Journal
of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 31, 455-69.

Sari Y, Bell RL, & Zhou FC. (2006). Effects of chronic alcohol and repeated
deprivations on dopamine D1 and D2 receptor levels in the extended amygdala of
inbred alcohol-preferring rats. Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research,
30, 46-56.

-DK
---------------------------------------------------

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

Vol. 10 No. 2 - February 2007

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) 2007 by EEG Spectrum
Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Too Infinite a Mind
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Dark Ages of Neurofeedback
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements

What's New in Neurofeedback enters 10th year, the world's longest-running
continuously published webzine dedicated to mental health (Jan 1998-2007).

     * Belief in Reincarnation Tied to Memory Errors
     * Mild brain injuries linked to sleep disorders
     * Report puts a pacifier on 'smarter baby' debate
     * Brain Can Learn Fear By Seeing Others' Fears
     * Playing Music Makes You Smart
     * Technology Review: Fueling Brain Research
     * Can a brain scan prove you're telling the truth?
     * Quiz: How healthy is your brain?
     * Boosting Brain Power May Be Steps Away

       All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
--------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Too Infinite a Mind

All things that are even said to be consist of a one
and a many, and have in their nature a conjunction of
limit and unlimitedness - Plato

Except for a handful of midline structures, every
region of the brain has a partner, a homologue that
performs a similar but complementary function. The
homologue exists in the other hemisphere of the brain
and is highly connected with its partner, perhap more
connected to this cross-town rival than to any other
structure on its own side of town (intrahemispheric).
One theory of homologues is that they provide context
for processing content, the surround that makes sense
of the middle. Perhaps. Or perhaps they work in
opposition to each other to disambiguate incoming
sensory information. For instance, the left primary
auditory cortex is specialized for processing
phonemes (verbal sounds) and its homologue in the
right processes environmental sounds and music, so at
any time the words and music can be understood
separately and together. Or the words and tone in
speech. In QEEG analysis we have eight homologue
site-pairs using the 10-20 electrode position system:
F7 is with F8, F3 with F4, P3 with P4, etc. At AAPB
this March we saw how damage (seizure focus) or
disconnection (callosotomy) at one of the site-pairs
produced energy disregulation at the other. Why this
is the case is a matter of neuroscientific
investigation, although my longstanding conception of
the mind in terms of dimensionality may shed some
light on the matter: what it means to have a
dysfunction partner?

The role of homologues recently became a personal
concern. We analyzed my autistic son's EEG at one of
my workshops and determined quite clearly that he had
excessive delta activity in his right temporal lobe.
Cortical areas produce delta in isolation, when they
are without substantial subcortical (white matter)
innervation. Delta activity is normal for an infant's
brain, given its limited connectivity, but not for a
9 year old's, which makes me suspect that this part
of his brain never ripened, never connected
subcortically. It remained infantile and any
governance over the left temporal region (via the
anterior commissure or anterior section of the corpus
callosum) is minimal at best. Which means his left
temporal lobe is developing alone, in isolation,
unchecked by a partner, feral. While his right
remains infantile, perhaps even bullied into
submission by the governance of a mature homologue on
the left.

It took me many years to finally get the nature of
the left and right hemisphere function straight in my
head. I knew the data and dozens of
characterizations, but I always conceived the right
hemisphere as infinite, holding all the varieties of
personal experience in tow, while the left hemisphere
was focal and therefore infinitesmal in its aspect. I
also knew that the left brain was expressive, the
right receptive, so I imagined the universe, as
reflected by the marvelous 3-lb version we carry
within our heads, was a creation derived from the
freedom of the infinitesmal scurrying about unhinged
by relational constraint (being so small) within the
infinite. In other words agency came about from the
small acting upon the large, the nothing freely
skipping about within everything. Boy was I wrong!
One day I tripped and forgot to fall...mentally, that
is, and the proper arrangement fell into place.
Reverse what I just said: The left acts because it is
infinite and the right receives because it is
nothing, i.e., infinitesmal in nature. Suddenly the
split brain patients who claim to experience no
change in their sense of self after a callosotomy
make sense. We speak from the left brain and it's
easy to see how the infinite wouldn't miss the
infinitesmal, but not vice versa. The split brain
data should have made me understand this from day
one.

Georg Cantor was a mathematician who lived a century
ago who understood infinity better than the rest of
us. He broke from the Aristotlean tradition and
conceive of some infinities as closed entities unto
themselves, such as the set of natural numbers, and
in so doing invented transfinite sets. Transfinity is
based on the premise that not all infinities are
created equal. Some infinities are larger than
others. The set of rational numbers (fractions,
integers) is infinite yet smaller than the set of
real numbers (those decimal numbers without end). No
two rational numbers can be close enough that a real
number cannot squirm between them like a smaller
cuter younger brother. It is this concept of
scaleable infinities which helps me understand
autism, my son's condition. In a nutshell, I believe
he has too infinite a mind. That is, on the left
temporal lobe he hasn't joined our infinity but
staked out his own. Think of the mind as a rug
extended across an infinite hallway with doors at
either end. We suppose to cover the hallway floor but
his rug is curled up behind the far door and leaves
bare much of the floor at the other end.

Physicists say that nearly all of the matter of the
universe is dark, 96% according to some estimates.
Dark matter fails to emit enough electromagnetic
radiation to be detected directly but its
gravitational influence can be infered by the shape
and motions of galaxies. It is the missing mass of
the universe and it is all around us and even inside
of us. We can think of dark energy and matter as that
which is behind the hallway doors. It is that realm
from which we pull when we create. We draw out dark
energy (left brain creation or thoughts) or dark
matter (right brain thoughts) and make it light. Dark
energy are those infinities larger than our own; dark
matter nothingness deeper than out own. Geniuses like
Cantor expand our rug and pull much of the darkness
into the hall, creating more light, and here we all
sit, except my son. His rug does not cover the floor.
Perhaps only a small fraction is left bare, a percent
or less than ours, but it is enough to throw off his
relations with the world.

Here are the four dimensions currently established in
ourselves (universe) posed as four questions:

Are we alone? Yes and no.
Are we centered? Yes and no.
Are we everything? Yes and no.
Are we constant? Yes and no.

That singularity (alone) began the process, according
to my reckoning, before the infinite (everything) is
intriguing, if true. That the "center" of the
universe is everywhere at once spatially and
temporally means also livingly as well. We are each
its center. How could it be otherwise. A beautiful
way to live one's life.

But back to my son. The temporal lobe is where we
finalize our relation to the world. We store in the
medial portion and relate at the pole. Here we create
two selves, a universal one and a unique
autobiographical one. So my son falters in the
autobiographical creation of a self (right temporal),
and fails to say enough "no" to the question of
constancy. His too infinite mind on the left
(constant -- yes! yes! yes!) must be curbed, but only
the zero can curb infinity.

Besides delta-downtraining, perhaps some
autobiography training will help strength this area.
Each day in school he should repeat what happened to
him that day, and what happened to others around him,
and build a story of his life. Like other autistics
who hate routine changes, he needs to accept the
inconstancy of life and not fear it. How else are we
move on to the fifth question....

-DK
--------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Rapid Review Neuroscience
by James Weyhenmeyer, Eve A. Gallman
Learn about the most important structure of the 21st century.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0323022618/eegspectrum

Primates and Philosophers: How Morality Evolved
by F de Waal, S Macedo, J Ober (Eds)
Illustrates the evolution of morality through primatology data, relevant to
pleasure, addiction,
sociality. --www.amazon.com/ exec/obidos/ASIN/00691124/eegspectrum

Alcohol Abuse Revolution: Complementary and
Alternative ...
by Donna J. Cornett
Alternative interventions to reduce alcohol craving and consumption are
described.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0976372029/eegspectrum

Depression (Key Diseases Series)
by JL Levenson (Editor)
Depression in the medically ill, diagnosing and management of depression and
other practice
guidelines. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0943126851/eegspectrum

----

JOURNAL PAPERS

Epilepsy from extended treatment with electroconvulsive therapy. : Describes a
handful of patients who developed epilepsy during extended courses of ECT.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17185006

Heritability of EEG Spectra in a Sib-pair Population. : Heritabilities of
bipolar EEG spectral power ranged from 0.10 to 0.63 in 38 electrode-pairs,
monopolar from 0.23 to 0.68 in 19 electrodes, in six frequency bands.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17180712

In vivo mapping of functional connectivity in neurotransmitter : Mapped
functionally connected brain areas responding to pharmacological challenge.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17188903

Independent Component Analysis in the Study of Focal Seizures. : ICA separated
components of ictal onset from propagated activity in focal seizures.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17143142

Magnocellular advantage in visual impairments in neurodevelopmental and
psychiatric disorders. : Abnormal visual information processing in
neuropsychiatric conditions may reflect dominance of magnocellular pathway in
driving cortical involvement.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17141311

Neurobiology of substance and behavioral addictions. : Neurobiology of both
forms of addictions (chemical and behavioral) may provide insight for prevention
and treatment strategies.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17146406

Gray matter changes in autism- social and repetitive behavior. : Gray matter was
enlarged in medial frontal & temporal gyri as well as sensorimotor cortex.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17166273

Awareness of deficits in traumatic brain injury : Low self-awareness scoring TBI
patients exhibited disinhibition, interpersonal problems and more difficulties
in total competency.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17166302

Spontaneous magnetoencephalographic activity in OCD : Prefrontal and temporal
cortices were linked to pathogenesis of OCD.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17156764

EEG abnormalities in adolescent males with AD/HD. : ADHD subjects showed lower
relative beta activity in posterior sites during eyes closed rest.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17166762

Alcohol and marijuana use during adolescence on hippocampal volume and
asymmetry. : Hippocampal asymmetry and left hippocampal volumes were associated
with adolescent heavy drinking.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17169528

  ----------

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)


  * St Louis MO Apr 12-15
  * Boston MA May 3-6
  * Glendale CA May 17-20
  * NYC May 31-Jun 1
  * Washington DC Jun 21-24
  * Denver CO Jul 12-15
  * Atlanta GA Jul 26-29

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.

------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE             LOCATION           DATES

SABA-      www.skiltopo.com/saba    Avalon CA May 2006
------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

Last Word

The Dark Ages of Neurofeedback, revisited

The field of neuroregulation and the field of
psychiatry share many common elements -- similar
patient population, similar office protocol, similar
practitioners -- and recently I was reminded of how
they both share something which weakens them --
conceptual pluralism. Both neuroregulation and
psychiatry suffer from conceptual pluralism, the lack
of a single overarching paradigm to unite
investigation. When paradigmic hegemony is absent, as
it is in these fields, competing and often
incompatible models coexist. In such an environment,
any theory, however irrational, can demand equal
attention with more established ideas. And they do.

Conceptual pluralism may be a necessary stage of all
disciplines. In fact the existence of clearly defined
models competing against each other may be a positive
thing. It may reflect a necessary stage, the passage
from formative upstart to mature science. But such
competition is just as likely to hinder advancement.
Too much competition can keep everyone in the dark,
out of the know, with too much interpretation spread
thinly across too little data. A field can wallow in
its own Dark Age. With too many Kings. Too many
Popes.

Paradigms force us to make decisions, early and
often. Paradigms drive scientific and clinical
investigation; facts are collected selectively,
studies devised entirely to refute or support one
aspect of a model. The opposite is happening in
(neuro)psychiatry today. Data are not being gathered
selectively, but indiscriminately, atheoretically.
Nearly every reasonable study from the past 30 years
is being re-run nowadays, with an fMRI machine
attached to the project. Will new insights be gained
from all the billions of dollars spent? Had those
resources been applied more cleverly, more
discriminately, who knows? Neuroscience has always
suffers from being data heavy, model weak.

Competition is at the root of creativity. In the
middle half of the 20th century, two promising
theories competed for the hearts and minds of
physicists-cum-cosmologists: either the universe
started with a Big Bang or it never had a start,
always was, and always would be in a Steady State.
They were opposing theories, contrary to the
exclusion of the other. Whenever and wherever
possible, data was collected and technology was
developed in order to refute the other model.
Sometimes it's not clear what data is relevant in the
real world, what observations should be made. But
with competition one's eyes are often widely opened,
one's priorities become crystal clear. So was the
case with the young field of cosmology. And from this
structured antagonism arose many unanticipated
bounties, from advances in radio telescopy to the
theory of stellar nucleosynthesis.

Yet too much competition can bring on melee, a
free-for-all, and the subsequent state of chaos and
anarchy. Reviewing the upcoming SNR conference, the
list of speakers and disparate philosophies behind
their talks, I was reminded of a team of horses
strapped together, all sweating at the bit, all
pulling in every direction at once. The cart may
lurch out of the muck every moment or so, but in
which direction is anyone's guess. It has been 30
years since SMR conditioning was invented (or was it
discovered?) and it seems like now it is the best of
times and the worst of times. Everyone thinks they
have the answer, everyone's technique and experience
outtrumps all comers. This field does not have a
single voice as some do, but instead makes a
cacophony, a jarring, rarely attractive sound to the
outside world. Can this be solve? Or is this
unresolvable? Will brain sciences forever be like
sausage or the law: to appreciate them, avoid
attending their creation?

So what can be done? What might speed the process
from gawky adolescent endeavor to mature and respect
discipline?

We need head-to-head comparisons, to repeat Dick
Stark's mantra -- a tournament, a series of jousts or
contests enacted through edited books. In each edited
volume, two models of protocol selection go head to
head, lance to lance, study against study. Dedicate
half a dozen chapters to each. All other contending
theories wait on the sidelines for the next contest.
It's a runoff election. The winner of the first
contest is paired with the next most promising
challenger in the next volume, etc. Like any fair
contest we allow rematches, especially when past
outcomes are unclear or new data demand it. Very
quickly we should be able to sort this thing out.

We might compare first behavioral/symptomatic models
of protocol selection compared to EEG-based protocol
selection (EEG normalization), and let the better
model win! Who knows? We may have a mature scientific
discipline on our hands in no time.

DK (original from August 2001)
----end--

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

Vol. 10 No. 1 - January 2007

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) 2007 by EEG Spectrum
Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - AAPB - Monterey, 2007
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - 2006 Index
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements

What's New in Neurofeedback enters 10th year, the world's
longest-running continuously published webzine dedicated to mental
health (Jan 1998-2007).

     * Want a better memory? Stop and smell the roses
     * Brain stimulation may ease headaches, studies find
     * Study: Seeing Red Lowers Test Scores
     * Scientists try to predict intentions
     * Technology Review: Fueling Brain Research
     * Can a brain scan prove you're telling the truth?
     * Quiz: How healthy is your brain?
     * Boosting Brain Power May Be Steps Away
     * Fighting memory loss through brain games, exercise and rest

       All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
--------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

AAPB - Monterey, 2007

Last month the 38th annual conference of
the Association for Applied
Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) was
held in Monterey, CA (February 13-15,
2007). As my students have heard before,
you learn the most from these large affairs
in the lounge, often after-hours, one on
one with speakers and other colleagues.
Here we can discuss the hearts of the
matter, a give and take which is missing
from most lectures. So my hope at any
conference is to have as much face-time as
possible with the people I want to see, and
to catch one or two great talks. This
conference did not disappoint.

Groups needs to synchronize and the best
synchronizing event of all time for AAPB
belonged to Herbert Benson, a pioneer in
behavioral and mind-body medicine, who had
an entire auditorium of 300 souls breathing
in unison to start off his keynote address
two years ago. This year we didn't breathe
in unison like a pod of killer whales but
the opening keynote was very good and
helpful, entitled " Stress Enhanced
Hippocampal Throughput & Mesolimbic
Dopamine - A Model for the Development of
Fibromyalgia Syndrome" by Patrick Wood. Dr
Wood explained a model of dopaminergic
involvement which explained FMS quite well.
I know next to nothing about fibromyaglia
but I came away from the talk believing
that one might treat this condition
incorrectly if one didn't understand the
full circuitry involved.

In the evening talk of the first day, Bob
Thatcher presented his interest in phase
reset in EEG signals at the Neurofeedback
Division dinner. He conjectured that phase
reset might be involved in consciousness.
Phase reset suggests a time-sensitive
global inhibitory influence on the entire
cortical circuitry. Amplitude reset also
occurs (Mormann et al., 2005). Bob plans to
investigate phase reset further, studying
its topography and other aspects of
behavior.

The next day I slipped into the symposium
entitled "QEEG Subtype Patterns in Autistic
Spectrum Disorder" by Laurence Hirshberg,
Robert Coben, Michael Linden, and Lynda &
Michael Thompson. More and more we are
finding frontal and temporal connectivity
disturbances in autism and this is very
promising in terms of treating this
condition as now we have the tools for
comodulation and coherence training. I once
thought that prolonged autism structurally
damages the brain, and this may true, but
of late I simply believe that these
individuals have the same complement of
tools and modules we all have and are
simply using them wrong> It's like we've
all been given a Lexus to drive, but these
individuals never learn the consensual way
to work the vehicle and instead drive them
in reverse, without mirrors, and offroad.
It's true that cortical structures may
alter under this severe learning
disability, but if they turn around and
drive on the road with the rest of us, we
might find out how normal the equipment can
become. This talk made me think about a
lecture I gave to students recently on the
Stroop effect and automatic processes.
There are controlled processes in the
brain, such as naming the color ink of a
word, which require attention and our
spotlight of consciousness in order to
work; and there are those functions which
are automatic, like reading or attending
auditorily to the environment, which are
done with little or no effort, often in
parallel, and really occur in our
preconscious. Autism may often be a case of
too many automatic processes remaining
controlled processes, especially
socio-emotive and holistic integrative
functions. We see the wholenesses of the
world because we don't try to see them.

The Claude Bernard Club was scheduled that
night. The requirement for attendance to
this talk is that each person has a peer
reviewed publication to his or her name so
the standard is not out of anyone's reach,
though it might be construed as an elitist
affair. Actually the $50 cover charge makes
it more so. Marco Iacoboni gave a great
talk on the mirror neuron system which
included video presentations of evidence of
the mirror neuron system in monkeys. A
monkey would see movement by an
experimenter and these mirror cells would
fire, ratatatat. The video was more
impressive than the details in any journal
paper. Marco outlined the mirror neuron
system in humans as we currently know it,
with important parts of the MNS in right
Brodmann area 44 and 45, if I recall
correctly, the right side analog to Broca,
along with parietal circuitry.

The next morning was our four hour
symposium entitled "Hemispheric
Interactions in Neuroregulation and
Neuropathology" with Eran Zaidel, Marco
Iacoboni, Dirk De Ritter, M. Barry Sterman,
and myself. Dirk, a neurosurgeon from
Brussels, explained how neurosurgeons are
needing more and more to know how the brain
actually works. As a neurosurgon, what they
only need to know until now was simply how
to get at various structures without
damaging much tissue. His research focuses
on tinnitus and embedding electrical
stimulators to ameliorate the condition,
but there was an opening for gamma training
if such training could triangulate
locations within the cortex with better
accuracy than referential recordings can
do. Barry followed with a discussion of
neurofeedback training effects on epilepsy
and the development of a mirror foci in
seizure disorder in the contralateral site
(homologue). In one case study, a seizure
patient caught in the first year of the
disorder underwent neurofeedback and it
apparently intervened and blocked
development of a mirror focus. I then
presented my evidence of magnitude
asymmetries in homologue sites of focal
seizures. A site's homologue has a very
special relationship with a site, appearing
to govern its energy relationship with
other brain sites. The homologue is not
unlike a spouse, I added, influencing how
much or how little one should react to
circumstances. An anterior callosotomy
patient I presented had an energy
disruption between those brain site
disconnected by the surgery, the cut in the
callosal fibers between them. This didn't
disturb the energy patterns between the two
primary sites adjacent to the cut (F3 and
F4) but each site's relationship to all
other sites was disrupted as each lost its
governing partner. The same was true for a
unilateral temporal lobe seizure case where
the site and its homologue showed abnormal
magnitude relationships with all other site
pairs. I also presented my "periodic table"
of EEG spectral properties, reviewing
local, network, and transformational
properties of EEG, putting each measure
such as comodulation, coherence, magnitude,
band ratios, etc into an extended table
based on phase or magnitude, consistency or
difference, one site or two, one frequency
or two. Eran, one of my two dissertation
chairs, described his impressive research
on hemispheric specialization and Marco
repeated his Claude Bernard talk, but now
with a focus on lateralization of the MNS.
There is evidence of different forms of
information being lateralized in MNS, but
for much of the system is bilateral. One of
the attendees commented at lunch how this
symposium was worth the cost of the
conference, which made the organizer of the
event extremely happy.

So all in all, a stimulating few days among
the neurofeedback community.

-DK
--------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Be a Parent, Not a Pushover: Guide to Raising Happy, Emotionally
Healthy Teens
by Maryann Rosenthal
Parenting guide for those years when children are pulling away but
still in need of guidance, structure, and love.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0785218912/eegspectrum

Depression and Physical Illness
by Andrew Steptoe (Editor)
Clinical, biological and epidemiological information on how to manage
depression in people suffering from physical illness.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0521603609/eegspectrum

The Frontal Lobes: Development, Function and Pathology
by Jarl Risberg, Jordan Grafman (Eds)
Evolutionary significance of frontal lobes and typical and atypical
development
pathways. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0521672252/eegspectrum

The Architecture of the Mind
by Peter Carruthers
Defends evolutionary psychology view of a modular mind -- i.e., brain
composed of numerous semi-independent modules with varying
connectiveness.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0199207070/eegspectrum

Applied Emotional Intelligence
by Tim Sparrow, Amanda Knight
How to develop emotionally intelligence attitudes and tactics for
their application.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470032731/eegspectrum

Freedom And Neurobiology: Reflections on Free Will, Language, And
Political Power
by John R. Searle
Free will debate, relevant to addiction perhaps.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0231137524/eegspectrum


JOURNAL PAPERS

Epilepsy from extended treatment with electroconvulsive therapy. :
Describes a handful of patients who developed epilepsy during extended
courses of ECT.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17185006

Heritability of EEG Spectra in a Sib-pair Population. : Heritabilities
of bipolar EEG spectral power ranged from 0.10 to 0.63 in 38
electrode-pairs, monopolar from 0.23 to 0.68 in 19 electrodes, in six
frequency bands.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17180712

In vivo mapping of functional connectivity in neurotransmitter :
Mapped functionally connected brain areas responding to
pharmacological challenge.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17188903

Independent Component Analysis in the Study of Focal Seizures. : ICA
separated components of ictal onset from propagated activity in focal
seizures.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17143142

Magnocellular advantage in visual impairments in neurodevelopmental
and psychiatric disorders. : Abnormal visual information processing in
neuropsychiatric conditions may reflect dominance of magnocellular
pathway in driving cortical involvement.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17141311

Neurobiology of substance and behavioral addictions. : Neurobiology of
both forms of addictions (chemical and behavioral) may provide insight
for
prevention and treatment strategies.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17146406

Gray matter changes in autism- social and repetitive behavior. : Gray
matter was enlarged in medial frontal & temporal gyri as well as
sensorimotor cortex.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17166273

Awareness of deficits in traumatic brain injury : Low self-awareness
scoring TBI patients exhibited disinhibition, interpersonal problems
and more difficulties in total competency.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17166302

Spontaneous magnetoencephalographic activity in OCD : Prefrontal and
temporal cortices were linked to pathogenesis of OCD.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17156764

EEG abnormalities in adolescent males with AD/HD. : ADHD subjects
showed lower relative beta activity in posterior sites during eyes
closed rest.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17166762

Alcohol and marijuana use during adolescence on hippocampal volume and
asymmetry. : Hippocampal asymmetry and left hippocampal volumes were
associated with adolescent heavy drinking.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17169528
  ----------

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)

  * 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.

------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE             LOCATION           DATES

SABA     www.skiltopo.com/saba    Avalon CA May 2006
------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

2006 Index

Spotlight articles

    1. Autism Neurotherapy Research
    2. Blinding the Brain
    3. Brain as plurality of organs
    4. Epilepsy
    5. Heights of rivers, lengths of mountains
    6. More about Child Development and Schools
    7. Social Normalization
    8. Technology-assisted self-regulation
    9. Two Angles at Testing Neurofeedback
   10. When will Neurotherapy Research go under the microscope?
   11. World is Too Much with Us
   12. Year in Neurofeedback - 2005
   13. Year in Neurofeedback - 2006

Last Word

    1. Addiction Numbers
    2. Autobiographical and Universal Selves
    3. Catering to Agency Deficiency
    4. Just a thought
    5. New Math
    6. Online Resources
    7. Other People's Words
    8. Re-evaluating one's belief system
    9. Selected Psych Films
   10. Somewhere over New York

----end--

What's New in Neurofeedback
   A monthly summary of news & events

Vol. 9 No. 12 - December 2006

This newsletter is sponsored by
EEG Spectrum International Intl, Inc.,
a leader in providing clinical service and
training professionals.

Past issues are available at
start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/
Information on how to subscribe or cancel a
subscription appear at the end.
Opinions related in this newsletter reflect
those of the author only. Copyright (C) 2007
by David Kaiser or ESII. All rights reserved.

---------------------------------------------------
  Announcements - News
  Spotlight     - Year in Neurofeedback - 2006
  Reviews       - Books & journal papers
  Events        - Conferences, Courses
  Last Word     - Addiction
---------------------------------------------------

Announcements

* Neurological disease common, survey finds
* 'Altruistic' brain region found
* Cholesterol decline may signal early dementia
* Folic acid may boost brain power in the elderly
* New method to treat brain trauma
* Boosting Brain Power May Be Steps Away

Links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
---------------------------------------------------

Spotlight

Year in Neurofeedback - 2006

Year 2006 saw a number of fMRI biofeedback papers along with non-English
publications in the field.


Batty MJ, Bonnington S, Tang BK, Hawken MB, Gruzelier JH. (2006). Relaxation
strategies and enhancement of hypnotic susceptibility: EEG neurofeedback,
progressive muscle relaxation and self-hypnosis. Brain Research Bulletin, 71,
83-90.

Becerra J, Fernandez T, Harmony T, Caballero MI, Garcia F, Fernandez-Bouzas A,
Santiago-Rodriguez E, Prado- Alcala RA. (2006). Clinical EEG & Neuroscience, 37,
198-203.
( Follow-up study of learning-disabled children treated with neurofeedback or
placebo.)

Beauregard M, Levesque J. (2006). Functional magnetic resonance imaging
investigation of the effects of neurofeedback training on the neural bases of
selective attention and response inhibition in children with
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback,
31(1):3-20.

Egner T, Sterman MB. (2006). Neurofeedback treatment of epilepsy: from basic
rationale to practical application. Expert Rev Neurother., 6, 247-57.

Cannon R, Lubar J, Gerke A et al. (2006). EEG Spectral-Power and Coherence:
LORETA Neurofeedback Training in the Anterior Cingulate Gyrus Journal of
Neurotherapy, 10, 5-31.

Cortoos A, Verstraeten E, Cluydts R. (2006). Neurophysiological aspects of
primary insomnia: implications for its treatment. Sleep Medicine Review,
10(4):255-66.
(Mentions promise of NF for insomnia).

Gruzelier J, Egner T, Vernon D. (2006). Validating the efficacy of
neurofeedback for optimising performance. Prog Brain Research, 159, 421-31.

Holtmann M, Stadler C. (2006). Electroencephalographic biofeedback for the
treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in childhood and
adolescence. Expert Rev Neurother, 6(4), 533-40. Review.

Huang-Storms L, Bodenhamer Davis E, Davis R, Dunn J (2006). QEEG-Guided
Neurofeedback for Children with Histories of Abuse and Neglect:
Neurodevelopmental Rationale and Pilot Study.Journal of Neurotherapy, 10 (4).

Monjezi S & Lyle R (2006). Neurofeedback Treatment of Type I Diabetes Mellitus:
Perceptions of Quality of Life and Stabilization of Insulin Treatment-Two Case
Studies. Journal of Neurotherapy, 10 (4).

Sterman MB, Egner T. (2006). Foundation and practice of neurofeedback for the
treatment of epilepsy. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback, 31, 21-35.

Quantitative EEG and neurofeedback. Zaidel E & Barnea, A (2006). Brain and
Cognition, 60, 329-330.
(Abstracts from a Tennet Symposium held two summers ago).

Multiple authors LENS: The Low Energy Neurofeedback System Journal of
Neurotherapy,10 (special issue).


Slow Cortical Potential Training

Berner I, Schabus M, Wienerroither T, Klimesch W. (2006). The significance of
sigma neurofeedback training on sleep spindles and aspects of declarative
memory. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback, 31, 97-114.

Lebedev MA, Nicolelis MA. Brain-machine interfaces: past, present and future.
Trends in Neuroscience, 29, 536- 46.

Strehl U, Trevorrow T, Veit R, Hinterberger T, Kotchoubey B, Erb M, Birbaumer
N. (2006). Deactivation of brain areas during self-regulation of slow cortical
potentials in seizure patients. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback, 31(1):85-94.

Trejo LJ, Rosipal R, Matthews B. Brain-computer interfaces for 1-D and 2-D
cursor control: designs using volitional control of the EEG spectrum or
steady-state visual evoked potentials. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil
Engineering,
14(2):225-9.


Functional MRI training


Bagarinao E, Nakai T, Tanaka Y. (2006). Real-time functional MRI: development
and emerging applications. Magn Reson Med Sci. 2006 Oct;5(3):157-65.
Laconte SM, Peltier SJ, Hu XP. Real-time fMRI using brain-state classification.
Hum Brain Mapp. Nov 28;

Yoo SS, O'Leary HM, Fairneny T, Chen NK, Panych LP, Park H, Jolesz FA. (2006).
Increasing cortical activity in auditory areas through neurofeedback functional
magnetic resonance imaging. Neuroreport, 17(12):1273- 8.


Non-English publications

Bazanova OM, Aftanas LI. (2006). [The use of individual EEG peculiarities for
increase of neurofeedback efficiency] Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova.
2006;106(2):31-6. Russian.

Leins U, Hinterberger T, Kaller S, Schober F, Weber C, Strehl U. (2006).
[Neurofeedback for children with ADHD: a comparison of SCP- and
theta/beta-protocols] Prax Kinderpsychol Kinderpsychiatr. 2006;55(5):384-407.
In German.

Zhong-Gui, Xiong; Hai-Qing, Xu; Shu-Hua, Shi (2006). The Controlled Study of
Effectiveness of EEC Biofeedback Training on Children with Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 14, 207-208.

-DK
---------------------------------------------------
Reviews

Twelve Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child: Drug-Free Alternatives
by Laura J. Stevens
Parental guide to effective techniques for combating ADHD
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 1583330399/eegspectrum

Clinical Neuroanatomy Made Ridiculously Simple
by Stephen Goldberg
A 1997 classic text that helps anyone master that neuroanatomy that is
essential to clinical care. --www.amazon.com/exec/
obidos/ASIN/0940780003/eegspectrum

Making a Good Brain Great: The Amen Clinic Program for Achieving...
Daniel G. Amen MD
Audio cassette of Dr. Amen's brain training ideas.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/073932229X/ eegspectrum

A Clinical Guide to Sleep Disorders in Children and Adolescents
by Gregory Stores
Thorough description of childhood sleep difficulties, including assessment and
treatment --www.amazon.com/exec/ obidos/ASIN/0521653983/eegspectrum

Handbook of Emotions
by M Lewis
From the philosophy of emotions to emotions in art and the humanities to
emotions in the mammalian brain and facial expressions.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1572305290/eegspectrum

The Mind: Its Nature and Origin
by Christiaan D. Van Der Velde
General introduction to neuroscientific investigations into the ultimate black
box, mind. --www.amazon.com/exec/ obidos/ASIN/1591021901/eegspectrum

An Adult Child's Guide to What's Normal
by JC & LD Friel
Practical guide to living a healthy life after being raised in an dysfunctional
family. --www.amazon.com/exec/ obidos/ASIN/1558740902/eegspectrum

Bipolar Disorder: The Latest Assessment And Treatment Strategies
by Trisha Suppes, Ellen B. Dennehy
Current assessment and treatment information for Bipolar Disorder.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 1887537252/eegspectrum

Annual Review of Neuroscience
by Jonathan P. Brown , et al
Topical investigations of the brain
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0824324293/eegspectrum
---
JOURNAL PAPERS


EEG coherence in children with ADHD and ODD : Children with ADHD and ODD had
reduced nearby intrahemispheric coherences compared to those without comorbid
ODD.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17140845


BCI technology as a tool to augment plasticity : Volitional control of cortical
signals hold great promise for treating injured and others.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17095557


Value of QEEG in clinical psychiatry: American Neuropsychiatric Association. :
Selectively reviews qEEG's applicability for disorders of childhood (learning
and attentional disorders), dementia, mood disorders, and others.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17135374


DTI study of white matter in obsessive-compulsive disorder. : OCD group exhibit
abnormal asymmetry of the cingulate.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17096398


Cerebral atrophy in patients with alcohol addiction : Alcohol dependent
patients showed lower gray matter density in precentral gyrus, middle frontal
gyrus, insular cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17088334


Neural basis of dyslexia : Dyslexic children exhibit reduced activation in
parietotemporal cortex, especially on the left side.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17050709


Learning disorders in epilepsy. : Learning disorders are present in one-fourth
of those with epilepsy.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17105453


Depression, anxiety, and resting frontal EEG asymmetry: a meta-analytic review.
: EEG correlates of emotion are supported by a meta-analysis, and some of the
between-study variance is explained such as how younger infant samples showed
larger effects than older ones.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17100529


Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Corpus Callosum in Addiction. : The genu and
rostral body of the corpus callosum was significantly damaged by cocaine
dependence.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17108711


Intrahemispheric EEG coherence for patients with schizophrenia. : Left
frontal-temporal beta coherence was associated with symptom severity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17140670
---------------------------------------------------

Events

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)
     * Oakland CA Feb 22-25
     * Jacksonville FL Mar 8-11
     * Houston TX Mar 22-25
     * St Louis MO Apr 12-15

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, Brown University Medical School,
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.
---------------------------------------------------

Conferences

AAPB - www.aapb.org       Monterey, CA   Feb 2006
SABA - www.skiltopo.com   Catalina, CA   Jun 2006
---------------------------------------------------

Last Word

Addiction

Is it a coincidence that the most addictive substance that is readily available
causes the most deaths per year? I present my students a photographic line-up
of plants and challenge anyone to place in order the most dangerous to the
least, as reckoned by deaths per years. The images are tobacco, coca leaf,
marijuana leaf, hops, grapes, and the poppy. Placing marijuana in this
murderers' row is absurd, like placing a boyscout on death's row, but so be it.
Even if I placed guns and knives in the line-up, little of the order would
change.

Of course the greatest killer is our gift from the Native Americans, tobacco.
That it is the most addictive substance is evident from the dependence rates
among users: 32% according to NIDA. Compare this to 23% for heroin, the
substance thought to be most addictive, and a clearer picture emerges. Nearly
40% of deaths in the U.S. this year are nicotine related. The next greatest
killer is red meat -- i.e., poor diet and lack of exercise. According to the
CDC, 435,000 tobacco-related deaths occurred in 2000, 400,000 due to
diet/exercise, 85,000 related to alcohol. Homocide accounts for less than
20,000 deaths, half the motor vehicle fatality rate and a third of those deaths
caused by pollution. Microbial agents kill 75,000 individuals a year in the
U.S. whereas illicit drugs eek in with 17,000 deaths. So in three years time
alcohol and tobacco will kill as many as illicit drugs kill in a century.

If we exclude tobacco, 1 in 15 US adults abuse or are dependent on substances
and only 1 in 5 seek and receive treatment. Among 12th grades, 70% will use
alcohol in the past year versus 39 % illicit drugs (mostly marijuana) and 1 in
4 will try tobacco.

We take a lifetime to achieve frontality in our experience, abstraction of
ourselves and our world under goal-oriented control by our frontal lobes, and
seconds to lose this ability with intravenous cocaine. Impairment through abuse
and dependence of substances may lead to hypofrontality for good, the brainstem
trumping the cortex, which is not good.

-DK
---------------------------------------------------

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

Vol. 9 No. 11 - November 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) 2007 by EEG Spectrum
Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Blinding the Brain
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Heights of Rivers
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements

  * Time past, time future intricately connected in brain
  * Sea Slug Offers Clues to Human Brain Disorders
  * Poor lung function tied to higher stroke risk
  * As Minds Age, What's Next? Brain Calisthenics
  * Drink 'cuts brain injury damage'

     All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
--------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Blinding the Brain

My three year old toddler likes to imitate Red
Skelton. He looks straight at you; then after a
moment he cuts his right eye inward until it seems
to almost vanish behind his nose, freaking you out.
Of course he doesn't have a clue who Red Skelton is,
nor do any of my 20-something students; he simply
has a lazy eye and it needs to be treated and this
is usually done by placing a patch over the good
eye, blinding it so that the weaker eye can
strengthen in its absence. As we all know, sometimes
you have to hold back the strong in order for the
weak to show their ability. In terms of brain
therapy, why not blind one of the brains on
occasion?

For more than a hundred years we've known that
certain brain functions are performed solely within
one hemisphere and not the other (e.g., Broca, 1865;
Coslett, 2007). Speech and metaphor, mathematical
calculation and visual imagery, perception of
phonemes and perception of emotions, are all
strongly lateralized. Facial recognition, for
instance, is localized to the right posterior
hemisphere in most individuals and damage to the
left posterior cortex has little effect on this
function. Left hemisphere structures alone appear to
mediate appetitive drives and positive emotions
whereas right brain structures underlie aversive
states and negative emotions such as disgust
(Davidson, 1998; Robinson & Downhill, 1995).
Occasionally the two modes of processing are
complementary, but often each hemisphere feud like
siblings, interfering with the other's behavior. In
split brain patient research it is not uncommon to
obtain a response from a hemisphere poorly equipped
for a task, even when the other hemisphere is better
organized to handle such stimuli such as phoneme
identification. The same is true for normal (brain
intact) individuals (e.g., Zaidel, 1995), which
means that competition is the rule inside the head
as well as out.

That brain function reflects incompatible modes of
ideation in constant competition with each other has
powerful implications for neurotherapy.
Neurofeedback may be used to restore balance to
hemispheric processing and initiate a reintegration
of the two sides of the brain, or it may be used to
differentiate hemispheric function when that is
called for. Periodically activating one hemisphere
and not the other can allocate attention to
underused faculties and even help establish
left-sided dominance when lacking. Unihemispheric
activation on its own, regardless of induction
technique, may prove to be effective for a wide
range of psychopathologies. In 1970 Eran Zaidel
developed the z-lens, contact lenses with darkened
visual fields, either the left or right half.
(Z-lens were recently featured on the CBS show "3
Lbs".) His research focused on split-brain patients
and hemispheric specialization, and not clinical
application directly, but Schiffer (1997) revived
z-lens for therapy. He placed masking tape over the
left (LVF) or right visual fields (RVF) of safety
glasses and he found that most patients reported
more anxiety while wearing the z-glasses (though he
did not call the apparatus by this name). Depressed
patients reported more anxiety with LVF glasses
(RVF-blocked/RH activating) and PTSD patients had
more anxiety wearing RVF glasses.

In terms of neurotherapy, preferential activation or
inhibition of a single hemisphere may augment the
therapeutic effect of EEG training. Unihemispheric
activation or inhibition could be readily attained
with unilateral (one-sided) photic stimulation by
simply instructing individuals to look far to the
right or left (even through closed eyelids), thereby
restricting stimulation to one visual field and one
hemisphere. Or EEG biofeedback could be lateralized
by wearing z-glasses during part of a session, or by
simply instructing a client to focus to the left or
right of the field of stimulation (i.e., left or
right edge of the PC monitor). I made my own pair of
z-glasses last year and watched a movie in a theatre
so adorned. Although my occluded right brain should
have been able to "watch the movie" via signals
through my intact corpus callosum (minimizing the
effect of stimulus lateralization), it didn't.
Wearing the unusual glasses changed the experience
(and not just socially!). It made the film's story
hollow, with little emotional traction, until I took
the glasses off and let my right brain share in the
content stream directly. Apparently the
200-million-fiber "ether cable" between my
hemispheres down-sampled the content so that my
right brain caught only a rendering of the
information and not the information itself. In other
words callosal transfer is no substitute for direct
input via the senses. So the z-glasses work.

I also wore an ear plug in my left ear while
watching the film. Unilateral acoustic stimulation
is another way to facilitate unihemispheric
activation. Unlike vision, our auditory system is
not perfectly crossed and each ear sends information
to each hemisphere. Fortunately, in this context,
the ipsilateral (same side) pathway is weak so
plugging the contralateral ear should greatly
diminish auditory contributions to this hemisphere.
Dichotic ear presentations using stereo headphones
with reward sent into the contralateral ear and
white noise or competing sounds in the other would
be the optimal approach to leverage the auditory
system for unihemispheric activation. So to activate
the left hemisphere, one may block the LVF and plug
the left ear (or send competing irrelevant sounds to
this ear). To activate the right hemisphere, block
and plug the right visual field and ear. Given
different widths between human eyes, z-glasses
should be tailored to the individual (i.e., each
client gets her own taped safety goggles). To adjust
z-glasses to an individual, the wearer looks
straight into a mirror and aligns the tape until
only half of his or her pupil of each eye can be
seen by the wearer. As for unihemispheric acoustic
stimulation, if different sounds cannot be channeled
separately into left and right stereo headphones,
two sets of headphones straddled over each other
like an X may be used, with one set running off the
feedback device and the other set of headphones
connected to an irrelevant tape recording or similar
non-feedback device.

Blinding the other hemisphere to reward may be
necessary for functional improvements of a deficit
system. Unihemispheric augmentation of neurotherapy
may add surprising and powerful results. If anyone
gives it a try, please let me know what you find.

References:

Broca, P. (1865), "Sur le siège de la faculté du
langage articulé", Bulletin de la Société
d'Anthropologie de Paris, 6, 377-393.

Coslett HB. (2007). Temporal processing deficits in
letter-by-letter reading by Ingles and Eskes. J Int
Neuropsychol Soc. 2007 Jan;13(1):108-9

Davidson RJ (1998). Anterior electrophysiological
asymmetries, emotion, and depression: Conceptual and
methodological conundrums. Psychophysiology, 35:
607-614.

Robinson, R. G. & Downhill, J. E. (1995).
Lateralization of psychopathology in response to
focal brain injury. In Brain asymmetry (eds R.J.
Davidson & K. Hugdahl), 693-711, London: MIT Press.

Schiffer F (1997). Affect changes observed with
right versus left lateral visual field stimulation
in psychotherapy patients: possible physiological,
psychological, and therapeutic implications.
Comprehensive Psychiatry, 38, 289-95.

Zaidel, E. (1995) Interhemispheric transfer in the
split brain: long term status following complete
cerebral commissurotomy. In Brain asymmetry (eds
R.J. Davidson & K. Hugdahl), 491-532, London: MIT
Press.

-DK
--------------------------------------------------

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

  ------------
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
  ----------

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.

------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE             LOCATION           DATES

AAPB    www.aapb.org     Monterey CA      Feb 2006

------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

Heights of rivers, lengths of mountains

After a recent conference talk on comodulation, a
measure of magnitude consistency between two EEG
signals, I was asked whether my measure was superior
to coherence. Both indexed functional connectivity
(or coordination) between brain sites, but which was
better?

I answered that comodulation was as superior to
coherence as length is superior to height.

I was being fictitious and explained myself, though
who knows what ever comes across at these meetings.
I tried to convey the idea that a measure's
superiority depends entirely upon what is being
measured and why. Cartographers care about the
length of a river, for instance, for their maps but
those caught in its flood plain during a storm care
little about its length and only about its height. I
recently read that the Amazon is the shortest major
river in the world -- in height! In width and
length, of course, it is one of the largest.

So the real question with comodulation versus
coherence is not one of intrinsic value but one's
goal in making a measurement. What do you want to
know? For certain brain functions magnitude
consistency between brain areas may be more
important; for other functions, phase consistency
is. And ironically, due to the organization of
cortical networks, each measure often overlaps the
other, so in many cases there is no clear
preference.

The comparison of comodulation to coherence has
already yielded some fruit, however. It underlines
the two-dimensionality of spectral analysis. A
stationary rhythm requires at least two bits of
information to be reproduced, its magnitude and its
phase. When two similar rhythms are compared, they
too can be similar on magnitude or phase, or both.
Comodulation and coherence are consistency measures
of magnitude and phase, and "phase" as it is called,
and unity, my name for magnitude difference, are the
combined differences between sites divided by time.
These four indices capture all of the information
shared between two stationary signals for each
frequency band. However, what is we are interested
in the relationship between frequency bands. Then
instead of examining shared information between TWO
SITES in a SINGLE FREQUENCY range, we examine shared
information between TWO FREQUENCIES at a SINGLE
SITE. Same frequency different sites, or same site
different frequencies. This more than doubles the
possible information domain we might examine.

Two frequencies-one site also can be quantified by
four indices for stationary signals: bimodulation
(magnitude consistency) and band ratio (magnitude or
power differences) in the energy domain; dual
frequency coherence (phase consistency) and dual
frequency phase (difference) in the phase domain. If
the theta and alpha bands bimodulate, for instance,
at site Pz, it may mean that the individual's
dominant frequency straddles these bands. If theta
and alpha do not bimodulate, it means each rhythm
waxes and wanes independently of the other, which
has psychophysiological significance. Bimodulation
as well as band ratio may quantify the extent of the
dominant frequency, its integrity, or other
functional aspects of the thalamocortical network.
Rhythm independence could denote health or pathology
-- we have to figure this out. Dual frequency
coherence also addresses the same issues, albeit in
the phase domain. (I prefer the term "bicoherence"
to "dual frequency" but, alas, bicoherence was
already taken as a measure of mutual information
between two frequencies that involves computation of
a 3rd joint frequency).

And if we lift up our pivot foot, to use a
basketball metaphor, and walk around the
site-frequency plane, we create entirely new
spectral parameter, psychophysiologically meaningful
or not, we do not yet know. Where before we had two
sites-one frequency (e.g., coherence, comodulation),
or two frequencies-one site (e.g., band ratio), we
can also look at any 2x2, two frequencies and two
sites, if we don't mind stepping into quicksand. I
call it quicksand, this near-infinite problemspace,
because we have to much permutational freedom to
find anything relevant. In a 2x2 approach we can
examine phase or magnitude consistency between 7 Hz
at P3 and 5 Hz at P4, i.e., cross-dual-frequency
coherence or cross-bimodulation, respectively, or
between any of the 18 factorial site pairs for the
10-20 electrode position system multiplied by,
conservatively, 40 factorial frequencies pairs. This
is a haystack in search of a needle. And let's not
jump into using the 10-10 electrode system until 31
factorial gets smaller.... And as long as we're
moving up to 2x2, why limit our permutations there,
when 3x1s (triherence and trimodulation, phase
consistency between three sites for one band) and
3x2s (cross-triherence) are waiting in the wings.
Any NxN. It took 10 years for comodulation to gain
some acceptance -- who has the years necessary to
identify a reliable correspondence between even a
2x2 and psychophysiology? Does frontal theta phase
lose coherence with the posterior alpha phase? That
is the only easy picking I see in the 2x2 problem
space, along with homologous comparisons. Well,
maybe there will be some fruit from those
comparisons, but mostly our connectivity measures
are tethered to one tentpole and "cross" topography
or frequency but never both simultaneously.

That said, we should keep in mind that comodulation,
coherence, and any feasible assortment of spectral
indices are but a few of the parameters that may
relate brain function to mental function.
Non-spectral measures, or medians and other
derivatives such as slope or variability, mobility
or complexity may prove useful in mapping brain to
mind. Quantitative EEG needs to incorporate some of
the promising new approaches to shed more light on
the informational vortex that envelopes brain
behavior. To date, it has barely scratched the
surface.

-DK

----end--

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.
--------------------------------------------------

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
--------------------------------------------------

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
--------------------------------------------------

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
--------------------------------------------------

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


  ------------
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

  ----------

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.


------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers


CONFERENCE             LOCATION           DATES

AAPB    www.aapb.org     Monterey CA      Feb 2006

------------------------------------------------------------


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--

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

Vol. 9 No.  9 - September 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.
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Technology-assisted Self-regulation
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Somewhere over New York
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements

  * Heavier weight tied to poorer mental function
  * Head growth in infancy tied to later intelligence
  * Scientists discover brain trigger for selfish behaviour
  * Chemo makes brain 'work' harder
  * Brain's Selfishness Spot Revealed
  * Brainteaser: Scientists dissect mystery of genius
  * Mind games
  * 'Vegetative' Woman's Brain Shows Surprising Activity
  * Back From the Dead
  * How the Brain Helps Partisans Admit No Gray

       All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
--------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Technology-Assisted Self-Regulation (TASR)

I planned to discuss ADHD this month, but Monastra et
al's paper on ADHD is due this week so I'll review it
and other ADHD papers next month. Many people have
requested a layperson description of neurofeedback
training and QEEG assessment. My first attempt at
writing one for the journal of neurotherapy was
clocked in at MD/PhD reading level, despite my
attempt to assessibility. I hope this try is closer...

In the 1950s neuroscientists developed equipment that
allowed rats to stimulate the pleasure centers of the
brain. A lever was connected to a weak electrical
generator which itself was connected by a wire to the
deepest part of the rat's brain. Whenever a rate
tapped the lever, a miniscule amount of electricity
flowed from the generator into the rat's brain, into
the pleasure center of the brain. Rats wired in this
fashion quickly caught on to the nature of the task
and after little training would tap the lever
thousands of times an hour to receive the impulse.
The rodent wireheads would pass up sleep, comfort,
food, and even a receptive mate to work the bar. It
was found to be the strongest form of learning ever
to occur on the planet, and extremely resistant to
extinction, to use the terminology of the day. Most
rats would indulge in day-long binges of
self-stimulation without a moment's rest and even
when an electrified grid was placed between them and
the lever, the rats would risk a gauntlet of shocks
to gain access to their beloved.

The implications for studying addiction were obvious;
the implications for learning and brain normalization
training less so. But rats are rats. Would humans
fare any better if allowed to reward themselves
similarly, that is, intra-cranially without
restraint?

What do you think? A few epileptic patients
stimulated themselves into convulsions before the
experiments were called off.

EEG operant conditioning does not stimulate the brain
directly -- rewards come in through the eyes and ears
and mind of the individual -- but by rewarding EEG
changes with visual and auditory rewards a therapist
is able to help shape an individual's brainwave
activity toward normal patterns of activity. The
advent of powerful personal computers and advances in
miniaturization and amplification has allowed anyone
who doesn't mind getting gel in their hair the
ability to visualize the electrical activity of their
own brain and once you can visualize your behavior,
you can change it.

Brainwaves are minute electrical voltages generated
by the top layer of the brain (cortex) which can be
detected by modern electrical equipment. Sensors
placed on the scalp record these tiny voltage changes
across the scalp and analyze the signals looking for
specific rhythms. When brain rhythms are normal, an
individual is rewarded, usually by means of a sound
(bell or chime) or light or video event. But when his
or her brainwave activity deviates from normal, this
positive feedback stops and a negative response may
be provided such as a red flashing light or even a
buzzer. In this fashion good brain-behaviors are
exercised and undesirable brain-behaviors are not
reinforced, with a goal being the accumulation of
good brain-behaviors. A reasonably large repertoire
of healthy behaviors is the basis for cognitive
flexibility and self-regulation. An important point
to realize is that no electrical current is put into
the brain. The brain's electrical activity are merely
registered passively at the scalp and these brain
energies are relayed to a computer.

Human EEG consists of random events and rhythms. By
means of operant conditioning -- rewarding the
presence of certain brain activity patterns and not
others -- healthy brain behaviors can be learned and
unhealthy brain behaviors unlearned. Therapists
typically focus on brain rhythms which have been
studied for decades, which are called alpha (8-12
Hertz or cycles per second), beta (15-40 Hz), gamma
(40+ Hz), delta (0.1-4 Hz) -- the first four letters
of the Greek alphabet -- plus theta (4- 8 Hz), the
8th letter, and the more English-sounding SMR (12-15
Hz) which stands for sensorimotor rhythm. Because
these rhythms encompass a variety of physiological
processes, however, each rhythm is often also
dissected into smaller frequency ranges and such
"narrow bands" are identified by their numerical
range (8-10 Hz, 10-11 Hz).

When someone closes their eyes, alpha activity occurs
across most or all of the brain. When he or she opens
his eyes in a well- lighted room, alpha rhythms are
replaced by beta rhythms, which are fast and
low-amplitude waves. The amount of replacement and
brain locations where these replacements occur varies
depending upon the complexity, novelty, and
meaningfulness of the environment, among other
factors. Alpha rhythm replacement may involve all of
the electrode positions or be selective and only
occur at a few sites. Drugs, drowsiness, drive, and
time of day generally influence every part of the
brain whereas sensory and cognitive demands activate
only a selected few brain areas.

Electrodes are positioned on the scalp according to a
50-year standard known as the International 10-20
system which divides the head into proportional
distances --10% or 20 % of the way between the dent
of the nose (nasion), protrusion in the back of the
head (inion), and preauricular points directly in
front of each ear. Labels reflect underlying brain
areas: FP for frontal pole, F for frontal, P for
parietal, C for central, T for temporal, and O for
occipital. Sites are numbered with zero or "z" in the
middle of the head (midline), followed by larger
numbers as electrodes are positioned farther out to
either side, with odd numbers alternating with even
numbers between the left and right hemispheres (i.e.,
odd on the left, even on the right). Electrodes are
spaced 6 or 7 cm apart on most heads. If more
coverage is needed, additional electrodes may be
placed halfway between any pair of electrodes. This
system owes its endurance to its simplicity and
fortuitous division of the scalp into brain regions
that remain useful for cognitive and psychiatric
research. Finally an EEG signal is always the
difference in electrical potential between two
electrodes on the scalp. Each electrode may be
compared to its neighbor (e.g., C3 to Cz, P3 to Pz),
or every electrode can be compared to the same
electrode (C3 to Cz, P3 to Cz, O1 to Cz, etc).


See figures at
http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/sep2006.htm

EEG training allows an individual to monitor his or
her own brain behavior, making visible and discrete
what is normally hidden and continuous. This
transformation of the invisible to the visible allows
anyone to alter the behavior of his or her own brain.
Without technological assistance, brain behaviors
would be simply too subtle or ambiguous for proper
detection and training (i.e., operational
conditioning). This is the strength of neurofeedback
-- operant conditioning of psychophysiological
responses beyond the level of normal (unassisted)
observation. EEG biofeedback acts like a telescope to
the mental sky. But with this strength comes some
ambiguity as brain behaviors (neurophysiological
responses) are not so readily classified as good or
bad as motor actions can be. That is why children are
often trained towards a database norm. The rationale
is that if most children on average show a specific
brain behavior, a certain incidence of this or that
brain rhythm, this behavior ought to be generally
healthy and positive. Many neurotherapists guide
training by performing a quantitative EEG assessment
of an individual before training and even at regular
intervals during training.

Behavioral and mental states such as mathematical
processing, reading, or relaxation are believed to
consist of unique and distinct perceptual and
cognitive operations and every mental operation has
its own unique EEG profile -- that is, a unique
pattern of rhythmic activity in various parts of the
brain. This concept is the foundation of functional
neuroimaging including functional magnetic resonance
imaging (fMRI), a popular method of investigating
cerebral blood flow. This concept also provides the
rationale for EEG normalization training: One's brain
activity is trained toward a population norm because
any deficit or excess of rhythmic activities is
likely a result of abnormal neurophysiology and
mental irregularity.

Running on a treadmill helps a physician determine
how well a patient's heart handles work or stress.
Running through a test battery of reading, math, and
problem-solving during the acquisition of EEG signals
helps determine how well an individual's brain
handles work or stress. Eyes closed relaxation or
simply opening the eyes may reveal mental
shortcomings for some individuals while others
require challenges such a general test battery to
reveal suspected or known deficits. Continuous
attention tasks are often used to reveal processing
deficits in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) children and executive control and inhibition
tasks for identifying disturbances in the frontal
lobe.

A minute of EEG contains a vast amount of
information. Frequency analysis reduces EEG to a
manageable handful of numbers. Spectral information,
as it is called because we examine the entire
frequency spectrum for rhythmic patterns, can be
presented in tables, histograms, line graphs or the
popular brain maps. Brain maps convert numbers into
colors, which allows the human eye to quickly detect
important patterns. In addition to unusual amounts of
energy in various parts of the brain, we can also
depict abnormal network activity. Too little or too
much reciprocity between brain areas is quantified by
means of comodulation and coherence analysis.
Comodulation captures the reciprocity of energies
between brain areas and coherence captures the timing
relationships.

The figure below is an example of a brain-network map
of a healthy adult compared to a brain-injured adult
of similar age. We are looking down on the head of
each person, with their nose on top and ears to
either side. Each circle is positioned at one of the
19 electrode sites sitting atop the head and depicts
within itself all of the connections between
electrodes relative to its position. The color yellow
indicates normal function (i.e., database average),
green and orange mostly normal, with blue and red
indicating too little and too much connectivity,
respectively.

As you can see, the healthy adult (left) shows
relatively normal amounts of shared energy between
electrodes for the rhythm under investigation while
the brain-injured individual (right) shows too little
communication or reciprocity between areas, notably
between the frontal areas of the brain.

The theta rhythm dominates a child's spectral energy
while an adult brain contains most of its spectral
energy in a faster rhythm, the alpha rhythm.

When we evaluate children we have to take into
account a degree of neurological immaturity. Most of
the energy of an infant's brain resides in the
slow-wave delta rhythm and more than a decade of
development may pass before an adult brainwave
pattern emerges. Theta rhythms are prominent in many
children diagnosed with attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) because this reflects
the immaturity of the ADHD brain. Theta rhythms in an
adult or non-ADHD teenager often indicate brain-
injury or neurological disease. The brainwave
activity of any child may be compared to a database
of many normal children in order to identify what
parts of the brain, if any, differ in activity and
what frequency rhythms are present at these
locations.

Many psychiatric and neurological conditions manifest
themselves more as disturbances in brain connections
than as local damage or disorder. Therapy can focus
on restoring activity to isolated brain areas or
focus on re-establishing brain networks. Through
trial and error any individual gradually develops
mental strategies that modify his or her brain
rhythms so as to maximize reward and in so doing
alter these rhythms for the better. Neurofeedback
works at the level of one's will, as in will power.
An individual explores what is and what is not
healthy willful behaviors, however indirectly,
through the impact one's will has on one's brain
rhythms. The brain is enormously plastic in terms of
function as well as structure and is capable of
altering neural pathways in response to reward. Much
like our body, our brain also responds to exercise.
Neurofeedback provides one of the best forms of
exercise -- regulatory practice, the brain practicing
at regulating itself.

-DK
--------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS
Helping Your Child Overcome Separation Anxiety or School Refusal
by Andrew R. Eisen, et al
Parenting book for separation anxiety disorder.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1572244313/eegspectrum

Melancholia: Diagnosis, Pathophysiology and Treatment of Depressive Illness
by MA Taylor, Max Fink
Reviews melancholia. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0521841518/eegspectrum

Methods in Mind (Cognitive Neuroscience)
by Carl Senior, et al
Focuses on methods of cognitive neuroscience.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0262195410/eegspectrum

Effort: A Behavioral Neuroscience Perspective on the Will
by Jay Schulkin
Argus for diverse cognitive systems, many embodied in motor systems relevant to
self-regulation. --www.amazon.com/exec/ obidos/ASIN/0805860096/eegspectrum

Clinical Neuroembryology: Development and Developmental Disorders
by Hans J. ten Donkelaar, et al
Overviews development of CNS in the context of developmental disorders.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 3540291407/eegspectrum

Understanding And Treating Anxiety Disorders:
by Barry E. Wolfe
Integrative theory for treating anxiety disorders.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591471966/eegspectrum



  ----------


JOURNAL PAPERS

Sex differences white matter microstructure and impulsivity in adolescents. :
Relates sex-related differences in white- matter development with impulsivity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16916700


Growth and sexual maturation in children and adolescents with ADHD : Confirms
that children with ADHD treated with stimulants grow more slowly than untreated
individuals.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16914999


Juvenile Administration of Methylphenidate Attenuates Adult Hippocampal
Neurogenesis. : Early-life exposure to methylphenidate inhibits survival of
adult-generated neurons in the hippocampus and may also impact proliferation.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16893528


Functional neuroimaging of primary headache disorders. : Reviews functional
imaging studies in migraine and other headaches.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16893344


QEEG prefrontal cordance as a predictor of response to antidepressants :
Decrease in prefrontal cordance indicates early changes of prefrontal activity
in responders to antidepressants.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16889798


EEG alpha oscillations: Inhibition-timing hypothesis. : Event-related
desynchronization reflects release of inhibition associated with complex
spreading activation.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16887192


Brain oscillations in opioid dependent patients. : EEG of patients with opioid
dependence show increased relative beta activity and right-sided dominance
among other effects.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16890339


Effect of gender on outcomes following traumatic brain injury : Females are
nearly twice as likely as males to die of brain injury.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16906701


Transcranial magnetic stimulation in treatment of depressive relapse. :
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is effective in remediating
depressive relapse.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16911751


Methylphenidate and cocaine : Methylphenidate was well tolerated by those
undergoing cocaine recovery and decreased some of positive subjective effects
of cocaine usage.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16916538
  ----------

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)

     * Chicago IL Oct 19-22
     * Portland OR Nov 16-19
     * Los Angeles CA Dec 7-10

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.


------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE             LOCATION           DATES

AAPB    www.aapb.org     Monterey CA      Feb 2006

------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

Somewhere over New York

Most years the ISNR conference takes place on the 2nd
weekend of September which means that we are often
scurrying through airports on the day of September
11th, Patriot Day. I was in the air on the first
anniversary of the World Trade Center and Pentagon
attacks and I was in the air this anniversary and it
gave me time to pause and reflect on the type of mind
that could convince itself that an act of homicidal
suicide could somehow benefit him and his family.

Suicidal terrorism is like taking your sister to the
prom -- anyone can do it but what have you
accomplished? Longer lines at airports while reducing
financial and social opportunities for your children?
Terrorism requires almost no investment by the
organizing body; just a few older men convincing
younger less invested men to act on beliefs which
they themselves have never fully acted upon. I've
heard it said that all fanatics are converts, and
perhaps disposing of one's life on an unverifiable
promise takes a special narrowness of thought only
acquired during conversion. But where in the brain do
such thoughts of suicide lie? Where do they hide?
During the ISNR conference a few of us discussed the
idea of spiritual neuroscience, a field of
investigation into matters of connection to the One
and the Infinite, and I asked one of my friends
whether spirituality could ever be bad, ever be
negative, as emotions possess positive and negative
valence. We did not come up with a definitive answer,
but considering the spiritual justification of
homicide throughout humankind's history, we should
not traipse into this field of investigation naively
or with a presumed positive outcome. Spirituality may
be as dark as humankind. Even if its origins are
outside of the brain, and that is the primary
question for this field, the brain is where its
impetus are interpreted and acted upon and where all
its imperfections will come to light.

The issue of suicide is where clinical neuroscience,
neurotherapy and its like, and any spiritual
neuroscience must meet. Four centuries ago the Earl
of Oxford, in his most autobiographical of plays,
thoroughly summed up the issues surrounding why the
vast majority of people do not turn off the present
light for a pledge of future brilliance.

"To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the
dread of something after death, The undiscover'd
country from whose bourn No traveller returns,
puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills
we have Than fly to others that we know not of?"

To fly to others that we know not of? To fly into a
building.

I use to tell my students that if they wished to save
the world, figure out how to control nuclear fusion,
provide humanity with endless power. But I was young
and naïve then and realize now how endless power
would only lead to our annihilation until we can
figure out the meaning of life, or better put, why
some find meaning in life and some do not.

Clinical neuroscience may not reveal the undiscovered
country, but it should reduce the ills we bear and
illuminate the mysteries of mental health.

David A. Kaiser,
September 11, 2006
Somewhere over New York
----end--

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

Vol. 9 No. 8 - August 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.
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - More about Child Development & Schools
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Other People's Words
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements

  * Scientists Erase Memories in Rat Brains
  * Brain chemical's call to exercise may go unheeded
  * Fatherhood May Change the Brain
  * Your Brain Boots Up Like a Computer
  * Stroke risk peaks every 12 hours
  * How the Brain Helps Partisans Admit No Gray
  * Men and Women: Different Brains?

       All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
--------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight


More about Child Development and Schools

August, the month for vacations, is also my month for
vacating from discussions of the expected (EEG and
neurotherapy) and addressing other issues, some
esoteric, others less so, and this month I revisit
school size once again.

Nearly all educators want smaller schools. Smaller
schools serve our children best. So why then are
public schools so large? How did America go from
English High in 1821, the first public secondary
school in America, to Patrick Henry High in Roanoke,
Virginia with a current enrollment of 1,821 students?

For most of our history America has been a nation of
small schools. The proverbial one-room school house
with a single school marm was synonymous with public
education for most of the past century. In 1910 five
out of six elementary schools employed a single
teacher and most consisted of a single room or two.
By mid-century nearly half of all elementary schools
remained one- teacher schools but circumstances had
already begun to change. Between 1930 and 1970 state
and local agencies closed and consolidation schools
at a record pace, mostly in an effort to increase
resources and improve cost efficiency. But with
school consolidation came crowding, especially as the
general population rose, and along with crowding came
its traditional responses such as competition,
aggression, and violence. Violence in schools has to
some degree become not just tolerated but accepted
and expected - how else can one explain that 738,000
violent crimes were committed at schools last year
with little media attention? More than 30 million
crimes were committed in our public schools over the
past decade. Think about that number. Thirty million!
Children are now more likely to be the victim of a
crime at school than away from school. That is a true
figure. 28 million crimes were committed away from
school against children during the same time frame.

Girls are 17 % more likely to be a victim at school
than away, boys 23 % more likely. Schools were once a
protective haven and parents sent their children
there to keep them safe and off the streets, but now
the streets are safer than the schools. Nearly
three-quarters of public schools will experience one
or more violent incidents this year. Why? What has
happened?

Take the state of California. California once
possessed the best public educational system in the
nation but in the last 20 years the state of
California has built 33 new prisons and a single
university. It increased its juvenile detention
centers by 50 percent over the past five years, or
more when one factors in the dozens of impersonal
mega-schools built during this time. Mega- schools
are high schools with student enrollment above 2,000
and last year 23 new monstrosities were opened
nationwide. Add this to the other 1,414 mega-schools
already operating in this country, and take a look
into one, and the reason for school violence and
dropping test scores and other social ills will
become apparent. We've come a long way from the
one-room school house in only 50 years, but all of it
in the wrong direction. Nearly one in ten public high
schools in America is now a mega-school and one in
four teenagers are now warehoused in a mega-school.
We are building the wrong kind of buildings for our
children.

Some believe that small schools are more costly per
student. But because small schools are more
accountable to students they actually cost
significantly less per graduate than larger schools.
A 1998 study of New York City schools determined that
dropout rates of schools below 600 enrollments were
nearly a third below larger schools and cost less per
graduate than larger schools. The largest public
school in the country, Belmont Senior High in Los
Angeles with an incomprehensible enrollment of 5,410
students consists mostly of freshmen and sophomores
as only 33% of students entering school at this
megaschool graduate. The National Association of
Secondary School Principals now recommends that
secondary schools be capped at 600 students, and the
Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform
recommends a limit of 500 students. Ironically, the
lead advocate for school and district consolidation
would have suggested even smaller enrollments. In
1959 and again in 1967 James Conant, past president
of Harvard University, contended that the small high
school was the number one problem in education and
advocated for its elimination through district and
school consolidation. However small then was 30 in a
graduating class, and he advocated for at least a 100
Seniors in order to provide a diverse curriculum to
equip students to met the challenges of the modern
world. But once a process is started, some of the
original ideas are often lost. Since 1940, 200,000
public elementary and secondary schools have been
whittled down to a third, 65,000 in 2005, despite a
70% increase in population. The number one problem in
education today is the large school.

Children undergo the longest period of socialization
of any animal, a dependency of two decades or longer.
Intelligence, along with the disproportionately large
cortex, is in great part an adaptation to the special
complexities of primate social life. The size of our
brain limits the number of individuals we can
significantly interact with on a regular basis. This
so-called natural group size, when exceeded, is
socially unstable and often results in social
conflict and group splintering. One hundred and fifty
(150) is the size of many hunter-gatherer bands and
horticultural villages, groups humans survived within
for the vast majority of our species' history.
Throughout history when people are faced with too
many faces, too much competition or social
complexity, their response has commonly been to
leave, to separate. Bands and villages splinter into
daughter groups and move apart when there are too
many people to feed and figure out. Humanity spread
across the globe in a relatively short time in part
because of the constant process of division down to
appropriate-sized social groups.


---
Grade size in public high schools as a function of locale (School year 2002).

Locale      High schools     Median     Largest   Grade Size
                 Number     Grade Size     Size     Above 150

City            2,054         408         1,522       93 %
Suburb          3,832         303         1,289       82 %
Town            2,175         159           745       53 %
Rural           4,980          86         1,244       25 %

All Locales    13,041         185         1,522       57 %
---

Primatology, the study of non-human primates,
provides clear and simple insights into adolescent
behavior. All adolescent primates, human or animal,
strive for social status, which is especially true
for males. The use of aggression, even violence, to
improve social status is nothing new to our species.
Witness the current events around the world. How many
violent acts are acts to improve social status? All
of them. The emergence of mega-schools, high schools
with enrollments in the thousands, has simply made
adolescent status competition more lethal and
indiscriminant. Each year nearly 1 in 10 high school
students report being bullied at school, and more
report being threatened or injured with a weapon.
Most teenagers in public high schools today are
surrounded by strangers. Some children thrive in
large anonymous groups, but most do not. Has my child
been harmed by attending a larger school - well, more
to the point, has half of him or her been damaged,
her right (nondominant) hemisphere of the brain, the
social brain. Probably -- if he or she spent any
significant time in such an environment.

Intellectual development necessarily suffers in such
massive social settings as a great proportion of time
and resources are spent maintaining an orderly
learning environment at the expense of learning.
Behavioral regulation through face-to-face
interaction and rapport is beyond the capabilities of
student, teachers, and administrators in larger
schools so formal institutions of security must be
employed. When group size is natural, 150 or less for
adults, we police ourselves. When above, we need police.

A simple test to assess right brain ability in
children (and adults) is the Street Test, a
silhouette closure task (see below or
http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/street.jpg
) which has been used to identify right hemisphere dominance
in both individuals and cultures. Recent data with
college students which I collected suggests a right
hemispheric decline associated with grade size in
school (see Figure 1).
  The right brain is the social brain: inhibit its
development, curb its maturation, and you'll produce
social retardation and conflict, even violence. As I
told my students, tongue in cheek, feel free to use
this data to bring a lawsuit against your school
district for damaging half of your brain.

Figure is of Right Brain performance (smoothed) for 80
college students showing a decline with increasing school size.
<a href="http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/stresult.jpg">
http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/stresult.jpg</a>

Items are 1-10 are (1) eagle; violin, dog; horse and
rider; sprinter; (6) rabbit; knight on horseback,
boxers; adult couple; baseball player at bat

-DK
--------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Clinical Guide to the Diagnosis and Treatment of
Mental Disorders
by Michael First, Allan Tasman
Practical diagnostic and therapeutic advice to
practitioners involved in treating mental illness.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470019158/eegspectrum

Animal Models of Cognitive Impairment
by Edward D. Levin, Jerry J. Buccafusco
Neurobehavioral research for cognitive impairment.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0849328349/eegspectrum

Theoretical Approaches to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
by Ian Jakes, et al
Review of causal theories for OCD
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/052102739X/eegspectrum

The Serotonin Receptors: From Molecular Pharmacology
to Human Therapeutics
by Bryan L.Roth
Technical monography on role of specific
neurochemistry in therapy.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1588295680/eegspectrum

Processes of Change in Brain and Cognitive
Development: Attention and Performance XXI
by Yuko Munakata, Mark Johnson
Neuroscientific and cognitive investigations into
attention.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0198568746/eegspectrum

Emotions At Work: Theory, Research And Applications For Management
by R. L. Payne
Emotional experience in working environments.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470023007/eegspectrum

Consciousness and Matter in a Bohmian Universe:
Implicate Order Revisited
by PTI Pylkkänen
Physical explanations for mental causation and
related cognitive science and neuroscience issues.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/3540238913/eegspectrum

--------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

Composition of brain oscillations in ongoing EEG during major depression
disorder. : Major depression affects brain activity in most of the cortex and
across much of the frequency spectrum.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16860895

Behavioral Electrophysiology of Psychostimulants. : A dopamine-glutamate
interaction influences amphetamine-induced activation of striatal neurons.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16855534

Functional connectivity at EEG alpha and beta frequency bands in
opioid-dependent patients. : Brain functional connectivity was disrupted by
chronic opioid abuse.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16850117

Disordered connectivity in the autistic brain : Autism appears to consists of an
abnormality of information integration that is caused by a reduction in the
connectivity between specialized areas of the brain.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16820239

Intra-Subject Variability in ADHD : ADHD groups are best identified not by mean
performance but variability across the group.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16806097

Imaging cerebral activity in recovery from chronic traumatic brain injury:
Examined the effect of an alternative intervention for TBI and discovered
hindbrain involvement in recovery (cerebellar hemispheres, vermis).
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16808830

Partially enhanced thalamocortical functional connectivity in autism:
Authors argue against general underconnectivity in autism and instead suggest
hyperfunctional subcortico-cortical connectivity, which may compensate for
reduced cortico-cortical connectivity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16828063

Volumetric alterations of the orbitofrontal cortex in autism. : Autistic
individuals show decreased gray matter volume of right lateral orbitofrontal
cortex.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16863674

Frontal EEG asymmetry and the risk for anxiety and depression. : Frontal EEG
alpha asymmetry was related to risk for anxiety and depression in young adult
females only.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16875773
  ----------

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)

     * Philadelphia, PA Sep 14-17
     * Chicago IL Oct 19-22
     * Portland OR Nov 16-19
     * Los Angeles CA Dec 7-10

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.


------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE             LOCATION           DATES

ISNR    www.isnr.org     Atlanta GA      Sep 7-10

------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

Other people's Last Words

Keeping with the vacation theme, the last word are
taken from others.


To repeat what others have said, requires education;
to challenge it, requires brains. --Mary Pettibone
Poole

The more you use your brain, the more brain you will
have to use. -- George A. Dorsey

The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working the
moment you get up in the morning and does not stop
until you get into the office. -- Robert Frost

Estimated amount of glucose used by an adult human
brain each day, expressed in M&Ms: 250 -- Harper's
Index, October 1989

Aristotle taught that the brain exists merely to cool
the blood and is not involved in the process of
thinking. This is true only of certain persons. --
Will Cuppy

A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its
original dimension. --Oliver Wendell Holmes

A scientist will never show any kindness for a theory
which he did not start himself. -- Mark Twain

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to
entertain a thought without accepting it. Aristotle

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to
success is more important than any other one thing.
-- Abraham Lincoln

If confusion is the first step to knowledge, I must
be a genius. -- Larry Leissner

Success is more a function of consistent common sense
than it is of genius. -- An Wang

I not only use all the brains that I have, but all
that I can borrow. --Woodrow Wilson

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every
four Americans is suffering from some form of mental
illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're
okay, then it's you. --Rita Mae Brown

Emancipate yourself from mental slavery/None but
ourselves can free our minds. --Bob Marley

The human mind treats a new idea the same way the
body treats a strange protein; it rejects it. -- P.
B. Medawar

Your paradigm is so intrinsic to your mental process
that you are hardly aware of its existence, until you
try to communicate with someone with a different
paradigm. --Donella Meadows

Basic research is what I am doing when I don't know
what I am doing. -- Werner von Braun

There's 2 possible outcomes: If the result confirms
the hypothesis, then you've made a measurement. If
the result is contrary to the hypothesis, then you've
made a discovery. -Enrico Fermi

The farther the experiment is from theory the closer
it is to the Nobel Prize. -- Frederic Joliot-Curie

The great tragedy of science -- the slaying of a
beautiful theory by an ugly fact." -- Thomas Henry
Huxley

I was trying to daydream, but my mind kept wandering -- Steven Wright

----end--

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

Vol. 9 No. 7 - July 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.
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Autism Neurotherapy Research
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Online Resources
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements

  * Eye Transmits to Brain at Ethernet Speed
  * Head injury may increase risk of Parkinson's
  * Body's Brain Link to Hunger Identified
  * Paralyzed man moves computer cursor through thought
  * Brain-Computer Link Aids Paralyzed Patient
  * How the Brain Helps Partisans Admit No Gray
  * Men and Women: Different Brains?

       All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
--------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Autism Neurotherapy Research

In the coming months I plan to summarize (sometimes
exhaustively) the neurotherapy literature for various
disorders. Autism is up first - a promising but
little documented area. Many clinicians speak of
incredible results, but unfortunately few of these
results have been published. Only two group studies
have so far been published, with a third on its way,
plus a handful of single case studies.

1. Jarusiewicz (2002) performed the most controlled
neurofeedback study to date for autism. She trained
12 children with autism (11 male, 1 female) from 4 to
13 years of age (mean 7 y) who were compared against
a 12-subject matched waitlist control group. The
experimental group started with C4 training, 10-13 Hz
reward and 2-7 Hz inhibit, which were adjusted
against each individual's response to training.
Individuals underwent 36 sessions on average (range
20-69) and statistically significantimprovements were
seen on the ATEC and parent interviews.

2. Scolnick (2005) trained 5 Asperger males (mean age 14 y,
range 12-16 y) using a C4-Pz or Cz, Fz, or Pz-ear
montage, 12- 15 Hz reward and 4-10 Hz & 22-30 Hz
inhibits. After 24 sessions Scolnick reported
improvements on self-reports and parental and teacher
checklists. In terms of EEG changes she only found
theta/beta power ratio reductions in two boys only.

3. Pineda (2006) trained 8 children with autism in hopes
of increasing mu rhythm responsiveness. Mu wave
activity (8-13 Hz activity over sensorimotor cortex)
is associated with the mirror neuron system, and
shows suppression during both self- performed motor
actions and observed motor actions of others (Oberman
et al., 2005). After 30 sessions, the five children
who showed mu activity responsiveness with
neurofeedback training performed better on tasks
involving imitation (Pineda, 2006). These results
should be published shortly.

Case Studies:

A. Sichel, Fehmi, & Goldstein (1995) reported on a mild
autistic case (or possibly TBI with autistic traits),
an 8 y old boy who underwent central and parietal
training, 12-15 Hz reward and 4-8 Hz inhibit, for 31
sessions. The boy improved behaviorally according to
parental and clinician and showed a theta/beta power
ratio reduction (presumably at site Cz).

B. Ross & Caunt (2003) reported on a single 10 y old boy
with Asperger's syndrome who underwent 40 sessions.
The child improved on behavioral ratings and showed
reductions in 6-9 Hz parietal activity during eyes
open rest and posterior 9-12 Hz during reading and
math.

C. Beaumont & Montgomery (2005) reported on a single 7 y
old boy with autism who underwent Cz training, 16-20
Hz reward with EMG and 2-8 Hz inhibit for 33
sessions. They reported improvements on ABC, CARS,
and parental report as well as theta and beta power
reductions.

D. Paoletti & Kaiser (2006) trained an 8 y old boy with
autism for 20 half-hour sessions. Protocols were
C3-to-contralateral ear for the first 4 sessions and
T3-T4 bipolar training for the remaining 16 sessions
to address emotional lability. As the subject's SMR
rhythm was atypically slow (Kaiser, 2002), reward
band was set at 9-14 Hz, with 2-7 Hz and 22-30 Hz
inhibit bands to control artifact. Jarusiewicz (2002)
also began with a slower SMR reward band, 10-13 Hz or
lower depending upon the child's condition. The
child's forward digit span improved from 4 items to 5
items after training (i.e., 35th to 69th percentile
improvement for his age, WISC). He became calm and
less talkative during sessions when familial stimuli
were used as rewards (i.e., pictures and/or sounds of
his mother and siblings). He also showed improvement
in general behavioral self-regulation by cleaning up
and washing hair on his own in latter sessions,
although the Neuro-ABC and ATEC assessments were
inconclusive.. Greater rhythmicity was also evident
across multiple EEG sites after training.

   - - -
There are other case studies presented at
conferences, but these had published or otherwise
available abstracts.

    References

Beaumont AL & Montgomery DD (2005). The effects of
neurofeedback on a child with autism. Applied
Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 30, 407.

Jarusiewicz B (2002). Efficacy of neurofeedback for
children in the Autistic Spectrum: A Pilot Study.
Journal of Neurotherapy, 6, 39-49

Kaiser DA (2002). Rethinking Standard Bands. Journal
of Neurotherapy, 5, 87-96.

Oberman LM, Hubbard EM, McCleery JP, Altschuler EL,
Ramachandran VS, Pineda JA. (2005). EEG evidence for
mirror neuron dysfunction in autism spectrum
disorders. Brain Research: Cognitive Brain Research,
24, 190-8.

Paoletti JL & Kaiser DA (2006). Neurotherapeutic
Assessment and Training of an Autistic Individual.
Presented at 37th Assoc. Applied Psychophysiology &
Biofeedback, Portland, OR, April 7.

Pineda J (2006). Efficacy of Neurofeedback Training
on Autism Spectrum Disorders (poster). Presented at
Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco CA,
April 8-11.

Ross J & Caunt J (2003). Case study: Ten year old
male with Asperger`s syndrome. Presented at 11th Intl
Society for Neuronal Regulation, Sep 18-21, Houston TX.

Scolnick B (2005). Effects of electroencephalogram
biofeedback with Asperger`s syndrome. International
Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 28, 159-163.

Sichel A, Fehmi LG & Goldstein DM (1995). Postive
outcome with neurofeedback treatment in a case of
mild autism. Journal of Neurotherapy, 1, 60-64.

-DK
--------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Not Even Wrong: A Father's Journey into the Lost History of Autism
by Paul Collins
A journey into the realm of permanent outsiders.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582344787/eegspectrum

Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone
by Douglas Biklen, et al
Confronts misunderstandings and misperceptions about autism.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0814799272/eegspectrum

Handbook of Epilepsy Treatment: Forms, Causes and
Therapy in Children and Adults
by Simon D. Shorvon
Recent advances in treatment including new drugs, new
investigations, novel surgical approaches are discussed.
-- www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1405131349/eegspectrum

Soft Bipolar: Vivid Thoughts, Mood Shifts and Swings...
by Charles K. Bunch
Materials to provide outpatient treatment to "soft Bipolar" sufferers.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0595348246/eegspectrum

Trends in Brain Research
by F. J. Chen
Newest research on the brain
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1594547955/eegspectrum

Reflections on the Problem of Consciousness
by Errol E. Harris
How does electro-chemical activity in the brain
translate into conscious experience?
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1402043090/eegspectrum

Cannabis : A History
by Martin Booth
From 12th-century Sufi monks to today's druglords, a history of this plant is
discussed.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312424949/eegspectrum

Understanding Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction
by Novartis Foundation
Cigarette smoking kills nearly 5 million people per year worldwide, and 10
million by 2020.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470016574/eegspectrum

--------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

Quantitative EEG in low-IQ children with ADHD : IQ is not reflected in EEG
power measures for this population.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16793337

The origin of the focal spike in musicogenic epilepsy. : Right temporal lobe,
notably the auditory area, is involved in musicogenic epilepsy.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16793574

Affect and the computer game player : In-game reinforcement and skill impact
affective measures such as excitement and frustration.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16780398

EEG recording during TMS : Two electrode types can be used with TMS: a
conductive-plastic surface electrode with a conductive-silver epoxy coat and a
subdermal silver wire electrode. After TMS pulses amplifiers recover within 30
ms.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16793336

Cannabis and neurodevelopment: implications for psychiatric disorders. :
Cannabis use during adolescence can impact cognition, depressive symptoms,
schizophrenia and substance use disorders in the long term.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16783814

Role of corticothalamic coupling in human temporal lobe epilepsy. : Overall
increase of synchrony between thalamus and temporal lobe structures during
seizures is seen, particularly at seizure onset.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16760199

Deactivation of brain areas during self-regulation of SCP : Unsuccessful
regulators fail to deactivate cortex below the training electrode.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16752105

Role of electroencephalography in ADHD : Discusses how EEGs may help evaluate
ADHD children and those at risk.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16734521

EEG topography and tomography for pharmacodynamics of psychotropic drugs. :
Shows how pharmaco-EEG topography and tomography assist in
neuropsychopharmacology and clinical psychiatry.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16733939

Functional and Anatomical Cortical Underconnectivity in Autism :
Underconnectivity in autistics was found during challenge, by reduced
synchronization between frontal and parietal areas of activation and smaller
sections of the corpus callosum.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16772313

Impaired functional connectivity at alpha and theta bands in major depression. :
Right anterior and left posterior brain areas may discriminate depressive
patients from controls in terms of connectivity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16779797

Brain maturation in adolescence: neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. : Slow wave
EEG activity declined in a curvilinear fashion with gray matter volume during
adolescence in specific area.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16767769

  ----------

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)

     * Los Angeles CA - Aug 17-20
     * Philadelphia, PA Sep 14-17
     * Chicago IL Oct 19-22
     * Portland OR Nov 16-19
     * Los Angeles CA Dec 7-10

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.


------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE             LOCATION           DATES

ISNR    www.isnr.org     Atlanta GA      Sep 7-10

------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

Online Resources

Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia:
   http://en.wikipedia.org/

Merriam-Webster Dictionary & Thesaurus
   http://www.m-w.com/

Google Book Search (search inside full text of books)
  http://books.google.com/

Science & culture debates
   http://www.ingenious.org.uk/

One-page Reference Desk
   http://www.refdesk.com/

BrainInfo (includes links to numerous atlases)
   http://braininfo.rprc.washington.edu/

Sylvius (Brain function atlas)
   http://www.sylvius.com

Medline Plus (Medical Information)
   http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/medlineplus.html

APA Style
   http://www.wooster.edu/psychology/apa-crib.html

Google's newest info tools:
   http://www.google.com/intl/en/options/

Psychology in the News
   http://www.psychwatch.com/news.htm

Health & Medicine News
   http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_summaries.php

Newspapers and Magazines
   http://www.metagrid.com/
   http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/

Quotations
   http://www.quotationspage.com/

-DK
----end--

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

Vol. 9 No. 6 - June 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.
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - The World is Too Much with Us
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Re-evaluating one's belief system
--------------------------------------------------

Announcements

Last month marked the 100th issue of this newsletter!

     * 'Mind over matter' no longer science fiction
     * Stroke Patients' Family Caregivers Need More Support
     * Over time, memories may grow more positive
     * Study Compares Brain Aneurysm Treatments
     * Freethinking scientist ponders the brain
     * A Tale of Two Schools
     * Inside the Autistic Mind

       All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
--------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

The World is Too Much with Us


Sometimes it is enough just to remember
There was once a time before we knew about time
When the self and the world fit snugly together.

Birds, bees, bats, and pterodactyls developed wings.
Monkeys, apes, and humans developed color vision. The
first occurred because of common environmental
pressures, the 2nd because a distant ancestor passed
down the ability to her many descendents. The first
is an example of convergent evolution, the second
divergent. Divergent evolution is the more familiar
form of evolution, due to genetics, but both
processes work to shape life and the latter is more
interesting because it suggests commonalities about
the environment across species.

I bring up convergent evolution because of
hemispheric specialization - each hemisphere of the
brain specialized for its own complement of functions
such as speech, math, or face recognition.
Hemispheric specialization is present in species as
diverse as birds, rats, dolphins, and humans, and it
is likely a product of convergent evolution. Cerebral
asymmetry arose in both mammals and birds, creatures
who are similar in appearance only, if that.
Convergent evolution indicates common environment
pressures at work, but what selective pressures are
shared by killer bees and killer whales? What in the
world split the rat brain, bird brain, whale brain,
and my child's brain into PC and Mac? Was it an
accident of nature, or a necessity?

Evolution is the story of organisms adapting to a
larger organisms or worlds. Adaptation involves
acquisition of rules and acquiring rules, through
heritage or experience, allows one to respond to
challenges. Animal that falter or fail to acquire
appropriate responses do not live to play another
day, but what are these rules? What inspired neurons
to duplicate and specialize into PC and Mac on a wide
scale?

We do know that the world designed us. Theological
considerations aside (whether we live in God's world
or nature's), each organism is a work of art,
sculpted out of raw materials and refined through 3.8
billion years of constant vigorous evolutionary
pressure. So what made a double-brain design
advantageous through all those years of biological
sand blasting? Why did only bihemispheric vertebrates
survive?

The answer lies with the environment. All organisms
seek a balance between themselves and the
environment, a balance between reward and risk. A
balance presumes the idea of a self in all creatures
and surely animals conceive of themselves as we do, a
part of existence under intimate and immediate
control. Some animal may have selves that only extend
to their bodies and little else, perhaps into their
young, but social animals are something else. We --as
well as dolphins and dogs, to name conspicious
members of the social predators club on this planet
-- include our companions and other members of the
tribe into our self. And young social animals have
little sense of self to speak of, which is why
playing fetch for hours isn't tiresome to children.
In fact willingness to play fetch or catch or
shagging fly balls is central to understanding
ourselves. All of these games are social, even
cross-special, indicating a greater sense of self
than any non-social animal could possess. When I
worked with dolphins years ago, I spent hours
reaching my hand into their mouths to retrieve balls,
games across the species-line, and such trust games
were rewarding into the wee hours for both me and the
dolphins. "Are you still playing with them?" I hear
ringing in my ears. Yes, and so should you, because
the human sense of control and consent always must be
in the process of extending, across others as well as
space and time. But we need to remember how each
person makes his or her own path and decides on his
or her own where to lay the boundary between world
and self, and for each child and adult setting the
dividing line is the greatest challenge they will
ever face, as they face it alone.

The world is too much with us.

World and self distinctions reflect hemispheric
differences, what nature developed to handle the
separation between others and oneself. The left
hemisphere provides a universal self, one filled with
categories and abstraction such as catness or
blueness, while the right hemisphere provides a
cherish and nurtured view, individualized and
concrete, a memory of a particular cat or sky.
Platonic logos struggles against Aristotlean
diversity in all of us.

Flor-Henry (1969) was one of the first to consider
hemispheric specialization and mental illness and he
discovered how left- and right-sided foci in temporal
lobe epilepsy were associated with schizophrenia and
manic-depression. Others made much of the left/right
brain distinction in emotional and mental
disturbances such as children who exhibit socially
inappropriate behavior and have difficulty perceiving
emotional states of others who were found to be right
brain damaged. The world never gains status in such a
child, but what may be worse , definitely worse, is
those children in whom the self never gains status.
That is the worse form of mental illness and surely
the future of this field as nothing else but learning
-- not pharmaceuticals or love -- can resolve it.

Selected References

Glick, S.D. (1985) Cerebral lateralization in
nonhuman species, New York: Academic Press.

Lerner, J., Nachshon, I., & Carmon, A. (1977)
Responses of paranoid and non-paranoid schizophrenics
in a dichotic listening task. J Nervous Mental
Diseases, 164, 247-252.

Voeller, K. (1986) Right-hemisphere deficit
syndrome in children, Am J Psychiatry, 143, 1004-1009.

Wordsworth, W (1807). The world is too much with us.

-DK
--------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Conversations on Consciousness: What the Best Minds
Think About the Brain, Free Will...
by Susan Blackmore
Interviews with leading figures in study of
consciousness.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195179587/eegspectrum

Alcohol Abuse Revolution: Complementary and
Alternative...
by Donna J. Cornett
Alternative medicine to reduce alcohol craving and
consumption.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0976372029/eegspectrum

Only a Mother Could Love Him : My Life with and
Triumph over ADD
by Benjamin Polis
Guide to managing ADHD from a mother's perspective.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345471881/eegspectrum

Concise Guide to Evaluation and Management of Sleep
Disorders
by Martin Reite, et al
General practitioner guide to sleep problems
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1585620459/eegspectrum

Breaking The Grip Of Dangerous Emotions
by Janet Maccaro
Personal perspective on beating stress and negative
emotions.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591857872/eegspectrum

Interactive Play for Children with Autism
by Diana Seach
Introduction to the value of play in social and
emotional development of children.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0415333261/eegspectrum
--------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

Failing to deactivate: Resting functional
abnormalities in autism. : Social impairment
correlated with activity in ventral medial prefrontal
cortex, which is perhaps indicative of abnormal
internally directed processes at rest for autistics.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16702548

Functional MRI to study brain plasticity in clinical
neurology. : Exhaustion of adaptive properties of
cerebral cortex may be responsible for 'fixed'
neurological deficits.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16708177

QEEG discordance: predicting cocaine-dependent
treatment attrition. : Concordant (high perfusion
correlate) patients had much higher successful
treatment completion rate than discordant patients.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16720798

Self-Regulation of Slow Cortical Potentials in
Seizure Patients. : Decreased seizure frequency from
this form of neurofeedback training may be due to
inhibition in cortical areas proximal to active
electrodes, frontal cortex, and thalamus.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16691432

An fMRI task battery for assessing hemispheric
language dominance in children. : Techniques to
assess hemispheric dominance for language in
children, to identify athological language
organization.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16651012

Discriminative analysis of brain function at
resting-state for ADHD : Abnormalities in prefrontal
cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, along with
other areas, discriminated the ADHD brain from
others.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16685993

Simultaneous EEG and fMRI applied to epilepsy. :
Integrating of both electrophysiologic and metabolic
information provides much insight into cerebral
physiology.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16630747

Brain network dysfunction in bipolar disorder. :
Bipolar disorder may arise from abnormalities within
networks like the the anterior limbic network, not a
localized lesion.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16641836

Adolescent risk behaviors and religion: Findings from
a national study. : Religiosity was associated with
reduced risk behaviors in smoking, marijuana and
alcohol use, truancy, sexual activity, and
depression.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16677701

Hippocampal volume in chronic PTSD : Hippocampal
volumes in chronic PTSD patients compared to controls
were similar, despite other short term studies
finding differences.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16701903

Does neuroscience hold promise for the further
development of behavior therapy? : Integration of
biological and psychological models are extremely
important for treating many disorders.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16696847

Observation of children with ADHD problems in
classroom contexts. : children with ADHD were more
disruptive and inattentive than peers and less
on-task.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16719970

Post-lesional cerebral reorganisation : Functional
neuroimaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation
were used to assess post-lesional brain plasticity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16723211


  ----------

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)

     * Washington DC Jun 22-25
     * Raleigh/Durham, NC Jul 20-23
     * Los Angeles CA - Aug 17-20
     * Philadelphia, PA Sep 14-17
     * Chicago IL Oct 19-22
     * Portland OR Nov 16-19
     * Los Angeles CA Dec 7-10


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.


------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE             LOCATION           DATES

ISNR    www.isnr.org     Atlanta GA      Sep 7-10

------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

Re-evaluating one's belief system (100 issues later)

May marked the 100th issue of WNIN, this newsletter.
To see how the longest webzine dedicated to mental
health has held up, here is the first Last Word from
Jan 1998, unedited, with only minimal wincing by the
editor upon reading the original editor's work, a 33
y man-child who wrote it and who shares my name and
genes.

A common criticism of neurofeedback is its remarkable
ability to treat numerous disorders. Most scientists
are skeptical of "panaceas" If you say you have a
technique or molecule that treats more than, say,
three conditions, their panacea detector in their
head goes off and they usually suspect this
intervention treats none.

One of the problems lies in the categorization of
disorders made by DSM IV, which defines conditions
mostly based on symptoms, age at onset, predisposing
factors, and prognosis. The neurophysiological and
neuroanatomical substrates of disorders are
overlooked. Thus disorders that reflect similar
cortical dysfunction are delineated from each other.
When a treatment is developed which targets a
specific neurophysiological dysfunction, a whole host
of DSM-IV conditions can be impacted. Studies have
found that Prozac is effective in treating bulimia,
anorexia nervosa, adult and childhood depression,
fibromyalgia, and some autistic symptoms. Are we to
believe that Prozac must not work on any, as more
than three are listed? Did Eli Lilly develop the drug
to affect one DSM condition, or as I suspect, did
they target a specific neurotransmitter system.
Clinical studies have found Depakote to be effective
in treating migraines, anxiety, and complex partial
(epileptic) seizures. What if the term neurofeedback
appeared in the previous sentence where Depakote now
appears? Any difference in reaction from those
skeptics?

Grant applications also fall victim to DSM
balkanization. One reviewer of a chemical dependency
grant rejected the grant partly on the grounds that
although there was good evidence of alpha-theta
neurofeedback being effective in treating alcoholism,
there was no evidence whatsoever of alpha-theta
neurofeedback being effective in treating chemical
dependency. I can think of no two conditions in the
DSM IV that resemble each other more and co-occur
more often than alcoholism and substance abuse. But
because the DSM IV describes these disorders on
different pages under different headings, they are
treated as two separate and unrelated entities in the
minds of many scientists.

The other problem with the acceptance of
neurofeedback is that that too few people (outside of
neuroscientists and neurologists) grasp the
importance of rhythmicity and feedback loops in the
brain. Here is a simple model of the brain taught to
me by neurosurgeon Joe Bogen to help the
non-neuroscientist understand how the brain works:

The brain consists of inhibitory systems that inhibit
inhibitory systems which inhibit inhibitory systems.

If you grasp this, you grasp why neurofeedback is so
powerful in remediating cortical dysfunction and
subsequently psychopathology. Neurofeedback provides
an external feedback loop that can come under some
volitional control. This feedback loop impinges on
the extensive feedback loops inherent in the
thalamocortical circuitry and the therapist moderates
these feedback loops to increase or decrease
activation of neuromodulatory circuitry at various
topographic regions of the brain. (See David
McCormick's work for a clear and visual presentation
on neuronal feedback loops -
info.med.yale.edu/neurobio/mccormick/seminar/seminar.htm

Neurofeedback may require a re-evaluation of one's
belief system, especially those who memorized the
DSM-IV. But I doubt that the Nobel Prize has ever
been awarded to any scientist who did not re-evaluate
his or her belief system at one time during his or
her lifetime.

David Kaiser (Jan 1998 version) -DK
----end--

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

Vol. 9 No. 5 - May 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Brain as plurality of organs
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Autobiographical and universal selves
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements

  -Over time, memories may grow more positive
  -Study Compares Brain Aneurysm Treatments
  -'Free Radical' Molecules May Help Drive Brain Illnesses
  -Multimedia Babies: Good News, Bad News
  -Freethinking scientist ponders the brain
  -A Tale of Two Schools
  -Inside the Autistic Mind

  All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Brain as plurality of organs

When did humans first become curious about
themselves, about the organs and sinews that allowed
us to be? When did we become curious about the object
behind our eyes, which is larger than most creatures'
but provides from its appearance no clue to its
function, unlike the structural supports, pumps, and
filters of the body? When did we become aware of
awareness and search for its source?

Aristotle believed thoughts, feelings, and actions
sprung from our hearts, partly because the organ
remained warm after death while the brain was cool to
the touch. The brain is not much more than a
precarious suspension of water and quickly
disintegrates when it is not fixed or hardened by
formaldehyde or similar substance. Thought is just as
fleeting at suspended water, and in a another sense
constant, like the pounding in our chests.

The history of brain science begins before the
written word. Neolithic tribesman drilled holes in
the skulls of fellow tribesmen in order to assist the
healing process. Humans have always been the most
observant of species, even back in the day, and one
or two children probably noticed that friends who hit
their head on rocks and broke open their skulls often
survived after a bit of an ordeal whereas friends who
hit their head just as hard without fracturing the
skull ended their ordeal with death. Imagine the
courage of a Neolithic shaman/scientist-type who, now
an elder, has the inspiration to mimic nature by
drilling through the skull of a living and barely
breathing tribesman, with family members crowding
around the injured party. Trephination it is called,
the first neurosurgical procedure, and it is
estimated to have provided these early humans a 65%
survival rate. Sixty-five percent is impressive given
the lack of antiseptics, but perhaps the social
environment made up for primitive post-op care. In
one archeological site in France 40 of 120 skulls
were trephinated, one in three people having
undergone therapeutic skull fracture. A bonding
experience to say the least.

In an Egyptian papyrus two millennium BCE we find our
first mention of the brain itself, but without regard
to function. The Egyptians carefully preserved many
organs for the afterlife journey but they generally
tossed the brain aside during mummification as they
saw it of little value. And who of us hasn't met
these poor souls, afterlife adventurers who walk the
earth with everything but a brain?

Aristotle's mentor believed in a cerebrocentric view
of the mind, as did Hippocrates, the father of
medicine. Both Plato and Hippocrates considered the
brain as the seat of sensation and emotion but it was
Aristotle's cardiocentric view which held sway over
most people and institutions for centuries. As I tell
my students, in the centuries between Ancient Greece
and today few people corrected Aristotle when God was
silent on an issue. The famed Roman doctor and father
of anatomy, Galen, argued convincingly against
Aristotle's conception and was a voice of
considerable authority, yet only God overruled
Aristotle in those days. Fifteen centuries after
Galen Shakespeare was still stymied on the issue
"Tell me, where is fancy bred, Or in the heart or in
the head?"

Galen's focus, when it came to the brain, was not of
its tissue but of the spaces between, the ventricles,
which were filled with spiritual ethers according to
him, which we now call cerebral spinal fluid. The
brain has four ventricles and according to Galen
imagination inhabited the front ventricle, cognition
the middle, and memory the posterior ventricle. Not a
bad guess, if cerebral spinal fluid could think.
Because of the prohibition on human dissection, Galen
learned about human brains from fallen Roman
gladiators, a quick inspection in the arena or
afterwards, supplemented by vivisection of animals
such as monkeys or goats. Galen was followed a
millennia later by a generation of anatomist led
intellectually by Andreas Vesalius who revealed that
Galen's anatomy lessons were more animal than human.
But Vesalius was interested in anatomy, not
physiology, and it would take future generations to
focus study on brain function itself.

Descartes in the 17th century believed the soul
interfaced with the body in the centralized structure
of the pineal gland, a producer of melatonin. Others
would suggest the corpus callosum, the great ether
cables between the two CPUs (hemispheres), one PC
(left, serial) and one Mac (right, graphic/parallel).
But the corpus callosum is wiring, the transmitter of
thought, not its engine. Fast forward a century to
begin the first study of the different thought
engines inside the skull.

As a child Franz Gall (1758-1828) noted how verbally
superior schoolmates had bulging eyes, and this led
him to believe that language abilities resided behind
the eyes (suborbital region of frontal lobe), and
when overdevelopment in those few, the additional
brain tissue pushed out the eyes. This insight, false
as it was, was the basis of phrenology, which is the
analysis of the shapes and lumps of the skull in
order to discern brain development below, another
faulty assumption about brain shaping bone. Gall
identified 27 basic faculties like imitation,
spirituality, veneration. We now use a similar
phrenological appoach and rely on neuroimaging
instead of tactile inspection of skulls, but we speak
of more basic operations such as phoneme processing,
hierarchical organization, line orientation
detection, etc.

The history of brain science can be considered a
battle on two fronts. The western front is the
mind-brain correspondence: is there one-to-many (one
soul or mind to many physical organelles) or
many-to-many (mental operations to a plurality of
brain parts)? The eastern front is brain division: is
there symmetry or asymmetry, division of labor or
redundancy of labor?

Symmetry is a common starting point in any scientific
investigation. Francois X. Bichat (1771-1802), who
helped found the science of histology, believed in a
general law of symmetry in biology. Symmetrical
functioning between paired organs was necessary, he
argued, because one had to be able to relate to the
external world equally with both sides of body. When
this principle is applied to the brain we call it
cerebral holism or in neuropsychological terminology,
diffuse representation. Pierre Flourens (1794-1867)
attacked Gall's mind-brain equivalence which he
considered materialistic heresies that undermined the
unity of the soul, human immortality, free will, and
the very existence of God. Talk about having a
scientific rival! Flourens' rigorous experimentation
actually established functional localization, though
not in line with the higher functions Gall was
concerned with. Flourens discovered that main
divisions of the brain were responsible for largely
different functions. When he removed the cerebrum in
pigeons or rabbits, he noted how perceptions, motor
function, and judgment were abolished. Removal of
cerebellum affected equilibrium and motor
coordination and destruction of the brain stem caused
death.

"The function of the cerebral lobes is to will, to
judge, to remember, to see, to hear, or - in a word -
to feel. [They] wish and feel; that is their proper
action. The suppression of these lobes weakens the
activity of the entire nervous system." (Flourens,
translated, 1824)

So in a sense Gall's rival validated his paradigm, if
not his approach. But the details refuted Gall's.
Flourens found no evidence of discrete cortical
representation for higher functions, but then again,
he didn't really search for higher functions.
Identifying veneration or spirituality in a bird
would have taken him down a dead-end, so he examined
motor function and discovered that extensive cortical
lesions had little impact on various motor behaviors.
From his work we conclude that we use only 10% of our
brain as 90% or more destruction was required before
notable function loss occurred. Flourens focused on
wing flapping and eating, actions performed by the
subcortex, so he mismapped brain and location from
the get-go. Had he destroyed the basal ganglia or
hypothalamus, discrete functional impairment would
have been obvious, or had he focused on higher
functions like memory or problem solving (using a
19th century version of a Skinner box, perhaps), he
may have hit upon the cortical localization.

Jean-Baptiste Bouillaud (1796-1881) was "the soul of
the doctrine of localization" for 50 years. From 1825
to 1860 he defended Gall in debates before French
Academie de Medecine. Localization remained a
polarizing issue because the contest was between
divinity and humanity. The mind may possess many
faculties but the brain must be unitary to receive
the soul, according to prominent thinkers of the day.
Bouillaud (1825) reported on 100 patients with speech
loss after frontal lesions. His confidence was such
that he offered 500 francs to anyone who could
present a case of a frontal lesion not accompanied by
a speech disorder. Although aphasia was localized to
the frontal lobe, no left or right lobe distinction
was yet made, partly due to bad luck. If we look at
brain disease and speechlessness rates from
clinicians between 1761 to 1840, the work of
Morgagni, Bouillaud, and Andral, we find the
following:

LHD= left hemisphere damage, RHD= right hemisphere
damage

A.  5 LHD - 4 aphasic;    5 RHD - 1 aphasic
B. 11 LHD - 8 aphasic;   14 RHD - 4 aphasic
C.  5 LHD - 3 aphasic;    6 RHD - 0 aphasic


Not enough evidence within anyone's own experience to
conclude lateralization of speech, but combined we
have speechlessness rates of 15/21 for left brain
damage (71%) and 5/25 for right brain damage (20%),
pretty convincing. So God or nature spread the
evidence across three individual clinicians and only
a meta-analysis revealed the truth.

Marc Dax (1836) was a country doctor in southern
France who noticed how left brain damage was
associated with verbal memory deficits. His son
Gustave presented his father's memoirs to the French
Academy the same time Broca's investigation of
frontal lesions with aphasia were being announced.
Paul Broca (1861, 1865) would receive credit for not
only convincing the academy that frontal lesions were
responsible for aphasia but also for its
lateralization to the left hemisphere. "Nous parlons
avez l'hemisphere gauche." - we speak with the left
hemisphere.

Once an idea has gain purchase in science it often
snowballs and the localization paradigm was now
established and gaining followers. Carl Wernicke
(1874), a German physician and pathologist,
discovered that damage to a posterior area of the
brain also caused speech disturbances. Gustave Dax
also reported on this, but the Daxes were destined
for obscurity and the area associated with these
speech disturbances is now known as Wernicke's area
in the left temporal lobe. Wernicke also developed a
connectionism model of language and predicted
conduction aphasia from specific damage in the
network before any case was found to support it.

But cerebral holism, like many prematurely
discredited ideas in science, would not fade away
entirely. John Hughlings Jackson, a notable English
neurologist, argued for highly interactive
hierarchies in the central nervous system and
suggested we needed to improve our simple conception
of localization:

"To locate the damage which destroys speech and to
localise speech [itself] are two different things."
(Jackson, 1864)

Jackson also was the first to suggest the right
hemisphere was superior for certain functions such as
visual recognition. He also noted the motor-sensory
division between anterior and posterior cortex. He is
the most visionary of 19th century neuroscientist who
made this subtle argument, still held as true:

"Emotion uses propositions in a largely
interjectional manner, that is to say, reduces them
to or towards inferior speech. Emotion, as it were,
appropriates and subordinates an intellectual
utterance... Loss of speech is, therefore, the loss
of power to propositionise." (Jackson, 1864)

The microscope slowed any backward slide toward
holism. Korbinian Brodmann (German neurologist
1868-1918) identified 52 cytoarchitectonic brain
areas based on cellular types and distrbutions in
1905. He identified how the cerebral cortex contains
six distinct layers, except in occipital cortex, and
we still rely on Brodmann areas in humans a century
later. Here is a good time to bring in some
quantification.... A single Brodmann area houses
innumerable cells. A single cubic millimeter of
cortex, the spatial resolution of current fMRI
technology, contains an astounding array of
energy-generating and regulating equipment -- about
13,000 pyramidal neurons, twice the number of glial
cells, billions of synapses, and one-tenth of a
kilometer of axons (Pakkenberg et al, 2003). Each EEG
electrode itself spans an area containing 5 million
pyramidal neurons or more beneath it (Okamoto et al.,
2004). But that is 21st century accounting. In the
early 20th century, Harvey Cushing (1869-1939)
initiated cortical stimulation work on conscious
humans (in 1909). He worked contemporaneously with
British physician Henry Head, who argued for
significant roles of subcortical structures in
language and followed up Jackson's logic:

"The processes which underlie an act of speech run
through the nervous system like a prairie fire from
bush to bush; remove all inflammable material at any
one point and the fire stops. So, when a break occurs
in the functional chain, orderly speech becomes
impossible, because the basic physiological processes
which subserve it have been disturbed... The site of
such a breach of continuity is not a 'center for
speech', but solely a place where it can be
interrupted or changed." (1926).

Wilder Penfield (neurosurgeon, 1891-1976) continued
Cushing's method and discovered that electrical
stimulation of various locations of the brain led to
language disruption and in the temporal lobe episodic
memories. Evoking specific memories reliably should
have put the final nail in the coffin of holism, but
alas, that will probably never come, and for good
reason.

In the 1950s Karl Lashley couldn't determine where
memories were located in the rat brain. He kept
lesioning all parts of their tiny smooth brain and
still the rats retained maze- running memories.
Lesion size, and not location, determined behavioral
consequences. Nevertheless a rat brain is about
one-millionth less complicated than a primate's,
according to my quick reckoning, and Lashley's
principle of mass action was undermined by Irle
(1990) who reviewed 283 monkey studies and concluded
that location, location, location of lesion was too
important. Ironically, some lesions actually led to
improved performance, possibly due to reciprocal
inhibitory networks, which simply highlights my
one-million-times more complex theory.

Karl Pribram was a student of Lashley and he and
David Bohm, a colleague of Einstein, independently
revived holism on a universal scale, which they
called the hologram theories of the brain, or
universe (take your pick). Pribram's hypothesis (to
downgrade it a bit) argues for existence of memory or
function superimposed over all brain tissues, as a
hologram. The location of brain function, like the
location of photons, appears to be sensitive to how
you measure them. Perhaps the mind is everywhere and
nowhere at once, or if it has locality, it doesn't
like to stay in any one place for very long.

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

White Matter in Cognitive Neurosciences
by Cooley's Anemia Symposium 2005 Lake Buen, et al
Papers from the Anemia Symposium 2005 published for Annals of the New York
Academy of Sciences
--www.amazon.com/ exec/obidos/ASIN/1573315451/eegspectrum

Neurobiology of Attention
by Laurent Itti, et al
Summary of latest developments in neuroscientific attention research.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0123757312/ eegspectrum

Handbook of Neurodevelopmental and Genetic Disorders in Adults
by Sam Goldstein, Cecil R. Reynolds
Neural underpinnings of developmental and genetic disorders for adults.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 1593852061/eegspectrum

Essential Neuroscience
by Allan Siegel, Hreday N. Sapru
Textbook of basic neuroscience topics.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0781750776/eegspectrum

Drugs And Society: U.S. Public Policy
by Jefferson M. Fish
Past and present drug policies and their evaluations.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0742542459/eegspectrum

-----
JOURNAL PAPERS

Correlation of PET and qEEG in normal subjects. : Thalamic metabolism was
negatively correlated with alpha power and medial frontal cortical metabolism
was positively correlated with delta EEG power.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16603341


Functional EEG topography in sleep and waking : Sleep deprivation enhances EEG
power in delta and theta, regardless of task.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16650779


Neurophysiology of childhood and adolescent bipolar disorder. : Prefrontal,
medial temporal, and subcortical limbic structures show functional and
structural abnormalities in childhood bipolar disorder.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16641835


Principles of magnetic resonance assessment of brain function. : Describes
measurements of oxygenation, blood flow and volume, and measures of
connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging for fMRI.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16649206


EEG coherence in mild cognitive impairment : EEG coherences in all bands were
higher in a mild cognitive impairment group compared to controls during effort,
but similar during rest.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16615165


Contributions of Neocortical Neurons to MEG and EEG Signals. : Pyramidal cell
burst discharge may be detectable with scalp EEG when as few as 10,000 neurons
are synchronously active.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16613883


EEG power correlations in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. : OCD
patients show slower overall frequency, mostly in frontal sites, and EEG power
correlated with scales measures of obsessions and compulsions.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16554100
   ----------

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)

Washington DC 	 Jun 22-25
Raleigh/Durham, NC  Jul 20-23
Los Angeles CA 	  Aug 17-20
Philadelphia, PA  Sep 14-17
Chicago IL 		 Oct 19-22
Portland OR 	 Nov 16-19
Los Angeles CA 	 Dec 7-10

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.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

ISNR    www.isnr.org     Atlanta GA      Sep 7-10

---------------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

Autobiographical and Universal Selves

- "We're one but we're not the same" - singer Bono of U2


Speaking of Karl Pribram (in the Spotlight article,
above), I had the privilege of sitting beside him on
the podium a few years back (11th Winter Brain, Palm
Springs CA, Jan 2003). Earlier I have given a talk
called "Do I exist? Ontological Insecurity and Mental
Illness" which may have been one reason the program
coordinator sat me beside Karl in the Free Will
panel. My talk was on psychotherapist RD Laing's
model of ontological insecurity (1959) which I
characterized as a metaphysical power play, a
struggle for ontological dominance: Which exists
more, me or the world?

And by me I meant I and by I I meant we, I think :-)

"An ontologically insecure person is preoccupied with
preserving rather than gratifying himself: the
ordinary circumstances of living threaten his low
threshold of security" - RD Laing

In my talk I conceptualized mental illness as
cognitive and behavioral consequences of unstable
boundaries between an individual's representation of
self-agency (I) and his or her representation of
external agency -- i.e., all that is not subject to
intimate control, world. Mental illness is conceived
as an unstable relation, an imbalance, of I to not-I.
The relation of I/world may be plotted along an
autistic-to-normal-to-catatonic continuum, according
to my model, with social and physiological rewards
modulating where the fulcrum is set.

Most individuals set the fulcrum where the culture
sets it, consenting to a balance of self-agency and
other-agency provided by family members and friends
and acceptable to the culture at large. Of course a
few ne'er-do-wells either will not or cannot consent
to what some may see as an imposed balance and they
end up either fighting the wind or changing its
course (rarer than rare).

Sebern Fisher and Sig Othmer also shared the podium
that day and Sebern in particular didn't care for my
idea of autistics as having too much I-ness, too much
free will. Be that as it may, criticism doesn't
always mean you are wrong, but it does mean that you
have gotten someone's attention.

Adding more encumberance to my continuum model of
mental health, some consider the anterior temporal
poles as interpretative centers of the brain, the
buck-stops-here spots, and I concur and consider the
temporal poles as where the selves are modelled or
generated, a universal self in the left, an
autobiographical self in the right (i.e.,
non-dominant hemisphere). So left is all I-ness,
right all not-I-ness. It may sound confusing to call
something autobiographical as not-I-ness, but what is
an autobiography but a story we tell to ourselves
about how we differ from the typical self, how unique
our responses are, our resistance in categorizing our
thoughts and feelings.

And categorizing is the primary function of the left
brain, in a word. The left hemisphere categorizing
what it is to think and what it is to be. This
categorization leads in part to self-consciousness
but categorization itself is not experience, but
distance from experience. Categorization is knowledge
about experience, consumption and acknowledgment of
sensation that purges all that is not relevant to
such acknowledgment. And it is the role of
categorization in understanding ourselves that sets
the bar or positions the fulcrum.

Except in infancy, we neurotypicals (i.e.,
non-autistics) rarely experience the physical world.
We merely infer it. We live high above, in symbolic
space, distanced from the world's physicality. We
live in a world of knowing, less a world of being.

We know what is likely to happen next. And after
that, and soon after that. We've struck a balance of
self and world that allows for accurate prediction
based on the control our culture has over the
physical world. In fact the fulcrum is generally set
at the point that allows maximal predictability. But
mental illness is a loss of this predictability, due
to an instability of self and world representation.
Mental illness is a drop from a world of knowing into
a world of sensation. Sometimes we drop into fear,
sometimes into bliss, but regardless, sensation is
always all-encompassing and therefore unpredictable.
In neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and
to a lesser extent schizophrenia the individual never
learned to climb out of the treetops and jump into
the sky and fly like the rest of us. They are left
auto-rhythmic, entirely or partially, the world at
odds to intervene and help separate the
autobiographical self from the universal.

-DK
----end--

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

Vol. 9 No. 4 - April 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Social Normalization
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Catering to Agency Deficiency
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements

  -Emotional Wiring Different in Men and Women
  -Good night's sleep boosts long-term memory
  -A Real Flip-Flopper, at 3 Trillion Times a Second
  -Weak brain links 'explain autism'
  -'It is worth the terror and hallucinations'
  -Could brain implants control people remotely?

  All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Social Normalization

Across town a recently suspended teenage boy
allegedly headed towards the high school in order to
wreak revenge on the principal. Some say he planned
to attack the student body as well, reminiscent of
the 1999 Columbine assault. Fortunately police were
tipped off and road blocks were set up in front of
the school. The nearby elementary school, where my
daughter attends, was also put into lockdown as a
precaution. The would-be domestic terrorist, or
alienated teenager, depending upon one's perspective,
was captured by police after a 100-mile-per-hour
chase through the back roads of Churchville, a small
town of 1,800 people in upstate New York. As it
happens, thanks to school district consolidation with
a neighboring city, more children attend middle and
high school in Churchville than actually live in the
village...

What follows is an excerpt from a companion piece to
"School Shootings, High School Size, and
Neurobiological Considerations," an article soon to
appear in the Journal of Neurotherapy. The companion
piece describes how we moved from 1821 to 1,821, from
English High in 1821, the country's first public
secondary school, to Patrick Henry High, a typical
mega-school in Roanoke, Virginia with 1,821 students.
A century of scientific learning separates the era of
one-room school houses from today's mega-schools and
in this time we have learned much about childhood and
maturation, the mechanisms of learning and the power
of social situations, but very little of this
knowledge has been applied to public education. We
know from addiction research that recovery often
requires a change of environment, away from the
drug-strewn world that advanced the condition. In
this light what good is normalizing brain function
with neurotherapy when children are returned to a
dysfunctional social environment six or seven hours a
day.

    ----
   A disgruntled school board treasurer blamed his farm
   foreclosure on taxes he paid for building the new
   school. For revenge he planted dynamite in the school
   basement, drove into the school yard at the start of
   the school day, and detonated it. He then fired a
   shot into dynamite stashed in his back seat. The two
   explosions killed 38 students and 6 adults including
   the disgruntled farmer. So began school violence in
   America, in Bath, Michigan, May 18, 1927.
----
For most of our history America has been a nation of
small schools. At the turn of the century five out of
six elementary schools were single-teacher schools, a
school marm working in a one- or two-room school
house. By mid-century nearly half of all elementary
schools remained one-teacher schools but
circumstances had begun to change. State and local
agencies were closing and consolidating schools at a
record pace, mostly in an effort to improve the cost
efficiency of public education, or so they believed.
With school consolidation came crowding, especially
as the general population rose, and along with
crowding came its traditional responses such as
competition, aggression, and violence. Last decade 30
million crimes were committed in our public schools
and 28 million crimes were committed upon children
away from school. Think about that. The streets are
now safer than the schools.

Violence in schools has become tolerated, even
expected - how else to explain why 738,000 violent
crimes committed at schools last year garnered so
little media attention? Nearly three-quarters of
public schools will experience violent incidents this
year. Girls are 17 % more likely to be a victim at
school than away, boys 23 % more likely at school
than away. Why? What has happened? Let's start with
the physics of it all - the buildings, the
institutions of learning. Take the state of
California, for example, which once possessed the
best public educational system in the nation. In the
last 20 years the state of California has turned to
building the wrong kind of buildings for our
children; 33 new prisons were built and only one
university. Juvenile detention center capacity was
greatly increased and numerous mega-schools were
opened. Mega-schools are high schools with
enrollments above 2,000. Last year 23 new
monstrosities were opened nationwide. Add to this the
1,414 mega-schools already operating in this country,
and take a look into any one, and it becomes apparent
why there is school violence and dropping test scores
and other social ills affecting our children. We've
come a long way from the one-room school house in
only 50 years, and nearly all of it in the wrong
direction.


Reduction of public school districts in the United
States since 1939
http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/apr06a.gif

The use of aggression, even violence, to improve
social status is nothing new to our species. All
adolescent primates strive for social status,
especially males. Witness current events around the
world. Organized violence always has as its goal the
improvement of the social status of the group
perpetrating it.The emergence of mega-schools during
the last two decades has simply transformed
adolescent status competition into a lethal and
indiscriminant form of competition. The most
sensational example of this form of competition has
been random school shootings. In the last decade 17
multiple-injury student school shootings took place
in the United States, 13 at high schools and 4 at
middle schools. Nearly all high school shootings
occurred in large schools, most with enrollments over
1,000. School shootings are certainly rare, but they
are tip-of-an-iceberg events, canaries in the coal
mine. They reflect an accumulation of social ills
beneath the surface and their emergeance en masse in
the late 1990s, around the time suburban public high
school enrollment surpassed 1,000 students (median)
may not be coincidental. They are the response of an
immature mind to unprecedented social complexity.
Median public high school enrollment have now grown
to 1,200 students in suburbs, 1,600 in cities and 43
% of all freshmen now attend mega-schools. Imagine
entering the halls of a school with 500 other
students your age (2,000 in the entire school),
people who you are expected to compete against and
connect with. How can a 14 year old develop a unique
and secure identity in such an ocean of strangers?
Many cannot and drop out, emotionally if not
physically.


9th grade drop-out rate in large towns with a single
school district, school year 2000.
http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/apr06b.gif

The details of school shootings are described in my
Journal of Neurotherapy paper and elsewhere, so a few
facts here will suffice. Smaller high schools
(400-600 total enrollment) experience one-eighth the
rate of serious crimes and one-third the rate of
lesser crimes such as theft and vandalism. Smaller
schools are beneficial to students in all areas of
life, social as well as academic, regardless of
whether the school is in a city or in the suburbs or
in the country. Smaller schools are superior to
larger schools on athletic participation,
extracurricular activity participation, absenteeism,
dropout rate, student satisfaction, minor and serious
rule infractions, self-esteem and locus of control,
interpersonal relationships, sense of community,
parental involvement, interpersonal relations between
teacher and students, and even teacher attitudes. Why
teachers' attitudes? Because they are also affected
by the complexity of the social environment. And
parental involvement is higher in smaller schools
probably because the parents were involved when the
consolidation wave swept through their towns but
through their involvement they blocked it and kept a
rationally-sized school. While it's true that small
schools are slightly more costly per student, this is
a fact out of context as small schools are more
accountable to students and actually cost
significantly less per graduate than larger schools.
The largest public school in the country, Belmont
Senior High in Los Angeles with 5,299 students
consists mostly of freshmen and sophomores as few
stick around to graduate (a 62% dropout rate).

Ironically, the original advocate for school and
district consolidation would probably be appalled by
current enrollments. In the 1950s and 60s James
Conant, past president of Harvard University,
contended that the small high school was the number
one problem in U.S. education and advocated for its
elimination through district and school
consolidation. "Small" in 1967 was about 30
graduating seniors, however, so he advocated for more
like a 100 seniors in order to provide a diverse
curriculum to equip students to met the challenges of
the modern world. But once the consolidation process
began, the original intent was apparently lost. Since
1940, 200,000 public elementary and secondary schools
have been cut down to 65,000 in 2005, despite a 70%
increase in population.


Number of public schools and student populations from 1940 to 2000.
http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/apr06c.gif

Children undergo a dependency of two decades or
longer, the longest period of socialization of any
animal. Our disproportionately large cortex, and the
associated high intelligence, is primarily an
adaptation to the complexities of primate social
life. Like I tell my students, the back of our brain
is all we need to do nearly everything we want to do
on this planet - if we were the only person alive.
The front of the brain evolved because we are not the
only person alive and are faced with other primates
wanting to do the same things as we want in a limited
resource environment. (This may explain why teenagers
think they can do anything, because they can, except
get along with other teenagers who think the same
way.) Social intelligence drove brain evolution in
the primate order and the size of our brain likely
limits the number of individuals we can regularly
interact with in a meaningful manner. Dunbar (1992)
estimates the natural group size for humans at 150
individuals. This is the number of people our brains
evolved to handle, the size of the social group we
can feel reasonably comfortable within. When this
number is exceeded, socially instability follows and
we either splinter into smaller daughter groups or
undergo turmoil and social conflict. We should keep
the 150 number in mind as we consider the size of our
schools.

----
TABLE: 9th Grade enrollment in public high schools (2003).

Locale High 	  9th Grade  % > 150
  		 schools  Median Largest

City 2,725 429  2,167 81 %
Suburb 4,131 326  1,853 81 %
Town 1,691 167 	  800 57 %
Rural 6,567  76  1,542 26 %

All
Locales 15,290 172  2,167 46 %

(Includes 176 unspecified locales)
-----

When half of all public high schools exceed our
natural group size, it is not surprising that
maladaptive social behaviors, including violence,
frequently occur. In large schools behavioral
regulation through face-to-face interaction and
rapport is beyond the capabilities of student,
teachers, and administrators so time and money
earmarked for learning are instead used for
maintaining order. When group size is natural, 150
for adults, probably 100 to 120 for teenagers, we
police ourselves, as we have for eons; but when our
groups become unnatural in size, we rely on modern
methods of social control - we need police.

One bright spot in public education is the recent
growth of the small-school movement. The Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation, for instance, has provided
two billion dollars in funding to increase graduate
rates across America and many grants are dedicated to
reducing school size. The National Association of
Secondary School Principals now recommends that
secondary schools be capped at 600 students. All
told, this will require a reversal in school
construction -- the building of small schools -- an
expensive choice but a wise one.

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

Clinical Guide to Sleep Disorders in Children & Adolescents
by Gregory Stores
Thorough description of childhood sleep difficulties,
including assessment and treatment
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0521653983/eegspectrum

Bipolar Disorder
by Robert P. Reiser, Larry W. Thompson
Discussion of bipolar disorder, in the Advances in
Psychotherapy-Evidence-Based Practice series
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0889373108/eegspectrum

Clinical Neuropsychology: Pocket Handbook For Assessment
by Peter J. Snyder, et al
Geared for mental health professionals working with
older adults; an aid in selecting tests to address
specific clinical concerns. -
-www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591472830/eegspectrum

Making the System Work for Your Child with ADHD
by Peter S. Jensen
Strategies for parents in seeking treatment and
educational support for their ADHD childen.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1593850271/eegspectrum

Alternate Therapies In The Treatment Of Brain Injury...
by GJ Murrey (Editor)
Alternative therapies for brain injury, such as art
and music therapy, to augment patient quality of life
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0789021358/eegspectrum

Psychopathology in the Genome and Neuroscience Era
by CF Zorumski, et al
Reviews psychiatric genetics, epidemiology, and
neuroscience.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1585622427/eegspectrum

The Brain and Its Self: A Neurochemical Concept of
the Innate and Acquired Drives
by Joseph Knoll
Mammalian brain evolution and sociality.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/3540239693/eegspectrum
---------

JOURNAL PAPERS

fMRI Investigation of the Effects of Neurofeedback Training : Neurofeedback
training normalize functions of areas of the brain involved in selective
attention and response inhibition in ADHD children.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16552626

Should sex-specific norms be used to assess ADHD or ODD? : Authors argue for
use of sex-specific norms for ADHD and ODD to detect marginal girls who would
otherwise not be diagnosed, but are impaired.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16551155

Normalcy of neurosis: Evolutionary origins of OCD+ : Presents model of OCD as a
dysregulation of neural circuitry for threat detection and harm avoidance.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16530315

Expression of Conscious Feelings in Children with High-Functioning Autism. :
Socio-emotional impairments in autism may be related to perceptual or
expression deficits of of conscious feelings.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16565884

Cortical excitability and age-related volumetric MRI changes. : Age-associated
MRI changes correspond with age- related increases in cortical excitability.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16564739

Methylphenidate on attention in children with ADHD : Children with ADHD on
methylphenidate treatment continue to exhibit specific serious deficits in
components of attention.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16521033

Persistent EEG overactivation in neurogenic pain : Evidence of thalamocortical
dysrhythmia in chronic neurogenic pain.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16527493

EEG theta rhythm in infants and preschool children. : Theta frequency changed
from 3.6 to 5.6Hz in infants to 4-8Hz in children and is related to behavioral
performance involving substantial attentional and emotional loads.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16515883
  ----------

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)

Washington DC 	 Jun 22-25
Raleigh/Durham, NC  Jul 20-23
Los Angeles CA 	  Aug 17-20
Philadelphia, PA  Sep 14-17
Chicago IL 		 Oct 19-22
Portland OR 	 Nov 16-19
Los Angeles CA 	 Dec 7-10

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.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

ISNR    www.isnr.org     Atlanta GA      Sep 7-10

---------------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

Catering to Agency Deficiency

Jamie died in the mountains and Craig died at sea.
Everyone was happy with Craig's death but no one was
pleased about Jamie's. Why?


Most problems have simple solutions if we can
overcome our mind sets, our biases. The above riddle
is simple if we don't immediately jump to the
conclusion that Jamie and Craig are humans...


What is unique about this sequence?
8 5 4 9 1 7 6 10 3 2 0


Again, overcome our mindset and see Arabic numerals
not as numbers but as labels. Rewrite the labels as
English words "eight five four..... three two zero"
and note the sequence.


What starts with the letter E, ends with the letter
E, contains only one letter but it is not the letter E?


A word can mean many things so the word "letter" in
one instance may not refer to the same thing another
time.


A woman had two daughters who were biological sisters
born on the same hour of the same day of the same
year but they were not twins.


We immediately set limits, assumes aspects of a
situation that were implied but never fully stated.
Did I say only two children were born to the woman
this day?

I mention mindsets because we have a mindset in
neurotherapy that I cannot disperse on my own. That
mindset is the idea that we need to create games to
attract the interest and attention of distracted
children. Many companies are providing feedback with
the fastest and coolest animations, with thrills and
excitement, but I'm reminded of Oliver Sacks'
"Awakenings" where patients who suffered from a
Parkinson-like torpor due to encephalitis could catch
a ball thrown at them despite appearing to all the
world as dead because, as Sacks explained, the
patient borrowed the will of the ball. Well, kids
today borrow the will of the videogame. The problem
with many children is that they suffer from agency
deficiency. They can only act if the environment is
already acting at full speed for them. They cannot
take a stationary event -- be it a still photo or
page of text -- and supply enough of their own agency
to draw reward from it. They want to be carried by
the world, and that is their disorder. So when we
create games that carry them, aren't we actually
furthering their disorder, their agency deficiency?

The original SMR neurofeedback exercise was a row of
lights and represented a crude hockey game. And it
worked not despite of its crudest but because of its
crudeness. The current mindset is to attract the
interest of the client, but the client must still
provide the type of motivation and agency that can
turn a row of LEDs into a rewarding experience. They
must not be carried, else they will never learn to
walk on their own. A few years ago a company raised
many millions in venture capital to create a feedback
device that altered the parameters of video gameplay,
and about 18 months later it entered bankrupcy, if I
recall correctly (check LexusNexus to see the
reports). If addiction treatment centers catered to
the interests of addicts (prior to treatment), would
anyone ever recover? "We want your business so you
continue to snort coke while undergoing our treatment
plan... we wouldn't want to cramp your style." Well,
that is what goes on in much of the world of
neurofeedback. Watch this cool and fast video game
and play it with your brain -- and oh, by the way,
try to dampen your arousal while you're at it...

-DK

hurricanes, alphabetical, envelope, triplets
----end--

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

Vol. 9 No. 3 - March 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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2006
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Epilepsy
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Psych Films
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements

  -Researchers to Begin Brain Stem Cell Trial
  -Chronic fatigue brain injury link
  -Grape Juice Good for Aging Brain
  -Cognitive decline predicted by brain scans
  -Lifestyle affects the brain as well as the heart
  -Could brain implants control people remotely?
  -Neurological Technology Attracts Doctors
  -Health panel: How can I improve my memory?

  All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Epilepsy

   "You are all healthy people, but you have no idea what joy
   that joy is which we epileptics experience the second
   before a seizure... I do not know whether this joy lasts
   for seconds or hours or months, but believe me, I would
   not exchange it for all the delights of this world."
    - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

It is a wonder that a behavioral anticonvulsant, SMR
neurofeedback, with a 30 year research record behind it,
is rarely prescribed by neurologists despite the fact that
30% or more of patients who undergo neurosurgery for
intractable epilepsy continue to have seizures after
surgery. Brain areas removed and no better off. That the
supposed focus of a seizure is removed and seizures
continue reflects how little we actually do know about
epilepsy, perhaps the disorder responsible for modern
civilization as it currently exists. The list of famous
epileptics is a list of Western culture originators --
from Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar to Socrates and
Saint Paul.

Many famous artists and writers suffered from the
condition. Dostoevsky, for instance, went through periods
of his life when he experienced seizures every few days
and incorporated these experiences into his novels. (More
than two dozen characters in his novels were epileptics.)
Some believe that Saint Paul had a seizure on the road to
Damascus, the transformational event of his life and of
Western religious thought. As I tell my students, his
experience on the road to Damascus is not diminished by an
associated neurological phenomenon, as perhaps one of the
normal functions of the temporal lobe is to limit our
understanding, to mask the creative infinite forever
surrounding us. As Tennyson put to words, "All at once,
out of the intensity of the consciousness of
individuality, the individuality itself seemed to dissolve
and fade away into boundless being; and this not a
confused state, but the clearest of the clearest, the
surest of the surest, the weirdest of the weirdest,
utterly beyond words."

I do not want to digress into the role of TLE (temporal
lobe epilepsy) in mystic thought and a better depiction
can be found in Eve LaPlante's book Seized, but there may
be something about an occasional dysregulation of neural
energies which is good, if manageable by the individual. I
viewed the anterior temporal poles as the location of the
interpreters of our experience, one cultural or consensual
(left temporal lobe), one autobiographical (right temporal
lobe), and sometimes a shock to the system may promote
self-understand (and cultural understanding) not to be
found elsewhere.

Many TLE sufferers experience an aura, a sensory
experience that precedes a seizure. Auras ranged from

olfactory hallucinations to auditory illusions (buzzing,
voices) to even visual distortions of shape, size, or
distance. Hyperexcitability of temporal cortex may produce
both feelings of déjà vu (a sense of familiarity) or
jamais vu (unfamiliarity) and can result in
depersonalization (detachment from oneself), derealization
(belief that world is unreal), or even autoscopy (seeing
one's body from the outside). Joan of Arc suffered from
musicogenic TLE, apparently, often feeling that the
secrets of the universe were about to be revealed. Her
seizures were triggered by ringing church bells and her
visions from Saint Catherine propelled her the English out
of France -- all that from church bells. Unfortunately the
English took offense and captured her and burned her at
the stake as a heretic at age 19 in 1431. As ity happens
individuals with refractory TLE are 50 times more likely
to experience sudden death than the general population,
though few from stake-burning nowadays. Individuals with
TLE often exhibit usual personality developments such as
hypergraphia (endless writing), hyperreligiosity (such as
Joan), "stickiness" or clinginess to others, as well as
the occasional undirected or transient signs of aggression
and approximately two-thirds of TLE is associated with
hippocampal cell loss.

Epilepsy in general may be characterized as an
over-responsiveness to brain state changes or to transient
sensory stimuli. A seizure may be triggered by any of the
following:

-Sleep deprivation
-Stress
-Drugs or alcohol
-Menstrual cycle
-Nutritional deficiencies, low blood sugar
-Other meds
-Hyperventilation
-Flashing lights or sounds (e.g., video game as in 1991 Pokemon incident)

  In other words, arousal transitions often trigger
seizures, be them endogenously or exogenously generated.

Originally epilepsy was called the sacred disease and the
"falling sickness" and by the 4th century epileptic
attacks were being well described, if not understood. Here
is a 4th century description: "After various premonitory
signs the patient falls down, stretched out or twisted,
and in this condition he remains for some time. After
these tonic convulsions he passes into the stage of clonic
convulsions and a condition where he appears to be
sleeping. The attack is followed by complete amnesia."

Common myths about seizures is that they cause brain
damage -- Not usually, when in moderation, although
frequent and prolonged tonic-clonic seizures may in some
patients injure the brain. Another common myth is that
epilepsy is a life-long disorder-- well, not always, as
half of childhood epilepsies are outgrown by adulthood.
One in 200 people suffer epilepsy and the causes are many,
when known. Seizure disorders can develop from head
injuries, such as from a motor vehicle accident or fall,
from a brain tumor (the believed source of Julius Caesar's
epilesy) or stroke, from pre/natal brain injury
(anoxia/hypoxia) as well as infections such as meningitis
or encephalitis. It is believed that brain damage causes a
"scar" on brain where a seizure starts, though it is
unclear why scarring starts a seizure.

There are two general types of epilepsy: generalized
seizures and partial seizures. Generalized are the most
common and consist of uncontrollable neural discharge
starts in one area that spreads across brain. Sufferers
experience muscle twitches and convulsions and a loss of
consciousness and loss of recall about seizure. The best
known generalized seizures is the tonic-clonic (or "grand
mal" - great sickness) with its massive discharge of
neural firing which causes rigidity and violent jerking of
body. ("Tonic-clonic" means "stiffness-violent.") An
absence seizure or "petit mal" is nonconvulsive when a
person becomes unaware of her or her surroundings and may
stare off in space or freeze for 5 to 10 seconds. It is a
loss of consciousness in elegant way (for those studying
consciousness) and absence seizures may go unrecognized

for years or be mistaken as daydreaming or the
inattentiveness associated with ADD. There is also status
epilepticus which are frequent lengthy seizures without
regaining consciousness between attacks which require
immediate medical attention. In terms of partial seizures,
an abnormal electrical activity involving small part of
brain which sometimes speads, we have simple and complex:
simple partial seizures (or "Jacksonian" or "focal"
seizures) are short-lasting seizures without loss of
consciousness, whereas complex partial partial seizures
produce a change in consciousness, such as hearing or
seeing things, or reexperiencing memories or deja vu.

Epilepsy is usually treated with drugs, and the first drug
prescribed typically controls seizures in half the
patients. Some anticonvulsants have serious side effects
and none (at last I checked) are recommended during
pregnancy due to side effects on a developing fetal brain.
Neurosurgery is the "last" resort, typically after series
of drug treatment failures. That neurotherapy, retraining
the seizure focus or neighboring cells, is not yet
commonly recommended in between the two treatment
approaches, or even before the use of drugs, is one of
those political and scientific stories to be retold
numerous times, with disbelief, in future books on the
history of medicine.

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Neurobiology of Human Values
by Jean-Pierre P. Changeux (Editor), et al
Neuroscience enters the fray of ontological discussions
including morality.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/3540262539/eegspectrum

Neuroscience : PreTest Self-Assessment & Review
by Allan Siegel
Review neuroscience at a high level with 100s of
questions, explanations, and outlines of key material.
--www.amazon.com/ exec/obidos/ASIN/0071436510/eegspectrum

Trends In Epilepsy Research
by Shawn M. Benjamin (Editor)
Newest research on detecting and treating seizures.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1594542376/eegspectrum

Neurobiology for Clinical Social Work: Theory and Practice
by Jeffrey S. Applegate, Janet R. Shapiro
Current brain research on attachment and neurobiology,
including plasticity, early trauma, adolescent mothers,
effect of neglect, assessment and intervention strategies.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393704203/eegspectrum

Developmental Psychopathology, Developmental Neuroscience
by Dante Cicchetti, Donald J. Cohen
Timely issue on neurobiology of development.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/047123737X/eegspectrum

Sleeping Well: The Sourcebook for Sleep and Sleep
Disorders
by MJ Thorpy, Jan Yager
Presents major theories and possible causes of sleep
disorders and covers a variety of sleep topics of interest
to all such as drowsy driving, jet lag, over-the-counter
remedies, and adolescent health issues.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 0816040907/eegspectrum

From Wilderness to Witness
by Becky Wyatt
A woman's journey in and out of addiction.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1413755992/eegspectrum
-----------------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

Neurofeedback treatment of epilepsy: rationale to practical application. :
Provides rationale and practice for using sensorimotor rhythm conditioning to
reduce susceptibility of seizures.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16466304

Frontal EEG asymmetry and premenstrual dysphoric symptomatology. : Low
premenstrual dysphoric symptom report was associated with greater left frontal
activity at rest than women reporting high degree of symptoms.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16492109

Clinical correlates of quantitative EEG alterations in alcoholic patients. :
Decreased slow frequency power may indicate brain atrophy or damage in chronic
alcoholics and beta increases may suggest cortical hyperexcitability.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16495144

Brain development and ADHD. : Reviews structural MRI imaging of ADHD.
Differences in prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, corpus callosum, and
cerebellum have been reported.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16480802

Sleep microarchitecture in childhood and adolescent depression: temporal
coherence. : Adolescent depression is associated with reduced EEG coherences of
sleep EEG rhythms.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16475478

Functional connectivity between hemispheres and schizophrenic symptoms :
Increases in frontal beta coherence was associated with improvements in
treating positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16475479

Fronto-parietal coupling of brain rhythms in mild cognitive impairment :
Elderly with Alzheimer's present a reduction of synchronization likelihood
(delta to gamma) at both fronto-parietal and inter-hemispherical electrodes
whereas normal functioning elderly do not.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16464686

Alcohol effects on simulator driving performance in adult ADHD : Alcohol
consumption impacts attentiveness of the ADHD more than the control group;
however, a deleterious effect of alcohol was seen on all participants
regardless of ADHD diagnosis or not.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16460224

Neurocircuitry of obsessive-compulsive disorder and disgust. : Disgust
sensitivity is correlated with OCD and to predicts contamination fear.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16443315

W. Grey Walter, pioneer in the electroencephalogram, robotics, cybernetics, AI:
Historical note on EEG pioneer.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16455257
  ----------

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)

Phoenix, AZ Mar 23-26
Boston, MA Apr 20-23
Washington DC Jun 22-25


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.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

AAPB    www.aapb.org     Portland OR     Apr 6-10
ISNR    www.isnr.org     Atlanta GA      Sep 7-10

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Last Word

Psych Films

Americans watch television, listen to the radio, and read
newspapers and magazines an average of 8 hours a day
(Mendes, 1992). More time is spent attending to media than
sleeping. Of this time, 3 hours and 48 min are devoted
solely to television watching. The amount of time

attending to media has risen 40 min in 20 years with
little possibility of curtailing in the future, despite
the fact that heavy television watching is correlated with
lower income, smoking, increased tiredness, and reduced
sexual activity (Forrest & Ryan, 1977).

With all that time in front of the tube, maybe some of it
can be put to good use (besides watching The Apprentice or
American Idol). Here is a list of films relevant to mental
health that might have been forgotten:

Amadeus 		 - Savant and tourette's
As Good as it Gets  - OCD
Awakenings 		 - dopamine dysfunction
Beautiful Mind, A  - Schizophrenia
Being There 	 - Mental disability
Clockwork Orange, A     - Antisocial PD; and conditioning
Deer Hunter, The 	      - Dissociation and fugue
Fatal Attraction 	      - Dependent Personality disorder
Fight Club 		 - Dissociative Identity disorder
Frances 		    - Frontal lobotomy
Memento 		 - Temporal lobe damage
Mosquito Coast 	 - Bipolar disorder
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Institutionalization
Ordinary People  - Depression
Requiem for a Dream     - Addiction
----end--

Spotlight article

"Can lateralized neurofeedback -- training of one
hemisphere only -- preferentially impact performance of
the trained hemisphere? ... Twenty
children, half boys and half girls, underwent 20 half-
hour sessions across a month at either site C3 or C3
referenced to the ipsilateral ear."


SHOULD BE "C3 or C4"

Can lateralized neurofeedback -- training of one
hemisphere only -- preferentially impact performance of
the trained hemisphere?... Twenty
children, half boys and half girls, underwent 20 half-
hour sessions across a month at either site C3 or C4
referenced to the ipsilateral ear.


-DK

What's New in Neurofeedback

A Monthly Summary of News and Events
    Vol. 9 No. 2 - February 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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2006
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Two Angles at Testing Neurofeedback
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - The New Math
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements

  -Mind Rewind: Brains Run in Reverse
  -Scientists are split on different ways men & women think
  -Can't Focus? Aging Brain May Be to Blame
  -Brain Scans May Beat Polygraphs at Lie Detection
  -Study confirms location of potential autism gene

  All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Two Angles at Testing Neurofeedback

Last month two papers were published that investigated the
effectiveness of neurofeedback from completely different
angles. Both examined training specificity, but the first
used a lateralized paradigm and the other functional
neuroimaging. Both are important papers and should not to
be missed:


Barnea A, Rassis A, & Zaidel E. (2005). Effect of
neurofeedback on hemispheric word recognition.
Brain and Cognition, 59, 314-21.
Abstract:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1\
6337872

Can lateralized neurofeedback -- training of one
hemisphere only -- preferentially impact performance of
the trained hemisphere? Pulvermuller et al (2000)
previously showed how training slow cortical potentials
over the left hemisphere can improve language performance
in this hemisphere. This study explored whether learned
modulation of neuroregulatory cortical activity (SMR,
theta bands) likewise produces hemispheric effects. Twenty
children, half boys and half girls, underwent 20 half-
hour sessions across a month at either site C3 or C3
referenced to the ipsilateral ear. Using a well-studied
language task, it was found performance of the left
hemisphere improved with C4 training in boys and C3
training in girls. Although the results for the boys might
be interpreted in terms of reduced inhibitory influence of
the right hemisphere in language performance, initial
levels of language performance for the boys make this
conclusion tentative. However the girls' finding is more
substantiated, indicating a focal impact for left-sided
training and general impact for right-sided training.
Girls improved in language performance in both right and
left sided presentations after right-brain training (C4)
but only for left-hemisphere presentations after
left-brain training (C3).

One wrinkle to this study was the use of Hebrew-speakers
(i.e., readers). Hebrew has a deep orthography, perhaps
the world's deepest, which means letter-to-sound
correspondences are ambiguous without knowledge of the
word itself. English has a moderate depth to its
orthography: some letters always map to the same sounds,
some do not and vary from word to word. For instance, if I
ask a waiter "Can I have the Caesar Salad?" the letter c
is pronounced as a hard /k/ then as an /s/.
Spelling-to-sound consistency can be illustrated by the
nonword "ghoti" which is pronounced, of course, as "fish".
How, you might ask? Well, "gh" in tough or rough sounds
like /f/; "o" is pronounced like a short /i/ in "women"
and "ti" is /sh/ in vacation and other words. Together
these five letters in English can be pronounced as "fish"
-- or "goatie" or "foatie" or foshie", etc. Languages with
shallow orthographies, such as Serbo-Croatian, do not have
such ambiguity or confusion to the assembly of sounds from
the written word; the letter "c" is always pronounced /k/,
"t" as /t/, etc. Hebrew is much removed from this ease.
Hebrew is also written from right-to-left, unlike this
sentence which is read and pronounced left to right. The
right-to-left direction, more common to historically early
writing systems, probably reflects greater involvement of
the right hemisphere in deciphering stone inscriptions and
the like.



Levesque J, Beauregard M, & Mensour B. (2006). Effect of
neurofeedback training on the neural substrates of
selective attention in children with ADHD: A functional
magnetic resonance imaging study.
Neuroscience Letters, 394, 216-21.
Abstract:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1\
6343769


In Levesque's study, 20 ADHD children (no
psychostimulants, no co-morbidities) participated in a
functional neuroimaging assessment of neurofeedback
training. Fifteen children were randomly assigned to
neurofeedback training and five were left as controls.
Children in the neurofeedback conditions underwent 20
sessions of SMR-enhancement training (with theta inhibit)
followed by 20 sessions of low Beta (15-18 Hz) enhancement
(with theta inhibit) at site Cz referenced to the left
earlobe. Sessions lasted 60 minutes each, three times a
week.

Both groups were scanned while performing a Counting
Stroop task one week before neurofeedback training began
for the experimental group and one week after the end of
training. Both groups showed activation of the left
superior parietal lobe during task performance prior to
training, but after training the group which underwent
neurofeedback also showed significant activation of right
anterior cingulate cortex. The anterior cingulate may be
dysfunctional in ADHD, as evidenced by its inactivity in
ADHD adults during the same task. The anterior cingulate
is critical in the final stages of selective attention and
response inhibition and the Stroop Task is all about
inhibiting responses and attending selectively to
information. In the original Stroop task subjects name the
ink color which a word appears in so if the word "salad"
appears in green ink, one responds "green" or clicks a key
for this color. In the interference (difficult) version of
this task, items are now colors words such as "red" in
green ink or "green" in blue ink. One has to ignore the
meaning of the word (red) and respond solely to its
physical presentation (green). Reading for most
individuals is highly automated and difficult to stop so
most subjects are slowed and make errors during color-word
presentations. In the Counting Stroop, subjects indicate
how many words appear on a screen. In the neutral
condition words are common animal terms such as bird or
dog, and in the Interference condition words are numbers
so a subject might see "three three three three" and have
to press the key for four (i.e., the number of words on
the screen).

Children who received neurofeedback training also showed
left caudate and left substantia nigra activation during
Counting Stroop performance, which is very consistent with
ADHD as a dysfunction of dopaminergic transmission in
fronto-striatal circuits. The authors suggest that SMR
neurofeedback "led to the neuromodulation by dopamine of
neural activity in the anterior cingulate-striatal
circuit."

Children who underwent neurofeedback also showed
improvement in digit span and attention (IVA) as well
hyperactivity and inattentiveness assessments by parents
on the Conners Rating Scales, whereas the controls show
little change; but we've shown these behavioral
improvments all before, without convincing the masses of
professionals who fail to understand why learning is more
powerful than medicating. Learning is the most powerful
force of nature. It is through learning that a large
violent aggressive ape is transformed into the paragon of
animals... "in action how like an angel! in apprehension
how like a god!" to quote another author.

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Psychic Trauma: Dynamics, Symptoms, and Treatment
by Ira Brenner
Clinical study of psychic trauma, focusing on two groups:
early physical and sexual abuse and Holocaust survivors.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765703653/eegspectrum

Somatoform Dissociation: Phenomena, Measurement, & Theoretical Issues
by Ellert R. S. Nijenhuis
Describes how trauma, somatoform dissociation and defense may work together.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393704602/eegspectrum

Mapping Cognition in Time and Space
by T Muente, H.J. Heinze
Focuses on high temporal resolution neuroimaging techniques:
event-related brain potentials, magnetoencephalography
-- www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/9051994923/eegspectrum

Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook
by Joyce H. Lowinson, et al
Textbook on biological, psychological, and social aspects
of substance abuse. For clinicians.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ ASIN/0781734746/eegspectrum

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: Neurochronometrics of Mind
by Vincent Walsh, Alvaro Pascual-Leone
Promotes transcranial magnetic stimulation to investigate cortical function.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0262731746/eegspectrum

Autism And Williams Syndrome
by Helen Tager-Flusberg
Theory of mind as it emerges during childhood is discussed
in reaction to autism and William's syndrome research.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1841690082/eegspectrum

Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Epilepsy
by Orrin Devinsky, et al
Provides a broader perspective of healthcare for seizure
patients. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1888799897/eegspectrum

Mind, Brain, And Schizophrenia
by Peter Williamson
Instead of investigating its cause, the author argues, we
should focus on the final symptoms and behaviors of
schizophrenia in order to devise effective treatments.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195176375/eegspectrum

Boundaries of Consciousness: Neurobiology and Neuropathology
by Steven Laureys
Functional brain imaging techniques offer detailed,
integrated exploration of neural and behavioral correlates
of consciousness. -
-www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0444518517/eegspectrum

Intoxicating Minds: How Drugs Work
by Ciaran Regan
Humanity co-evolved with drugs. That process and how they
have altered our very being is discussed in the context of
new drug therapies.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0231120176/eegspectrum

-----------------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

Neurofeedback: efficacious treatment for ADHD : Iillustrates treatment
modalities and compares them to neurofeedback for ADHD
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16385424


Can neurofeedback training enhance performance? : Rationale for using
neurofeedback to train individuals for peak performance.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16385423


Low frequency rTMS stimulation of the right frontal cortex : Moderate robust
persistence of rTMS treatments over time were found.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16433057


Alcohol and adult neurogenesis in chronic alcoholism. : Reviews opposing
neurogenic processes associated with alcohol intoxication and abstinence.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16421863


Age-dependent decline of ADHD : ADHD's persistence into adulthood depend until
strictness of one's criteria. Partial remission criteria reveals 2/3rds of
those with childhood ADHD suffering from ADHD symptoms as adults.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16420712


Memory activation enhances EEG abnormality in mild cognitive impairment. : Mild
cognitive impairment patients show less decrease in the lower alpha band than
controls during picture memory activation.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16406153


Maternal depression, child frontal asymmetry, and child affective behavior :
Childhood-onset depression children exhibited left frontal asymmetry associated
with both anxious/depressed and aggressive child problems.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16405644


Spectrum-weighted EEG frequency as a quantitative indicator of mental arousal.
: Weighted mean frequency of the EEG spectrum may indicate general mental
activation.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16400227


Functional neuroimaging studies of cognitive recovery after acquired brain
damage : Review of functional neuroimaging studies of stroke and traumatic
brain injury.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16395622


Clinical significance of sleep EEG abnormalities in chronic schizophrenia. :
Chronic undifferentiated schizophrenics suffer from disturbances in sleep
continuity and slow wave sleep.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16377158
  ----------

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)

Phoenix, AZ Mar 23-26
Boston, MA Apr 20-23
Washington DC Jun 22-25


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.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

AAPB  - http://www.aapb.org     Portland OR     Apr 6-10
---------------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

The New Math

Children are now more likely to be the victim of a crime
at school than away from school. Thirty million crimes
were committed in our public schools in the last ten
years, that's 30,000,000 - not a typo. Girls are 17 % more
likely to be a victim at school than away, boys 23 % more
likely. Schools as a protective haven where parents sent
their children to keep them safe and off the streets is
now a quaint memory. The streets are now safer than the
schools. Nearly three-quarters of public schools will
experience one or more violent incidents this year. Has
violence in schools become acceptable in our society? How
else can we explain why 738,000 violent crimes were
committed at schools last year with little media
attention?

What has happened? Let's look at the physics of it all.
The buildings. Take the state of California which once
possessed the best public educational system in the
nation. In the last 20 years the state of California has
built 33 new prisons and a single university. It increased
its juvenile detention centers by 50 percent over the past
five years, or more when one factors in the dozens of
impersonal mega-schools built during this time, which
sometimes act as detention centers. Mega-schools are high
schools with student enrollment above 2,000 and last year
23 new monstrosities were opened nation-wide. Add this to
the 1,414 mega-schools already operating in this country,
take a look into any one, and the reason for school
violence and dropping test scores and other social ills
become apparent. We've come a long way from the one-room
school house in only 50 years, and all of it in the wrong
direction. We are building the wrong kind of buildings for
our children.

33 prisons + 1 college = 21st century.

It's a new kind of math, one we are getting use to, a form
of subtraction that threatens us all.

-DK

----end--

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

Vol. 9 No. 1 - January 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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2006
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - The Year in Neurofeedback - 2005
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - 2005 Index for WNIN
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements

What's New in Neurofeedback enters Year 9, the world's
longest-running continuously published webzine dedicated to
mental health.

   Brain Scans Show How Memories Are Retrieved
   Age no bar to clot-busters for stroke
   Halle Berry image helps uncover new way of reading minds
   Sweet Tooth May Be in Brain
   14-Day Plan Improves Memory

  All links at: news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research
-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

The Year in Neurofeedback - 2005

     "Although the electroencephalogram once held great
     promise as a tool for neurobehavioral research, in
     recent years it has been abandoned by many in favor
     of the more tangible single-unit recordings or evoked
     neuroelectrice response. Other investigators have
     preferred the intriguing voids of brain stimulation
     and destruction, neuropharmacology, and neurochemistry
     in pursuit of this somewhat elusive biological basis
     of behavior. Nowhere is the decline more evident than
     in this monograph which contains research by some
     37 investigators interested in neural regulation, and
     in which we are the sole intrepid representatives of
     the lost art of the EEG. "   - MB Sterman, 1969

Sterman's 1969 lament is less and less appropriate as
neurofeedback and quantitative EEG assessment become
undeniably important tools in the pursuit of neurological and
psychiatric health. It was a bountiful year for journal publications
in the field of neurotherapy for 2005, with two dedicated issues in
other journals and numerous publications.

** January 2005 issue of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of
North America (Vol 14, No. 1) edited by Lawrence Hirshberg

-Neurofeedback treatment of epilepsy. Walker JE, Kozlowski GP. (pp. 163-76)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564057

-Electroencephalogram biofeedback for reading disability and traumatic brain
injury. Thornton KE, Carmody DP. (pp. 137-62)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564056

-Applicability of brain wave biofeedback to substance use disorder in
adolescents. Trudeau DL. (pp. 125-36)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564055

-Neurofeedback with anxiety and affective disorders. Hammond DC. (pp. 105-23)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564054

-Critical validation studies of neurofeedback. Gruzelier J, Egner T. (pp.83-104)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564053

-Electroencephalographic biofeedback (neurotherapy) as a treatment for attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder: rationale and empirical foundation. Monastra VJ.
(pp. 55-82)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564052

-The role of quantitative electroencephalography in child and adolescent
psychiatric disorders. Chabot RJ, di Michele F, Prichep L. (pp. 21-53)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564051

-Emerging brain-based interventions for children and adolescents: overview and
clinical perspective. Hirshberg LM, Chiu S, Frazier JA. (pp. 1-19)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564050

** August 2005 issue of Journal of Adult Development (Vol 12, No. 2/3) edited by
David I. Mostofsky.

-Neurofeedback and the Brain (pp 93-98) JD Gunkelman & J Johnstone

-Basic Principles of Quantitative EEG (pp. 99-104) DA Kaiser

-Neurotherapy with Adults (pp105-112) JK Nash

-QEEG Assessment During Neuropsychological Task Performance in Adults with ADHD
(113-121) JN White, TA Hutchens, JF Lubar

-Neurofeedback Intervention for Adults with ADHD (123-130) L Thompson & M
Thompson

-Neurofeedback Treatment of Depression and Anxiety (131-137) DC Hammond

-EEG Biofeedback for Addictive Disorders- The State of the Art in 2004 (139-146)
DL Trudeau

-The Neurotherapy of Anxiety Disorders (147-154) NC Moore

** Other Journals

Effects of an EEG biofeedback protocol on a mixed substance abusing population.
Scott WC, Kaiser D, Othmer S, Sideroff SI. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse.
2005;31(3):455-69.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16161729

Neurofeedback: an alternative and efficacious treatment for attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder. Fox DJ, Tharp DF, Fox LC. Appl Psychophysiol
Biofeedback. 2005 Dec;30(4):365-73.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16385424

Unconscious operant conditioning in the paradigm of brain-computer interface
based on color perception. Kaplan AY, Int J Neurosci, 2005 Jun; Vol. 115 (6),
pp. 781-802
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16019574

Tinnitus perception and distress is related to abnormal spontaneous brain
activity as measured by magnetoencephalography. Weisz N, PLoS Med, 2005 Jun;
Vol. 2 (6), pp. e153
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15971936

The effects of alpha/theta neurofeedback on personality and mood. Raymond J,
Brain Res Cogn Brain Res, 2005 May; Vol. 23 (2-3), pp. 287-92
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15820636

Neurofeedback in adolescents and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder. Butnik SM, J Clin Psychol, 2005 May; Vol. 61 (5), pp. 621-5
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15723361

Clinical database development: characterization of EEG phenotypes. Johnstone J,
Clin EEG Neurosci, 2005 Apr; Vol. 36 (2), pp. 99-107
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15999905

Increasing individual upper alpha power by neurofeedback improves cognitive
performance in human subjects. Hanslmayr S, Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback,
2005 Mar; Vol. 30 (1), pp. 1-10
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15889581

Biofeedback and dance performance: a preliminary investigation. Raymond J, Appl
Psychophysiol Biofeedback, 2005 Mar; Vol. 30 (1), pp. 64-73
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15889586

Neurofeedback treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder. Pop-Jordanova N Prilozi, 2005; Vol. 26 (1), pp. 71-80
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16118616

Psychological treatments for epilepsy. Ramaratnam S, Baker G, Goldstein L,
Ramaratnam S. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Oct 19;(4):CD002029.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16235293

A controlled study of the effectiveness of EEG biofeedback training on-children
with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Xiong Z, Shi S, Xu H. J Huazhong
Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci. 2005;25(3):368-70.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16201300

Nonpharmacological treatment options for epilepsy. Sheth RD, Stafstrom CE, Hsu
D. Semin Pediatr Neurol. 2005 Jun;12(2):106-13. Review.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16114176

Clinical utility of EEG in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Loo SK,
Barkley RA. Appl Neuropsychol. 2005;12(2):64-76. Review.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16083395

An Open Clinical Trial Utilizing Real-Time EEG Operant Conditioning as an
Adjunctive Therapy in the Treatment of Crack Cocaine Dependence. Burkett, VS;
Cummins, JM; Dickson, RM Journal of Neurotherapy, Vol 9(2), 2005. pp. 27-47.

Interhemispheric EEG Training. Othmer, SF Journal of Neurotherapy, Vol 9(2),
2005. pp. 87-96.

Do Synchrony Measures Between Non-Homotopic Areas Make Sense? Kaiser, DA
Journal of Neurotherapy, Vol 9(2), 2005. pp. 97-108.

The design of a treatment program for women alcoholics utilizing neurofeedback.
Hayner, Cyrus Burton Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The
Sciences and Engineering, Vol 65(10-B), 2005. pp. 5403.

Neurocognitive rehabilitation of children with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder: A program design. Ortiz-Becher, Melissa Dissertation Abstracts
International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, Vol 65(10-B), 2005. pp.
5417.

** 2005 Conferences and related Training Retreats include

EEG Spectrum Intl Clinical Interchange Conference- (see WNIN for April 2005)

Future Health - http://www.futurehealth.org - Palm Springs, Feb 4-8
AAPB - http://www.aapb.org Austin TX Mar 31-Apr 3
SABA - http://www.skiltopo.com/html/saba4sch.htm Vancouver-Anchorage Jun 6-12
ISNR - http://www.isnr.org Denver CO Sep 8-11

** Symposium at UCLA (Apr 29, 2005).

  Foundations of neurofeedback - Barry Sterman
  Quantitative EEG predicts drug outcome - Ian Cook
  Mechanisms of the Placebo Effect - Andrew Leuchter
  Independent Component Analysis and EEG dynamics - Scott Makeig
  QEEG, ERP and Neurofeedback - Juri Kropotov
  Cortical Connectivity and QEEG - William Hudspeth
  Quantitative EEG profile as phenotype - Jack Johnstone
  Hemispheric validation studies of neurofeedback - Eran Zaidel
  Round Table Discussion - Steven Berman, Robert Bilder, Harold Burke, Mark
   Cohen, James McCracken, and Marc Nuwer

** Symposium at Tennet XVI (June 24, 2005) organized by Eran Zaidel and Anat
Barnea

  Barry Sterman - Foundations of neurofeedback.
  Andre Achim - Sham control and the validity of NF.
  Mario Beauregard - fMRI-studies of the effects of NF.
  Juri Kropotov- NF in treatment of ADHD.
  David A Kaiser - Discussant

** Upcoming Conferences in 2006

  Feb. 3-7 Palm Springs, CA Futurehealth http://www.futurehealth.org
  Apr. 5-9 Portland, OR AAPB 37th Annual Meeting http://www.aapb.org
  May 18-21 Woodland Hills, CA ESII Clinical Interchange Conf.
http://www.eegspectrum.com

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Concise Guide to Evaluation and Management of Sleep Disorders
by Martin Reite, et al
Overview of clinical approach to sleep disorders
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1585620459/eegspectrum

Mind Time : The Temporal Factor in Consciousness
by Libet
Consciousness, subjectivity, free will, and perception from the
perspective of a neurologist.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/067401846X/eegspectrum

Measurement of Executive Function in Early Childhood
by Clancy Blair, et al
Dedicated issue of Developmental Neuropsychology journal.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805894209/ eegspectrum

Neuronal Hyperexcitability And Pathological Pain
by J. Lai, F Porreca
Model of pathological pain with implication for any treatment which
can govern neuronal activity
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/3805580258/eegspectrum

EMDR and the Relational Imperative: The Therapeutic Relationship in
EMDR Treatment
by Mark Dworkin
Controversial therapy and its usage in counseling
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0415950287/eegspectrum

Neuropsychology : Clinical and Experimental Foundations
by Lorin Elias, Deborah Saucier
Comprehensive but layperson-friendly introduction to brain function.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0205343619/eegspectrum

Trends In Autism Research
By OT Ryaskin
Newest evidence in autism research; edited volume.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/159454042X/eegspectrum

Understanding Sleep: Evaluation and Treatment of Sleep Disorders
by Mark R. Pressman, William C Orr (Eds)
Recent advances in sleep evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1557987475/eegspectrum

Geriatric Neuropsychology: Practice Essentials
by Shane S. Bush, Thomas A. Martin (Eds)
Comprehensive guide to neuropsychological applications for older patients.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1841694436/eegspectrum
-----------------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

Frontal EEG Asymmetry, Emotional Intelligence, and Externalizing Behaviors :
Emotional intelligence and frontal EEG asymmetry at rest are independent
predictors of child externalizing behaviors.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16369699

EEG correlates of cortico-subcortical interaction : Reduced slow wave activity
was associated with coupling between slow and fast frequency EEG.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16371254

Executive functions and ADHD in adults: selective effects on ADHD symptom
domains. : Inattention is associated with slower responses, and
hyperactivity-impulsivity with faster outputs.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16351391

Latent state-trait structure of resting EEG asymmetry : Nearly half of the
variance of anterior asymmetry was from individual differences on a latent
trait, which suggests both state and trait aspects of EEG frontal asymmetries.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16364070

Understanding emotions in others: mirror neuron dysfunction in autism :
Children with autism showed no mirror neuron activity in inferior frontal gyrus
(pars opercularis) while imitating and observing emotional expressions despite
normal task performance.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16327784

Tracking recovery of visuospatial attention deficits in mild TBI : mTBI
patients recover from orienting deficits of attention within a week of injury,
whereas executive deficits remained throughout a month post-injury.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16330498

Shift of visual spatial attention and EEG alpha activity. : Anticipatory
attention effect in EEG alpha magnitude at parieto- occipital electrode sites
was found during an attention task.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16324126

Functional plasticity or vulnerability after early brain injury? : Younger
children do not recovery from severe early brain injury as well as older
children, which goes against previous ideas.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16322161

EEG alpha and theta oscillations during task switching. : Stronger theta
coupling was found between prefrontal and posterior regions during switching
tasks.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16317574
  ----------

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)

San Antonio, TX Jan 19-22, 2006
Orlando, FL Feb 23-26
Phoenix, AZ Mar 23-26
Boston, MA Apr 20-23
Washington DC Jun 22-25


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.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

AAPB  - http://www.aapb.org     Portland OR     Apr 6-10
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Last Word

2005 Index

** Spotlight articles

Comodulation explained
Defensive Clinical Disorders
Dolphin Consciousness
Love and Dependence: Harry Harlow revisited
Open Access Articles
Physical Therapy for the Brain - CIC 2005
Psychopathology, by the Numbers
Questions about Language, Public and Private
School Shootings and High School Size ...
Sex Differences
Sleep
Terrace Effect, Revisited

** Last Word

Connectivity
Dimensional Freedom Theory
Dividing by zero
Experts
Imaginary and Real Time
Neuroplasticity and SABA
Position, speed, and intent
13th Intl SNR
Twenty Online Resources
2004 Index

Complete Index, all years (1998-2005):
http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/review.htm

  -DK
----end--

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

Vol. 8 No. 12 - December 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Love and Dependence: Harry Harlow Revisited
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Position, speed, and intent
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements

     * Mice Created With Human Brain Cells
     * 14-Day Plan Improves Memory
     * Coffee Perks Up Short-Term Memory
     * Ignoring useless information aids memory: study

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

-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Science of Love: Harry Harlow Revisited

    "Parental love... is nothing but parental narcissism born again"
    -Sigmund Freud, 1914

    "So far as love or affection is concerned, psychologists have
failed..." -Harry Harlow, 1958

The fundamental nature of human existence is dependence. We are a
social species unlike any other, with a uniquely prolonged infancy
and childhood (familial dependency). We come into the world in
pairs, the lesser partner of a maternal dyad. Attempts at
self-understanding prior to Freud focused on the finished product,
the adult, ignoring the unique and powerful developmental process
than actually makes us human.

For hundreds of years the developmental process was misconceived as
experts presumed physical needs supersede psychological ones; food,
water, and shelter trump affection and attachment. For 200 years the
U.S. government and charitable groups sponsored orphanages that
provided for the physical needs of a child without meeting the basic
needs of childhood. A human mind can develop only under the direct
influence of developed minds. By the end of the Civil War 600
orphanages were in full swing in the U.S, and all experienced early
deaths for most children warehoused there. In Europe the situation
was no better. In Florence's Hospital of the Innocents, ten thousand
infants died before their first birthday. Every child in the care of
New York institutions died before the age of two, in all but one
home. Philadelphia institutions did not have an exceptional home:
every admittant died.

What was killing innocent parentless children? Scientists such as
Pasteur, Fleming, and Jenner had recently identified microscopic
pathogens as the source of much of the world's diseases, but it was
not microbes who threatened most children but adults and their
response to microbial threat. The ultimate infant killing machine
was isolation. Quarantine. Orphanages isolated children from each
other and caregivers lest infection spread through human contact,
and in so doing, neglect was institutionalized and spread throughout
the industrial world.

Experts of the time only made matters worse. At the turn of last
century Dr. Luther Holt, the Dr Spock of his day, insisted that
parents avoid closeness with their child and railed against the
"vicious practice" of rocking a child in a cradle, or picking them
up when they cried or handling them too often. Affectionate contact
was especially hazardous. He bitterly opposed the common practice of
small children sharing the parent's bed, a custom since time
immemorial, and only now be recommended again by some pediatricians.
Infants and small children should sleep in separate rooms, according
to Holt. Good hygiene was good child care. John B Watson, president
of the American Psychological Association, and founder of
behaviorism, led a crusade against affection. "Mother love is a
dangerous instrument," he warned. Mothering warps the "overkissed
child." He envisioned a utopian future in which baby farms raised
children untouched by human hands. Affection was not only
unnecessary, he argued, but detrimental. Although Aldous Huxley
satirized this warped vision in Brave New World, Watson was hailed
for his efforts.

Rearing practices might have continued in a bleak Watsonian
landscape had politics not intervened. World War II shook everyone's
confidence in science and human nature, and it also brought forth
the new phenomenon of a refugee child. In England and elsewhere
parents sent children to the countryside to keep them out of harm's
way. There, well-fed, well-cared-for, but heart-broken, many
children became withdrawn and depressed. Being separated from
parents endangered children at a deeper level. The parent-child
relationship needed to be re-examined.

In the 1940s Harry Bakwin, a New York pediatrician, documented how
absence of mothering devastated a child's well-being. He changed
signs in his hospital from "Wash your hands twice before entering
this ward" to "Do not enter this nursery without picking up a baby."
Parents had been discouraged or barred from visiting sick children
but Bakwin won approval for mothers to stay in the same room with a
child, and this led to a significant drop in fatal infections. The
value of human contact was not lost on him, but he was ahead of his
time, an oasis in the dry desert of American behaviorism and
hygiene. One-hour visits a week were the norm for most hospitals and
these policies remained in place for decades to come.

In 1945 Rene Spitz compared children in a typical orphanage to those
in a chaotic prison nursery. In the former, cribs were separated
from each other by sheets, a form of solitary confinement to stave
off infection. In the latter, children shared a common room filled
with mothers (convicts), toys, noise, and germs. During Spitz'
investigation 23 of 88 children in the orphanage died from infection
but not one of the 90 children in the prison nursery was lost. Love
was necessary for survival and the perils of loneliness were
quantifiable. Spitz filmed children in one of the foundling homes. A
few weeks of isolation transformed happy precocious children into
emotionless automatons. The film closed with a cue card that read:
"The cure: Give Mother Back to Baby." The initial reaction to his
work? Concentrated fury-- surely 50 years of psychiatric wisdom
could not be so wrong!

But it was. According to Freud whoever held the bottle held the
child. If the mammary relationship was interrupted, a child reacted
sexually and exhibited castration fear or rage against his parents.
It makes interesting fiction, but Freud was not alone in
misconceiving childhood. Neuroscientists of the time concluded that
babies could not see faces (1942), were unaware of the environment
(1948), were a collection of reflexes only (1952); that they
couldn't see color until age three (1964) and were functionally
decorticated or brainless (1964). An empty-headed infant was the
dominant model for half a century. But when Harlow studied infant
monkeys, he discovered anything but an empty-headed creature. Infant
monkeys had incredible needs for touch, attachment, love, safety,
security, exploration, excitement, and resources to satisfy them.
But when needs went unsatified, results were grim. "Learning to
love, like learning to walk or talk, can't be put off too long
without crippling effects," he wrote.

Harry Harlow (born Harry Israel) started academic life as a rat
researcher at a time when the American psychological community was
knee-deep in behaviorism and running out of rats to test. After his
dissertation Harlow abandoned vermin, as he called them, and opted
for a smarter species to experiment upon, the cheapest primate he
could find. Rhesus macaques were still expensive compared to rats so
he didn't sacrifice an animal when an experiment was finished but
kept them around for future projects. Such frugality led him to his
first discovery: prior learning facilitated future learning. His
monkeys got quicker and quicker at solving puzzles and unlike rats,
monkeys would solve puzzles for no reward at all. Curiosity often
ruled their behavior. But what interested Harlow was not
intelligence but love and attachment.

His first surrogate mother study included eight rhesus monkeys. In
each cage were two "mothers," one of chicken wire, one of cloth. In
four cages a cloth mother held a feeding bottle while in the other
four, a wire mother sported the milk. Harlow measured how long each
infant monkey spent with either surrogate. As he observed, monkeys
clung and climbed on the cloth mother for up to 18 hours a day
regardless if she bore the bottle or not. Being fed formed no
emotional attachment, proving Freud wrong on this point.

But Harlow also explored a darker side of love. He built "monster
mothers" to observe the effect on infants, mechanical devices that
threw off helpless newborns like an angry bucking bronco. And what
did these poor souls do? Did they run from "mother" or avoid her
sudden jerks? No, they clung tighter, laying anchor in the only
harbor they knew. Years later when Harlow was criticized for his
apparent lack of ethical concern for the animals in his care he
replied, "For every mistreated monkey there exists a million
mistreated children." But looking backward is easy. Ironically it is
his studies and his rigorous approach that forced us to recognize
the deleterious effects of social isolation and emotional neglect,
and understand in hindsight the tragic consequences to his subjects.
Love builds the young brain, and the lack of love destroys it.

Deborah Blum chronicles the life of Harlow in "Love at Goon Park:
Harry Harlow and the Science of Affection" and along the way
captures the transformations of psychological investigation across
the 20th century, including such notables as Thorndike, Freud,
Skinner, Ainsworth, Bruno Bettelheim, and Harlow's first graduate
student, Abraham Maslow. It is a book to recommend to anyone
entering behavioral science. After reading it one cannot help but
wonder why love remains a minor player in a scientific understanding
of the human mind. It is the very nature of the human mind.

Harry Harlow died in 1981.

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Head Trauma: Basic, Preclinical, and Clinical Directions
by Leonard P. Miller, et al
Pathophysiological mechanisms of brain trauma are reviewed and
discussed. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471360155/eegspectrum

Disorders of Personality: DSM-IV and Beyond, 2nd Edition
by Theodore Millon
Description of 15 personality prototypes and 60 subtypes, in a
historical framework.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/047101186X/eegspectrum

Fundamental Neuroscience, 2nd Edition
Edited
Comprehensive textbook that both graduate and undergraduate
students. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0126603030/eegspectrum

Sleep and Aging, Volume 17
Mark P. Mattson (Editor)
Sleep in aging and age-related disease, from prevention to treatment
of various sleep disorders.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0444518762/eegspectrum

Cognitive Vulnerability to Emotional Disorders
by LB Alloy, JH Riskind (Eds)
Cognitive factors that mediate a spectrum of emotional disorders.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805838287/eegspectrum

Executive Function In Children, Adolescents, And Adults With ADHD
by Weyandt
Special issue concerning executive functions in ADHD.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805895035/eegspectrum

Cortical Function: a View from the Thalamus, Volume 149
by V. A. Casagrande, et al
Role of thalamocortical communication in cognition and attention and
its role in communication between cortical areas
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0444516794/eegspectrum

Childhood Anxiety Disorders
by DC Beidel, SM Turner
Recently published guide to research and treatment of childhood
anxiety disorders.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0415947979/eegspectrum

Inner Presence : Consciousness as a Biological Phenomenon
by Antti Revonsuo
A "world simulation metaphor" used to explain the dreaming brain and
visual consciousness.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0262182491/eegspectrum

-----------------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

ADHD and early-onset substance use disorders. : Treating ADHD during
childhood
may prevent the development of substance use disorder.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16262592

Magnetic resonance imaging in patients with OCD : OCD with insight
exhibit MRI
abnormalities less often than those with poor insight.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16256314

Self-regulation after traumatic brain injury : Summary of intervention
literature and principles of self-monitoring.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16278796

Sex differences in the brain: implications for explaining autism. :
Extreme
male brain theory with specific aspects of autistic neuroanatomy.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16272115

Correlating the alpha rhythm to BOLD using simultaneous EEG/fMRI :
Inter-subject variability of the resting state needs to be addressed in
functional neuroimaging.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16290018

Neuroimaging study of sex differences in neuropathology of cocaine
abuse. :
Gender differences were found in drug cue and stress trials, with men
showing
different activation patterns during drug cues and women during stress.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16290890

Anatomical Differences in the Mirror Neuron System and Social
Cognition Network
in Autism. : Cortical thinning of the mirror neuron system and other
areas
involved in emotion recognition and social cognition is observed in
autism.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16306324

Pathophysiologic aspects of major depression following traumatic brain
injury.
: Depression symptoms cluster into poor mood and distorted
self-attitude, low
motivation and anhedonia, subjective cognitive complaints, and
hyperactive/disinhibited behavior.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16304485

Cerebral blood flow pattern under psychological stress. :
Psychological stress
induces negative emotion and vigilance. The ventral right prefrontal
cortex is
central to the stress response.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16306271

  ----------

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)

San Antonio, TX Jan 19-22, 2006
Orlando, FL Feb 23-26
Phoenix, AZ Mar 23-26
Boston, MA Apr 20-23
Washington DC Jun 22-25


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.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

AAPB  - http://www.aapb.org     Portland OR     Apr 6-10
---------------------------------------------------------------------


Last Word

Position, speed, and intent

My New Years' resolution is to clear out old projects of yesteryear.
The idea of naked transactions and driving therapy has been wasting
space in my head for years.

The other day I watched three people go from nearly complete power
to absolute vulnerability in a matter of minutes. It wasn't an
episode of Donald Trump's The Apprentice nor a soap opera I was
watching, but fellow drivers on the streets of New York.

Most behavioral domains are opaque. They involve a complex array of
seen and unseen influences that affect both decision and outcome,
but driving is transparent, or nearly so, and is ripe for
psychological analysis. Driving is but a series of naked
transactions, readily identified to participants and observers
alike. Driving involves transitions from power to weakness and back
again. How we drive may reflect who we are and how we expect the
world to be. Are we afraid to make left hand turns across oncoming
traffic? Perhaps this lack of autonomy stems from unresolved issues
of childhood ... well, that may be mapping Freud to driving habits
too nakedly, but you get the idea. Personality conflicts are hard to
hide on the road. Whether one speeds or stays below the limit? Does
inclimant weather influence our choices? Do we use the brake too
often, give others too much or too little space -- it all reveals
our inner self. In fact every disorder may first appear as a driving
habit: egocentric parking, schizotypal offramp behavior, neurotic
rearview mirror checking, depressed acceleration practices. Our
emotional and social brain is a large part of our driving brain.

Position, speed, and intent. That is life in a nutshell.

Who knows? In the future a trip to the psychiatrist might also
involve a trip to the DMV. Get in the car so we can check under the
hood.

  -DK

----end--

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

Vol. 8 No. 10 - October 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - The Terrace Effect, Revisited
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Experts
-----------------------------------------------------------


Announcements

Experiment Gives Illusion of That Shrinking Feeling
Coffee Perks Up Short-Term Memory
Ignoring useless information aids memory: study
Memory loss link to early stress
Study: Adept Liars' Brains Are Built Differently

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

-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

The Terrace Effect, Revisited

"Honored Members of the Academy! You do me honor by inviting me to
give your Academy an account of the life I formerly led as an ape."
- Franza Kafka (1919)

In "A Report for the Academy" by Franz Kafka a chimpanzee escapes
captivity by imitating his captors. Sixty years later Herbert S.
Terrace, professor of psychology at Columbia University, alluded to
this work in his examination of nonhuman primate cognition, a
critique of ape sign language research that undermined the field's
credibility for decades to come. Terrace had entered the fray with
the lofty or naive goal of training apes in sign language so they
could, in part, encompany him into the bush and translate
vocalizations of wild apes but by the end of his investigation he
was of a different mind and believed that great apes possessed no
true linguistic ability. Apes may have capacity for reference
(semantics), assigning a symbolic label to an object or category,
but no competence for lawful and hierarchical relation between
symbols (syntax). He was converted to the theory of discontinuity,
how language is unique to humans; and like many converts
shortcomings associated with his new stance were overlooked. More to
the point he failed to realize what he had actually discovered.

The earliest experiment in behavioral science was the Forbidden
Experiment, an inquiry into innate human behavior, first attempted
in ancient Egypt. King Psammetichus in the 7th century BCE aspired
to prove that Egyptians were Earth's oldest race of men with a
remarkably modern approach, both empirical and linguistic. Two
newborns were removed from their mother and charged to a shepherd
who was instructed not to speak in their presence. The reasoning was
that when these poor children finally would utter a word, it had to
be innate, spontaneously combusted from the original human mind.
Legend has it that the children first said "becos", the term for
bread from a neighboring city-state. Perhaps the shepherd could not
grasp the no-speaking-at-all rule and although he did not speak
Egyptian he spoke his native tongue in their presence. That the
first behavioral science experiment was marred by poor
methodological implementation is relevant to the Terrace Effect.

The Forbidden Experiment was next attempted in 1211 by Frederick II
of Prussia. Dozens of children were reared in linguistic isolation
so the Emperor could hear the language of God. But he never did hear
such music as his experiment failed when every children died. Feral
children, infants or children abandoned to the elements who
miraculously survive and are returned to civilization, are nature's
attempt at the Forbidden Experiment. As it turns out prolonged
social deprivation during childhood inevitably results in little
language competence in the adult.

Apes and feral children have been studied closely for centuries. In
1916 a female orang-utan was taught to vocalize papa, and cup and
the sound "th" but nothing more. Similar vocal limitation was found
for the chimpanzee. Ape vocal production always encounters the same
snag: the human throat evolved to produce about 60 articulated
sounds, the simian throat but a handful. However all primates make
well use of their hands so language production soon migrated from
mouth to hand. Washoe, a wild-born female chimpanzee, acquired about
100 signs in American Sign Language during three years of training,
but her combination into meaningful phrases was rare and it is the
combination question which is critical. Here is where the line
between man and beast has been drawn. Humans possess syntax, animals
do not. Although many animals exhibit degrees of symbolic
communication from bee waggle dance to vervet monkey warning cries,
combining symbols in an orderly relationship, ahh, there's the rub…
Although great apes demonstrate cognitive achievements of toddlers
(symbolic subperiod of the preoperational phase), handling strict
heirarchically-organized relational systems was beyond them.

Or was it?

Research is always concrete implementation of an abstraction,
enactment of an idea, but how does one enact an idea in psychology
without conflating it with half a dozen other possible mechanisms.
Confounds drive data as well as predicted mechanism and we can be
easily seduced by our own ingenuity, conceptual elegance, or
approach, so it is necessary but not always easy to determine that
what we intended to cause an effect caused it, and not something
else. If we misunderstand what we actually do, we may fall prey to a
Terrace Effect.

Terrace and his students trained a common chimpanzee named Nim in
American Sign Language. After reviewing training videotapes Terrace
concluded that Nim was merely mimicking trainer signs, with no
evidence of syntactical competence. His conclusion raised serious
questions about previous published research and funding dried up for
all ape language experiments. The journals Science and Nature did
not publish on the topic for another 20 years.

Most ape language researchers disagreed with his conclusions. Nim,
they claimed, was not properly instructed. He was trained by too
many teachers (70), many with limited sign language competence;
instruction was by rote, monotonous, and centered around simple
tasks or requests. Did Terrace ever attempt to understand anything
more about what Nim had to say? The training was unidirection,
trainer to chimp, but conversation is bidirectional, it requires
rapport, appreciation for the mind you are attempting to communicate
with. Nim failed to acquire a sophisticated communication system,
Terrace's critics claimed, because no such system was offered. It
would be like criticizing a child for failing to learn how to play
the piano when only showed a photograph of the instrument. Nim's
opinions and insights of his own were never explored; he was never
allowed to play his own music. Later research using a conversational
approach revealed that pygmy chimps, a close relative of the common
chimp, possess syntactical abilities and surprisingly can understand
spoken English.

So what is a Terrace Effect?

A Terrace Effect is drawing an incorrect conclusion from data, one
based on intention and not fact. Terrace's research was important
but he failed to know what he had researched. What did Herb Terrace
do? Did he investigate syntactical competence in a great ape? No,
not at all. Instead he had replicated the Forbidden Experiment: he
socially deprived a hominoid and tested him for innate language
ability. What did he find out? That the specifics of a language are
to be learned, which we know; and if you ignore someone's potential
you are not doing them any favors.

So what does ape language research hold for the field of
neurotherapy? What is the lesson here? In neurofeedback we provide
physical therapy for the brain. We exercise specific actions of the
brain by attaching electrodes and setting reward parameters, but
have we always accomplished what we set out to do? Before we presume
success in implementation, and analyze results based on this
assumption, we should evaluate what was learned by the client and
how. Could sitting still for half an hour produce the same result?
Could attention by the therapist, or participating in a
technological advance or charismatic setting flavor the outcome? We
must separate confound from mechanism, and determine how exactly a
brain adjusts its behavior. Evaluate assumptions, implementations,
and conclusions, else we may succumb to a Terrace Effect and not
recognize what we have done.

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Fatigue as a Window to the Brain (Issues in Clinical and Cognitive
Neuropsychology)
by John DeLuca (Editor)
History, epidemiology, assessment and interpretation of fatigue
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0262042274/eegspectrum

Acceptance and Mindfulness-Based Approaches to Anxiety
by Susan M. Orsillo, Lizabeth Roemer (Eds)
Definitions of acceptance and (Eastern tradition) mindfulness,
placed in the context of more established therapies.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0387259880/eegspectrum

Psychiatry For Neurologists
by Dilip V. Jeste, Joseph H. Friedman (Eds)
Most recent volume in Current Clinical Neurology series.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1588294838/eegspectrum

Framing ADHD Children: A Critical Examination of the History,
Discourse...
by Adam Rafalovich
Examines the three social worlds of ADHD: home, classroom, and
clinic. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/073910747X/eegspectrum

Traumatic Brain Injury: Associated Speech, Language, and Swallowing
Disorders
by Kim Lourinia
Case studies illustrate assessment and treatment of communicative
and swallowing disorders in adults and children.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0769300170/eegspectrum

21st Century Complete Medical Guide to Panic Disorder..
by PM Medical Health News
CD-ROM with the a collection of government information and documents
on the subject of panic disorder and anxiety.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592488692/eegspectrum

Electroencephalography: Basic Principles, Clinical Applications, and
Related Fields
by Ernst Niedermeyer, Fernando Lopes Da Silva
The one and only classic textbook on EEG. An incredible resource.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0781751268/eegspectrum

Clinical Neurophysiology at the Beginning of the 21st Century
by Intl Congress
Global view of the role of clinical neurophysiology.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0444504990/eegspectrum

The Neurology of Autism
by Mary Coleman
Neurological indicators of autism are reviewed including abnormal
cranial circumference, epilepsy, muscle tone, and mutism.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195182227/eegspectrum
-----------------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

biofeedback training on-children with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder. : Reports an effectiveness for EEG biofeedback training
above 90%
after 40 sessions of EEG biofeedback training for ADHD children (6
years or
older).
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16201300

Nonstimulant therapies for ADHD in children and adults. : Nonstimulant
therapies for ADHD include psychosocial therapies such as behavioral mod,
cognitive behavioral therapy, atomoxetine (Strattera), Wellbutrin, the
alpha-2
agonists guanfacine (Tenex) and clonidine as well as tricylics.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16222911

Lower frequency variability in alpha activity among patients with
epilepsy. :
Peak alpha frequency variability is lower in epilepsy, perhaps due in
part to
antiepileptic drugs.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16221562

Transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression in neurologic
disorders. :
Depression is not adequately treated in many neurologic patients, but
rTMS
treatment for depression in Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, stroke,
multiple
sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease is promising.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16216159

Can EEG asymmetry patterns predict future development of anxiety and
depression? : Greater relative EEG activity in right anterior sites
report
greater trait anxiety one year later.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16223557

Event-Related Oscillations in Offspring of Alcoholics : Decreased
response in
delta, theta, and alpha1 oscillations suggests cognitive and neural
disinhibition and may mark development of alcoholism or other
disinhibitory
disorders.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16213472

Is the hypodopaminergic hypothesis plausible as neural bases of ADHD?
: The
heterogeneity of the ADHD does not appear to be consistent with a
hypofunctioning dopamine model.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16209763

Dynamics of the EEG slow-wave synchronization during sleep. :
Different roles
for each sleep stage and REM/NREM cycle were observed in terms of EEG
synchronization.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16253553

Cognitive restructuring and EEG in major depression. : Initial use of EEG
frontal asymmetry as an indicator for mood improvement following
cognitive
restructuring.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16242533

Therapeutic Effects of Individualized Alpha TMS. : Alpha TMS produced
a 30 %
reduction in negative symptoms in schizophrenics, better than other TMS
techniques; and clinical improvements correlated with increases in
frontal
alpha amplitude.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16254067

Breakdown of cortical effective connectivity during sleep. : Evalautes
the lost
of cortical functional connectivity during sleep, and presumes this
reflects
the loss of consciousness of sleep.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16195466

rTMS as add-on antidepressant treatment. : A pilot study failed to
confirm
antidepressant effects of left frontal high-frequency rTMS.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16195088
  ----------

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)

Woodland Hills, CA Dec 8-11
San Antonio, TX Jan 19-22, 2006
Orlando, FL Feb 23-26
Phoenix, AZ Mar 23-26
Boston, MA Apr 20-23
Washington DC Jun 22-25


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.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

AAPB  - http://www.aapb.org     Portland OR     Apr 6-10
---------------------------------------------------------------------



Last Word

In the March 23, 2005 issue of San Antonio Express-News, a prominent
professor of neurology is quoted as saying: "At this point, there's
no evidence to show that neurofeedback retrains someone's brain to
do something better," said

A neurology professor ignores 300 published papers, and many of the
first papers answered the issue in question. Overly skeptical, or
sloppy scholarship. Sterman's research addressed the placebo effect
by using an ABA design and by measuring change in sleep spindle
density, a physiological index not influenced by placebo (using
anyone's model); and in his earliest study the subjects who improved
were cats, and it was a double-blind unlike any other as neither
scientist nor mammal expected SMR training to be an anticonvulsant.
How will this learned professor respond when it is eventually shown
that SMR training increases GABAergic synapse density in the motor
nuclei of the thalamus and elsewhere? A scientist has only his or
her reputation for truth.

Another prominent neurology professor, this one from Harvard, is
quoted in Clinical EEG in 2000 as saying that "EBT (EEG biofeedback
therapy) should play a major therapeutic role in many difficult
areas. In my opinion, if any medication had demonstrated such a wide
spectrum of efficacy it would be universally accepted and widely
used."

Two neurology professors with opposite opinions. If experts cannot
agree, by definition can both really be experts? This difference of
highly educated minds begs the question: Why hasn't NIH and other
government agencies funded the appropriate studies? Because
pharmaceuticals are easy to study, learning not so easy. It's as
simple as that. Learning is the most powerful force in the universe,
and the brain is the most complex mystery in nature, so it stands to
reason that understanding its behavior will take time and money and
patience, but we shouldn't be stubbornly critical of the first
people making this attempt, and of the first few effective paths for
change. Eventually much of therapy will be brain-behavior based, as
learning is far more specific that drugs, nonspecific agents of
change currently in power.

To help your learning, the best place for free media articles is
http://www.findarticles.com and the best for free abstracts (and
occasionally papers) is still PubMed (or Medline) Here are two links
for neurotherapy:
  http://www.findarticles.com/p/search?qt=EEG+biofeedback
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Search&term=EEG+biof\
eedback
----end--

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

Vol. 8 No. 10 - October 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Sex Differences
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Twenty Online Resources
-----------------------------------------------------------


Announcements


FDA Approves Brain Stem Cell Transplant
Your Brain Remembers What You Forget
Memory loss link to early stress
Study Suggests Fish Is Good for Brain
Brain Dysfunction May Link Suicide, Epilepsy
Some Minds Appear Wired to Lie
Science chips away at ALD

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

-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Sex Differences

A baby is born. The parents ask whether it is healthy, whether it has all 10
fingers and 10 toes. But society asks -- first in the form of friends and
interested onlookers -- whether it a boy or a girl. Behavioral sciences haven't
really helped matters. Gender research is often a drunk looking for his car keys
under a bright streetlight; the keys were lost in a dark alley but the light is
so much brighter here. Commonalities are ignored, differences highlighted. Well,
differences are important, especially when they train us to make proper
decisions about an individual's treatment or care. But overall, when I think of
gender, I'm reminded of the advice given by my undergraduate playwriting
professor. He once instructed me and other male students that if we had trouble
writing a female character, unsure how she should think or act, we were to write
a male character and at the last moment change his name to Sue.

Beyond nominal differences biological predispositions for each sex do exist.
Genetically, one's physical sex is determined by chromosomes, gender less so.
Our species' chromosomes code for various forms of sexually dimorphism, the most
obvious being physical size. Human males generally outweigh females, 170 lb to
135 lbs. (But we often forget how much larger girls were than boys prior to
puberty.) Chromosomes also code for slightly larger male brains, 1350 g to 1190
g (Klekamp et al 1989, Zilles, 1972; Wessely, 1970; & Witelson, 1985), to
control the additional body mass. The size of the corpus callosum, a major
axonal bundles between left and right cortices, reveals sex differences but more
importantly handedness differences. So often gender differences are conflated
with handedness and hormonal differences. As it turns out, right-handed
individuals exhibit less callosal area than non-right-handers, regardless of
gender, 20 % less in males, 7 % less in females. Bermudez & Zatorre (2001)
reported relatively a larger splenium (posterior section) in females compared to
males; this part of the corpus callosum is most involved in perceptual processes
and may explain perceptual processing differences (below).

In terms of relative brain area sizes, women have larger language areas (Harasty
et al, 1997), lateral frontal areas (Schlaepfer et al, 1995) and more densely
packed neurons in temporal (Witelson et al 1995) and prefrontal areas (Witleson
et al., 2001). Men show larger medial frontal areas (Goldstein et al, 2001),
larger cingulate (Paus et al 1996), amygdala and hypothalamus (Swaab et al,
1985), more white matter volume (Gur et al, 1999), and more neurons overall
(Pakkenberg & Gunderson, 1997). Anatomy can only take one so far. To find out
how each gender tends to utilize their 3-lb universe differently, how each
gender builds up a different mental and behavior repertoire, we need to examine
behavior.

In the current century most of us will see four times as many days than our
prehistoric ancestors, and women will see more than men (below). Here are median
age lifespans by era:

Prehistoric Times     18
Ancient Greece      20
Middle Ages, England  33
1620, Massachusetts   35
1850, England         41
1900, USA             47
1915, USA             54
1954, USA             70
1992, USA             75



Millions at 65 years of age or older
         1900  1940  1980  2040
Male      4     5    10    30
Female    5     6    18    36


Females took advantage of last century's advances in hygiene, nutrition, and of
course obstetrics but males are predicted to
close the gap in coming years, so we may be living in an unusual point in human
history, with so many females currently outliving males.

In terms of performance, men throw and catch better (Hall & Kimura, 1995), women
are better at fine motor skills (Nicholson & Kimura, 1996). Men surpass women in
mental rotation (Collins & Kimura, 1997), navigation (Astur et al, 2002), and
geographical knowledge (Beatty & Troster, 1987), which is why we hate to ask
directions, but females excel at spatial memory (McBurney et al, 1997), so they
can remember the directions better once asked. Girls have an early advantage
over boys in math and continue to show excellence at computation (Hyde et al,
1990) whereas men excel at mathematical reasoning (Benbow, 1988). Women excel at
sensory sensitivity (Velle, 1987), perceptual speed (Majeres, 1983), facial and
body expression (Hall 1984), as well as visual recognition memory (McGivern et
al, 1998) and women are better at associational aspects of verbal ability such
as fluency tasks (Hines, 1991) and rote word list learning (Kramer et al.,
1988), although inherently organized verbal information (e.g., stories) show no
consistent sex differences (Baxter & Seidenberg, 1997). Finally, men excel at
aggression (any newspaper). Viva la difference.

Females may or may not have greater bihemispheric representation of language
than males: aphasia is nearly 4 times as common in males after left hemisphere
damage (48% in males vs. 13% in females) but no sex differences occur with right
brain damage (2% males, 1% females). Brain organization differences may be more
intrahemispheric than interhemispheric as aphasia occurs commonly in women with
left hemisphere anterior damage (80 % of cases) but no lesion location
association is seen for male aphasics. Similarly, apraxia, or difficulty in
selecting hand movements, is associated with left frontal damage in women and
with left posterior damage in men. In terms of functional neuroimaging
differences, men typically show greater cerebral asymmetries (EEG, Corsi-Cabrera
et al, 1997; MEG ,Reite et al, 1995, fMRI, Rossell et al., 2002). During
language tasks men activate left inferior frontal and fusiform gyri while women
showed a symmetrical pattern, with greater right-frontal and
right-middle-temporal activity (Rossell et al., 2002).

Overall, sex differences exist, and cultural influences often magnify these
differences and underestimate commonalities. Possible mechanisms responsible for
these differences include

Interhemispheric: Females have greater callosal connectivity
Intrahemispheric: Language organization differs by gender
Strategic: Females employ verbal strategies more often (even for spatial tasks)
Mediated by other traits such as handedness, cognitive style, maturation
variables, and of course hormonal differences.

Heck, let's blame it all on testosterone. It's been the scapegoat for 40 years
now, why change horses midstream?

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Principles of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
by George P. Prigatano
Written for professionals; discusses remediation of higher cerebral
disturbances and management of patients' interpersonal problems.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195081439/eegspectrum

Magnetic Resonance in Epilepsy: Neuroimaging Techniques, Second Edition
by Ruben Kuzniecky, Graeme D. Jackson
Overview of new technology in the assessment and treatment of epilepsy.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 0124311520/eegspectrum

Anxiety Disorders in Adults: A Clinical Guide
by Vladan Starcevic
Each adult anxiety disorder is reviewed in a separate chapter.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195156064/ eegspectrum

Detection of Change: Event-Related Potential and fMRI Findings
by John Polich
Reviews a range of experimental studies using stimulus change paradigms, with
clinical data augmenting the utility of the methods.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1402073933/eegspectrum

Learning Outside The Lines: Two Ivy League Students With Learning Disabilities
...
by Jonathan Mooney, David Cole
Practical guide to achieving postschool goals who those labelled LD or ADHD.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 068486598X/eegspectrum

Anxiety Disorders in Children
by Samuel M. Turner, Deborah C. Beidel
Newest venture into a topic sorely overlooked.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0415947979/eegspectrum

Localization and Neuroimaging in Neuropsychology
by Andrew Kertesz
Reviews progress in neuroimaging, localization of cognitive functions
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/012405045X/ eegspectrum

Responding To Physical And Sexual Abuse In Women With Alcohol And Other Drugs
BM Veysey, C Clark
Addresses lack of appropriate services for women trauma survivors with mental
health and substance use disorders. --
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0789026031/eegspectrum
-----------------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

Effects of Traumatic Stress on Brain Structure and Function : Addresses how we
might most effectively deal with period immediately after traumatization in
order to prevent longer term psychopathology.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16150669


Mechanism for cognitive dynamics: neuronal coherence. : A flexible pattern of
neuronal coherence produces flexible communication between cells and thereby
cognitive flexibility.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16150631


Shifting-Related Brain Magnetic Activity in ADHD : Data support frontal
dysfunction models of ADHD but also suggest earlier limbic deficits
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16154541


Recurrence of post traumatic stress disorder. : Traumatic events can produce
stress symptoms up to 50 years later.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16161324


Human anterior cingulate cortex neurons encode cognitive and emotional demands.
: Causal anterior cingulate cortex may act as salience detectors when faced with
conflict or emotional stimuli.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16162922


Alcoholic neurobiology: changes in dependence and recovery. : Alcohol
dependence presents with mild to moderate impairment in executive functions,
visuospatial abilities, and postural stability, with intact memory and language
skills.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16156047


Cost-Effectiveness of ADHD Treatments : Combined medical management and
behavioral treatment is more cost-effective in treating ADHD, especially if
comorbid disorders are present.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16135621


Neurophysiologic studies of brain plasticity in children with cerebral palsy. :
Quantitative EEG and visual and somatosensory evoked potentials in children
with CP shows evidence of repair.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16119632


Frontal lobe function in bipolar disorder: near-infrared spectroscopy study. :
Uni- and bipolar depressions were characterized by reduce and delayed frontal
lobe activations, respectively,.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16125979


Substance use disorders and the orbitofrontal cortex : Neuroimaging studies
show hypoactivity of the orbitofrontal cortex after detox, revealing its
important role in addiction.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16135857
  ----------

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)

Portland, OR Nov 10-13
Woodland Hills, CA Dec 8-11
San Antonio, TX Jan 19-22, 2006
Orlando, FL Feb 23-26
Phoenix, AZ Mar 23-26
Boston, MA Apr 20-23
Washington DC Jun 22-25


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.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

AAPB  - http://www.aapb.org     Portland OR     Apr 6-10
---------------------------------------------------------------------



Last Word

Twenty Online Resources

Here are some of the best online resources available for neurotherapists and
other professionals.

Free Email: http://mail.yahoo.com, http://www.hotmail.com, http://www.gmail.com

Free Fax: http:/www.efax.com

Medline citations. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Neuroscience Intro: http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html

Brain Research News: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Brain_Research/

EEG News: http://news.google.com/news?q=eeg

Knowledge Network: http://www.nytimes.com/college/

Scientific articles: http://scholar.google.com

News coverage: http://news.google.com

Online Newspapers: http://www.metagrid.com, http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/

Discussion groups http://groups.yahoo.com

Neurofeedback groups: groups.yahoo.com/search?query=neurofeedback

Images: http://images.google.com

Time - http://www.arachnoid.com/abouttime

Statistics online: http://faculty.vassar.edu/lowry/VassarStats.html

Dictionary: http://www.m-w.com

Thesaurus: http://www.m-w.com

Synonyms: http://vancouver-webpages.com/synonyms.html

Translation Tools: http://babelfish.altavista.com,
http://www.google.com/language_tools

Psycholinguistic Tools: http://www.psy.uwa.edu.au/mrcdatabase/uwa_mrc.htm

----end--

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

Vol. 8 No. 9 - September 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Psychopathology by the Numbers
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - 13th Intl Society for Neuronal Regulation
-----------------------------------------------------------


Announcements

Some Minds Appear Wired to Lie
Study Reveals How Your Brain Sleeps
Scientist: MRIs Can Serve As Lie Detectors
Science chips away at ALD
Brain development may be influenced by genetic parasites

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

-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Psychopathology, by the Numbers

Shakespeare delves into madness, its nature, tone, and cause, in
King Lear, one of drama's greatest tragedies. Mistreated by two of
his three daughters King Lear in a fury of madness stumbles upon
another man who is also suffering the consequences of familial
betrayal, and says to the infinite: "What, have his daughters
brought him to this pass?" (Act III Scene iv)

The other man has no daughters, but to Lear everyone has cruel
"pelican daughters." It is a subtle but insightful reveal into
mental illness -- the obsessive self-absorption, delusion as
self-consideration without distraction.

Fast forward four centuries and although many Elizabethan ills have
since been cured or curbed, such as scurvy, smallpox, and syphilis,
mental illness like Lear in the storm (Act III) rages on. The
current lifetime prevalence rate for mental disorders is 1 in 2. The
one-year prevalence rate 1 in 4 -- a quarter of the population
suffering from mental illness, with women succumbing twice as often
to depression and anxiety, men twice as often to addiction.

Due to advances in diagnosis and therapy, half a million adults
institutionalized for psychological disorders 50 years ago has been
reduced to nearly a tenth of this number today, 65,000. Whereas the
institutionalized have dwindle, the number of diagnoses has not, but
in fact exploded. In 1952 the first edition of the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the bible of clinical
psychology and psychiatry, listed 60 conditions. In 1994 the 4th
edition weighed in with 410 conditions, a exponential increase. Are
we getting more mentally ill as time proceeds? No, but our powers of
perception are improving, leading to prognostic delineations --
subtyping, new classifications, with targeted treatments, which has
led to the drop in institutionalizations.

Mood disturbances go hand and hand with the arts and humanities,
cognitive disturbances with science and mathematics. A list of
bipolar or unipolar depressed composers might capture nearly every
name you know, except Bach. Of famous writers, John Milton of
Paradise Lost fame wrote: "The mind is its own place, and of itself/
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." Creativity seems to
flow from mood dysfunction. Perhaps it is the emotional reactivity
of the bipolar artist, the unfiltered life; or perhaps the
disinhibited or loose associations; or perhaps the grandiosity spurs
an absorption on a single topic longer than most would care to focus
and finally it cracks open and reveal some transpersonal plunder.
The intense creative episodes during hypomania are where many
bipolar composers and writers do their best (and sometimes only)
work. Here is a list of famous artists with bipolar disorder:

Hans Christian Anderson    Ludwig von Beethoven
Lord Byron                 Charles Dickens
T. S. Eliot                Ralph Waldo Emerson
William Faukner            F. Scott Fitzgerald
Paul Gauguin               Sylvia Plath
Ernest Hemingway           Michelangelo
Edgar Allan Poe            Gordon Sumner (Sting)
Peter Tchaikovsky          Leo Tolstoy
Mark Twain                 Virginia Woolf
Tennessee Williams


Many of these artists took their own life, which is not uncommon in
bipolar disorder. A survey of writers at the University of Iowa's
famed Writers' Workshop in 1987 by Nancy Andreason found 80 % of the
faculty with mood disorders, 43% bipolar, 30 % addicted to drugs,,
and 12% eventually killed themselves.

Nobel Laureate Albert Camus opens "The Myth of Sisyphus" with the
surprising statement: "There is only one really serious
philosophical question, and that is suicide." Wittgenstein said it
was language, but I tend to agree with the less Aspergerish
philosopher Camus. How we communicate is less important than why we
would want to stop communicating with others forever. Unfortunately
nearly 30,000 Americans each year do so, taking their own lives,
nearly twice our homicide rate. Suicide is the 8th leading cause of
death in adults, 3rd leading cause for teenagers, and since 1950 the
rate for teens has tripled, a disturbing commentary on our culture.
Overall we are twice the world rate, with only Japan, a culture of
honor and suicide for centuries, coming in ahead of us, 16.7
suicides per 100 thousand compared to 11.9 for the US. In the US
females attempt three times more often than males, but males succeed
four times as often, probably because women tend to reach for pills,
men reach firearms, and firearms are more lethal, accounting for 60%
of success attempts.

Depression, especially bipolar depression, has a cycle to it. In
bipolar it is normalcy, which rises toward manic peak, peak,
decline, normalcy (for the lucky ones), decline toward bottom,
bottoming out, rise from bottom (lucky again), and back to normalcy.
Unipolar depression does not have a manic component, but both have
higher suicide rates which coincide with the mood cycle. Suicide is
most often attempted during the rise out of the bottom and there are
two schools of thought as to why: (1) an individual wants to die
while at the lowest point but hasn't the energy or motivation to
complete any plans, and therefore only attempts suicide when energy
has returned, during the rise, and (2) more disturbingly, while in
the pit of despair an individual make plans to end his or her life,
and to finally exert some control over one's life (its end) improves
the mood, pulling them out of the pit.

From mood to cognition, we have perhaps the worse mental disorder on
the books, Schizophrenia, "split mind," a gross distortion of
thought and perception with eventual loss of contact with reality.
Schizophrenia is the disorder of science and math: Isaac Newton
suffered a psychotic break at age 41, Albert Einstein had a
schizophrenic son, and the recent Oscar winning film Beautiful Mind
chronicled the tragic life of Nobel Laureate mathematician John Nash
Jr, a chronic schizophrenia.

Three types of schizophrenia exist: Paranoid, with delusions or
hallucinations often include extreme suspiciousness and hostility;
Disorganized, with signs of illogical thinking and speech, and
Catatonic, with extremes in motor behavior. A fourth classification,
Undifferentiated, is reserved for those who fit the diagnosis but no
clear subtype. In schizophrenia we have positive and negative
symptoms. Positive symptoms are not good positive, but positive in
the sense of excessive, behaviors in addition to the normal ones.
Positive symptoms or excesses such as hallucinations, delusions,
thought disorders, and bizarre behaviors. Negative symptoms are
cognitive, emotional, and behavioral deficits, reductions of the
normal behavioral repertoire, such as apathy, flattened affect,
social withdrawal, inattention, and slowed speech or no speech.

Here is schizophrenia by the numbers:

- 1% across all cultures, despite few offspring
- Male = females, or slightly more males
- More in jails than psychiatric hospitals
- 50% never accept that they are ill
- 90% go off meds once+ (most if not all relapse)
- Nearly 100% smoke (nicotine self-stimulates)
- Higher prevalence in lower socioeconomic class
- 25% full remission, 50% recurrent relapses,
      25% permanently hospitalized
- 40% attempt suicide, 10% succeed

Schizophrenics suffer from delusion, hallucinations, mood and motor
disturbances.

Delusions are incorrect conclusions about perceptions and include
peculiar beliefs such as alien abductions, secret lovers, paranoia,
grandiosity, thought insertion or broadcast, and erotomania
(everyone loves you), which strikes women four times more than men,
interestingly. Other delusions are ideas of reference, that events
has special personal meaning, and magical thinking such as
controlling events from afar. Most diehard Red Sox fans exhibit the
latter two symptoms, at least until the World Series is over.

Hallucinations are inaccurate perceptions, and most are (perhaps
surprisingly) auditory -- commanding voice of authority or derision,
often a mother, dead or alive, riding her child. Speech changes are
often common, in polar extremes, mute or pressured; overall they are
insensitive to the informational needs of audience, failing to
provide enough consensual reference in their communications, to
close to the vest, thoughtwise. Schizophrenics' mood symptoms range
from blunted, inappropriate, to exaggerated, with chronic cases
often exhibiting flat affect, anhedonia, avolitional, to the point
of being vegetative.

As a 20 y old college student I traveled one summer to the mental
state hospital systems in New England for my job with Connecticut's
conservatorship office. Some of the schizophrenics I dealt with were
personable, some bitter, a few grandiose, a few still a bit scary to
deal with. One chopped up his mother and put her in the freezer, but
it was believed she died naturally and he was merely hiding her body
from social workers so he wouldn't be institutionalized. Well, I met
him at an institution in Massachusetts, and he was personable, even
knew the recent Yankee and Red Sox ball game scores. I couldn't make
out his gaze, though: his eyes looked off into the ether, one
pointing east, the other roughly west.

Another older schizophrenic responded well to the question how he
was doing. "Fine, fine, fine... " he said, then went silent. After a
few minutes of trying to get another response from him, asking about
the hospital, nursing staff, weather, he showed his annoyance with
me by choking the air with his fists. He wanted me, the young kid,
to leave his plane of existence I gathered. But then I spoke up
again, "How are you doing?" .... Oh fine, fine, fine, he chirped,
then withdrew into his head again. We could have done this for hours
-- he had the time -- but I didn't, and it was a sad little game.

The saddest story from this summer now 20 years gone belonged to a
young schizophrenic girl who ran through the ward every morning
singing the Rolling Stones tune "You can't always get what you
want." True, she didn't get what she wanted. Last I heard she was
still institutionalized.

Scientist TJ Crow believes schizophrenia is an overreliance on the
diffuse representational system of the right hemisphere. Perhaps,
but I also believe schizophrenia, like autism, is first and foremost
an attention disorder, an individual addicted more to his thought
processes more than the world's sensory extravaganza. From such
concentration on inward processes may derive loose associations,
eventual memory impairment, and finally poor management of mental
content, i.e., executive dysfunction, but it is the inward addiction
that leads to the latter. Schizophrenics, like autistics, also
exhibit impaired theory of mind, a failure to monitor what different
people can know and even one's own intentional actions.

Failure to develop dominant hand early (by age 7, say) is a sign of
eventual schizophrenia (and very common in autism as well). Future
adult schizophrenics at 8 to 12 years of age begin to show
interpersonal problems, poor emotional control, sometimes a high IQ,
but by early teen years we often see cognitive problems emerging,
underachievement, disorganized thoughts, poor emotional rapport, few
friends, and finally withdrawal, decreased grooming, delusions, and
commonly hallucinogens abuse (like marijuana or LSD). One of my
closest friends during the summer in Connecticut was a schizophrenic
who would take his Haldol as the doctor prescribed, then take a hit
(of marijuana) to keep the inward kaleidoscope flowing.

This ends my "Psychopathology by the numbers" lecture, given to
introductory Psychology students. The lecture comes with fancy
powerpoint pictures to entertain the kids, which they need, because
if you haven't notice, attentional disorders in this culture are on
the rise.

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Delivered from Distraction : Getting the Most out of Life with Attention
Deficit Disorder
by Edward M. Hallowell M.D.
Very readable overview of latest in ADHD research.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/034544230X/eegspectrum

Atlas of Ambulatory EEG
by Schacter, et al
Reference describing EEG patterns in normal and abnormal individuals.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0126213453/ eegspectrum

Children and Behavioural Problems: Anxiety, Aggression, Depression ADHD
by Martine F. Delfos
A biopsychological model of children mental health, focused on diagnosis and
treatment --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ ASIN/1843101963/eegspectrum

Epidemiology of Sleep: Age, Gender, and Ethnicity
by Kenneth L. Lichstein, et al
Sleep of normal individuals is reviewed by age and gender.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805840796/eegspectrum

Essentials of Clinical Neurophysiology
by Thomas C. Head
Outlines the theory and practice of such neurodiagnostic techniques as
electroencephalography, electromyography with nerve conductions, evoked
potentials, and polysomnography.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0750674415/eegspectrum

Learning the Language of Addiction Counseling
by Geri Miller
Review of addiction counseling basics for clinicians and grad students.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471696129/ eegspectrum

Assessment of the Human Stress Response: Neurological... Psychological
Foundations
by George S. Everly, Steven A. Sobelman
Soon to be released book in the Stress in Modern Society series, a timely topic.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 0404632548/eegspectrum
-----------------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS

Substance abuse in patients with ADHD : A third of adults with ADHD either have
a history of substance abuse or currently suffer from it, so pharmaceutical
treatments need to be tailored to lower the risk of abuse potential.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16097847

Sources of cortical rhythms during physiological aging : Age and occipital
delta magnitude correlated. This study highlights an analysis to predict
dementia in mild cognitive impairment.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16108018

Antidepressants may protect against frontal gray matter decline in geriatric
depression. : Larger orbitofrontal cortex was seen in depressed patients
exposed to antidepressants than drug-naive depressed geriatric patients.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16086609

Self-regulation of slow cortical potentials. : Brain-computer communication
based on auditory stimulation only is possible.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16093411

Transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment for epilepsy : Reviews findings for
depression and epilepsy as to whether they can be simultaneously treated with
TMS.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16054872

Resting anterior cingulate activity and abnormal responses to errors : Abnormal
responses to errors may arise from reduced affective and/or motivational
responses to salient cues.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16035102

Thalamic mechanisms of EEG alpha rhythms and their pathological implications. :
According to the authors, the neurocellular components underlying thalamic
alpha rhythms is also responsible for (2-7 Hz) activity, when these cells are
less depolarized.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16061522

Biophysical modeling of tonic cortical electrical activity in ADHD : According
to a biophysical model, EEG abnormalities of ADHD are accounted for by
increased dendritic response times, increased thalamic reticular nucleus
activity, and increased intracortical activity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16048806

Clinical application of single-pulse TMS for the treatment of depression. :
Single-pulse TMS has antidepressive effects without inducing adverse reactions.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16048448

Region-specific changes in prefrontal function with age: : Normal ageing is
concluded to produce differentiation of cortical function in bilateral ventral
PFC and deficits in right dorsal and anterior PFC.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16049041
  -------

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)

Atlanta, GA Oct 20-23
Portland, OR Nov 10-13
Woodland Hills, CA Dec 8-11
San Antonio, TX Jan 19-22, 2006
Orlando, FL Feb 23-26
Phoenix, AZ Mar 23-26
Boston, MA Apr 20-23
Washington DC Jun 22-25


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.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

AAPB  - http://www.aapb.org     Portland OR     Apr 6-10
---------------------------------------------------------------------



Last Word

13th Annual International Society for Neuronal Regulation

Earlier this month 400 people met in downtown Denver to talk about
neurofeedback and QEEG for a weekend. Except for buses Denver has
eliminated street traffic in this section of the city and pushed
buildings closer together so stepping out of the hotel was like
stepping into a movie lot. Two hops and a skip across cobblestone
takes you to the Starbucks across the street, and a hop takes you
back again. Roger deBeus and Noland White, along with numerous
volunteers, organized a successful conference, with keynote speakers
from around the world including Niels Birbaumer (Germany), Mario
Beauregard (Canada), Adam Clarke (Australia), and Vince Monastra
(New York). A healthy mix of the usual suspects, students, and new
faces showed up. I played professor as one of my undergraduates
attended and I introduced him to numerous names and eventually got
him lined up for grad school.

Knowledge is a political process and science is no exception.
Funding and voicing one's interpretations are socially controlled
and while the Web attempts to level the playing field, the cacophony
of information online still means that money and culture matter and
direct opinion. Useful knowledge is a tool, a way to leverage one
domain of nature against another, and neuroscience is the newest and
strongest tool in our arsenal -- from clinical treatment to
self-understanding. But it is a costly tool, politically controlled,
and slow to take effect, but not it is finally taking wide effect
(see Announcement, above, for instance).

I don't go to conferences for lectures but to talk. If I hear two
new and interesting lectures over the weekend, well, that's a bonus.
My conference, the real conference, happens in coffee shops, hotel
lounges, and over dinner menus. Meeting people one on one, talking
about the newest work with a speaker three feet away is how
knowledge is best exchanged. Conversation creates knowledge,
lectures only transmit it. That's also why I rarely attend early
morning sessions -- up too late the night before talking one on one.

Here are the lectures I can recall best: Robert Coben's work on
autism, Barry Sterman's mechanism behind SMR training, and Mario
Beauregard's fMRI validation of neurotherapy. All of these people
are doing interesting work. Mario and his colleagues in Montreal are
working on Spiritual Neuroscience, where they study fMRI and EEG
correlates of mystical experiences (remembrances from cloistered
nuns). As it so happened, I went to the conference with my latest
set of games, and one was a Serenity Set which uses quotes from
various sources to facilitate oneness, calmness, perhaps even a
mystic sense. For the first version of this set, with more to come,
I relied on the Gospel of John (the most metaphoric of the gospels),
Ecclesiastes (where earliest consciousness had just emerged
historically -- "all is vanity, vanity" lines, etc), and the Tao.
Feeling in touch with a higher power or recognizing that one can
organize into a union that serves the interests of individuals
better than going alone is important to mental health and
neurotherapy. As I said during my lecture at the conference, there
is an "infiltration of a supraorganizational force into the action
of individual .... neuron" . Oh well, until the word "neuron" it
sounded like I was talking about religion instead of the
thalamocortical network.

----end--

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

Vol. 8 No. 8 - August 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Dolphin Consciousness
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - none
-----------------------------------------------------------


Announcements

FDA gives firm OK for 2d test of brain sensor
Poor Hearing Can Impair Memory
Is the affinity for music innate?
Brain Protein Influences Weight Gain
Researchers find stem cells for brain cancer

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

-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Dolphin Consciousness

Last Saturday I was an invited call-in guest on a radio show on
dolphin consciousness. Dolphins and schizophrenia were my initial
excursions into psychology. They seem unrelated, unless one finds
the common link: two films based on the life of John Lilly from my
childhood. Altered States (1980) and Day of the Dolphin (1971?).
Lilly invented the isolation tank to determine what happens mentally
when a brain is deprived of all sensory information -- sound,
temperature differences, sight. As it turns out, the brain when
deprived of sensation will make some of its own - it will generally
hallucinate. Fortunately most times most animal brain remain under
sensory constraints, but perhaps with the larger brain creatures
this is decidedly less so, and that is our strength.

In 1989, besides occasionally hanging out at Lilly's house in
Malibu, I flew out to Hawaii to work with the other (and current)
giant in the field of dolphin cognition, Lou Herman. I eventually
switched back to humans, as you know (EEG), but there are a lot of
advantages to dolphin cognition research that I miss. Albeit the pay
is not good, but everyone is in bikinis and the tanks are at the
beach. Herman's was adjacent to Waikiki Beach. Not a bad place to
spend a lifetime.

So what does dolphin consciousness has to do with neurotherapy?
Nothing directly, though Aquathought and other companies have
disabled kids swim with dolphins for treatment. Some believe the
dolphin's high-frequency pulses in the water improves the kids, a
sonic-driven frequency entrainment perhaps. I think it's the
realization that something (someone) far more powerful than you is
not only not dangerous, but wants to play with you. It's our
century's version of wrestling with angels.

This is August, the month of vacation, and vacating the normal path
is what we do this month, so let me vacate the normal path in this
newsletter. It's all part of the creative process, so instead of
thinking what it is to be you, think what it is not to be you. What
if you spent your entire life bathed in sound and water, like our
large-brained aquatic brethren? What would your mental life be like?
Would you, like a few on the radio show I was on (Virato live! -
http://www.newfrontier.com/asheville/the- revolution.htm) claim that
you were in telepathic communication with people? I wonder, or would
you be smarter than that....

(The) belief that mental experiences are a unique attribute of a
single species is not only unparsimonious; it is conceited. it seems
more likely than not that mental experiences, like many other
characters, are widespread, at least among multicellular animals,
but differ greatly in nature and complexity. -- D.R. Griffin, 1981.

The largest brain ever to evolve belongs to the Cetacean order, home
of dolphins, killer whales, and the largest dolphin of them all, the
sperm whale (Physeter catodon) whose brain can weigh up to 9.2 kg
Ridgway, 1986). Lilly (1967) argued that such a brain must produce
consciousness exceeding our own, but most scientists note the very
low brain-to-body weight ratio of the sperm whale, below that of a
cow, and are left wanting. But if there is anything I know about the
brain it's that the relationship between brain and mind is not an
obvious one, and consciousness is no exception. Our form of
consciousness -- representation of one's own mentation -- probably
emerged during historic times (Jaynes, 1976; Snell, 1953), but
features of self-awareness may be prevalent in other mammals,
especially those with the extra neural hardware such as apes,
carnivores, elephants, and whales.

Cetaceans are secondary aquatic mammals who, with the sirenians
(manatees), are the only terrestrial mammals that have made a
complete transition back to living in the sea. Dolphins evolved from
a species that foraged in coastal waters until finally adapting to a
complete life in the sea 50 or so million years ago. Once in the
sea, they hit an ecological jackpot -- encephalization (large
braininess) developed rapidly, surpassing all others as early as 15
to 25 million years ago. That is, until we came along. Much of what
we know about cetacean neuroanatomy and neurophysiology comes from
research performed on the Atlantic bottlenosed dolphin (Tursiops
truncatus). Tursiops demonstrates great flexibility in vocal and
physical behavior, and is believed by many to be the most
intelligent cetacean. The resemblance of the dolphin brain to the
human brain is unsettling at first sight (see Figure 1 and 2,
online). Its great size and convolutions were noted centuries ago
(John Ray, 1671). Tursiops has an average brain size of 1587 g while
Home sapiens average below 1400 g (Ridgway, 1986a). Encephalization
quotients (EQ) which takes into account an animal body size --, a
neuroanatomical IQ of sorts -- are nearly double that of apes, and
are higher than any other mammal, except one

A dolphin's is most convoluted brain we know of, having more surface
area per volume than even our own brains, nearly twice our surface
area (Ridgway, 1986). But their cortex is relatively thin, about
half of ours (1.3 compared to 2.9 mm at its thickest) so despite
greater mass, the dolphin cerebral cortex is 560 cc compared to
human's 660 cc. Not bad, considering that no other species comes so
close.

Evolution, like good film directing, is about slowing events down,
letting development proceed over time, retarding progress until a
new fruition is had. Prolonged youth is not only the goal of many
Americans, it is the goal of the evolution of intelligence. Time is
needed for brain expansion, time to learn. Most mammals are born
with up to 80 % of the full adult brain weight, but our neonates
possess only a quarter of the final product and take two decades of
growth before reaching the final weight. Tursiops is born with 43%
of its final goal and takes a decade to reach adult levels, a pace
that places them above most apes.

As I said in the radio show, not to put a downer on our dreams, but
humans are probably the most intelligent species on the planet. Sad,
but true. I didn't always think this, and would love if some
pan-dimensional creature could take over terrestrial governance once
in a while, maybe drive down the deficit and get us out of Iraq, but
the other radio show guests didn't take a shine to any denigration
of cetacean intelligence, least of all coming from a primate. One of
the guests had experienced telepathic communication with a pod of
dolphins in the past so she knew I was wrong....Well, some
investigators argue, downingly, that the increased neocortex in
marine mammals IS something to sneeze at. Large swimming brains do
not imply the same thing (higher intelligence) as do large brain
ashore. Deep diving (prolonged hypoxia) could require more cortical
wiring (Wilson, 1933, cited in Ridgway, 1986a), or the neural wiring
could be metabolically less active (probably not true) or the lack
of REM sleep makes the wiring less efficient, such as with the
echidnas (probably true). Or echolocation needs more wiring for the
same bang-to-buck ratio of sight or smell. This argument might fly,
but if the billions of echolocating small-brained bats didn't.

Size is not everything. When it comes to brains and most everything
having to do with energy, organization beats out. The cetacean brain
resembles the layout of the earliest mammalian (insectivore) brains,
partly because that is when these creatures split from the
terrestrial genome, and this suggests some gross primitiveness, but
they boast more neocortex than us, 97.9% to 95.9% (Glezer, Jacobs, &
Morgane, 1988). Yet still the cytoarchitecture appears conservative,
relatively agranular or dysgranular, lacking laminar layer IV except
for the presence of an incipient layer here and there. Tursiops
neocortex is dominated by phylogenetically older layers I and VI,
with an accentuated layer II due to layer I inputs with no true
"Betz" cells present. The largest neurons tend to be in the
pyramidal cell layers, III and V, and these neurons do not show the
wide variations in size compared to terrestrial mammals - okay,
okay, enough of the neuroscientific speak... so... overall their
brains are white bread and mayo -- monotonous....
paleo-archicortextual. For instance the columnar organization in
visual areas are larger and fewer than half the number of homologous
structures in humans. Cytoarchitectonic analysis reveals only
"prokoniocortex" (rudimentary layer IV), with no signs of
koniocortex or parakoniocortex.... hey, it's hard to stop the
sci-talk once one starts.

According to Morgane, Jacobs, and Galaburda (1985), cetacean
neuroevolution arrested at a paralimbic/parinsular stage. In other
words they returned to the sea before the latest upgrades in sensory
and motor processors. So they are running DOS while we are running
Windows (which would explain our problems... more of us need to run
Macs). Neuroevolution progressed via replication, more and more of
the same modules, instead of differentiation. But one should keep in
mind that the rules governing neocortical organization are obviously
different in Cetaceans than in most mammals. Idioadaptations --
specific changes in reaction to unique environmental pressures (an
aquatic existence, for instance) -- have occurred.

Despite any apparent structural primitiveness, cetaceans demonstrate
hemispheric specialization and hemispheric independence. Dolphins
typically have a "viewing eye", usually a right eye preference for
viewing strangers and novel stimuli. The optic chiasma is completely
crossed in cetaceans so that such viewing indicates an initial
left-hemisphere (LH) inspection during encounters, and each eye can
act independently (disconjugatedly). Morrell-Samuels, Herman, and
Bever (1988) demonstrated cognitive lateralization in
sign-language-trained Tursiops, a LH advantage for processing
complex signs and a RH advantage for simple gestural commands (not
unlike the human pattern). Initial presentations of gestural
commands result in a right-hemisphere advantage in reaction time
which is slowly replaced by a LH advantage with subsequent
presentations. Again, paralleling human findings. Cetaceans also
demonstrate the greatest example of hemispheric independence,
unihemispheric sleep: when one hemisphere is asleep (in stages 1-3)
the other hemisphere is always awake, displaying desynchronized EEG
patterns, often with one or both open eyes, (Mukhametov, Supin, and
Polyakova, 1977). Cetaceans are voluntary breathers and
bihemispheric sleep, which can occur in dolphins only under
anesthesia, if prolonged, results in drowning. Most dolphin species
show only short bursts of REM sleep, so our aquatic angels (or
fallen angels) do not dream... hmmmm. Another unusual property is
their relatively small corpus callosum, smaller in proportion than
nearly every other mammals', about a fifth of our own.

Primate intelligence evolved to solve social problems (Cheney and
Seyfarth, 1990) and was only later extended to nonsocial problems.
The evolutionary significance of consciousness, or reflective
introspection, or internal awareness, lies in the insight it
provides the possessor about the (predicted future) behaviors of
others. All mammals may be conscious of different aspects of their
world, from proprioceptive body awareness to awareness of social
agency (Crook, 1983), however the extent of consciousness in humans
may be an idioadaptation to a hyper-complex social environment. The
social behavior of Tursiops may not be as developed as that of
higher primates (J. Mann, pers. comm.), but we are both social
predators and interspecial conflict is common in dolphins so they
may have developed similar representations of mentation to survive.

Dolphins do show some signs of self-awareness. For instance,
punishable behaviors are often performed only when a dolphin
believes no one is around (e.g., Savage-Rumbaugh and Hopkins, 1986).
When a dolphin squirts water at a human to show annoyance, he often
raises his head out of the water to curiously observe the effect his
behavior had on the unsuspecting victim (personal observation).
Dolphins also have voluntary penile erections, which may suggest
that they are conscious of things of which humans are not.

But anthropocentric definitions of consciousness (e.g., self-nonself
and public versus private distinctions) may not be entirely useful
for understanding the mental life of a cetacean. Tursiops are
specialized for acoustical processing and probably structure the
world acoustically more than visually. Objects are most real when
based on auditory data. Whereas dogs and cats are smell brains,
humans mostly sight brains, dolphins are mostly sound brains.
Tursiops have echolocation and four other vocalizations and this
co-occurrence of communicative and perceptual processing in the same
modality may be their strength and weakness. Dolphins may be unable
to distinguish between their sonar and another's communications
(Lilly, 1967). The public nature of echolocation broadcasts and
echoes may also result in shared perceptual information to such an
extent that self-nonself boundaries are functionally meainginless. A
perceptual world constructed of shared raw data might permit an
intensity of group cohesion unimagineable to humans, or any primate
for that matter. A dolphin may include others as part of his or her
"decision- making unit" or self (a "group mind", Jerison, 1986).
This could help explain widespread observations of reciprocal and
inter- species altruism, a phenomenon once believed by many to
belong to humans alone. Whatever cases are made for or against
dolphin consciousness, it is interesting to remember that they as a
species have had this ability perhaps a hundred times longer than we
have (200 K years compared to 25 million).

Addendum: I ended my radio appearance with a brief mention of the
Aquatic Ape hypothesis of human evolution. We Homo sapiens sapiens,
the remaining branch or twig in the bushy hominid line that began in
Africa and which we eventually outslugged or outreproduced or
outweathered until all but us remained alive on this planet, we
likely went through an aquatic phase of our own, not unlike
dolphins. We are voluntary breathers, a trait shared by only marine
mammals and no terrestrial ones. Our relative hairlessness, the
distribution of the hair that remains, and our fat distribution
under the skin (blubber to keep us warm) all suggest a semi-aquatic
stage in our evolutionary past. A hundred thousand years ago or so a
village or two of humans took to coastal waters like dolphins had
done millions of years before and eventually a few of the neighbors'
kids learned to control their breathing and swim longer and
underwater, thereby opening a once unlimited and untapped resource.
This new ecological niche, and the fish oils that came with it, may
have fed the hungry growing brain, allowing all this new behavioral
flexibility in the first place. Perhaps it was in water where a few
of us refined our sound production techniques, and then brought
these skills back to the home fires at night. Perhaps coastal living
is in our genes. That would certaintly explain our penchant, and the
high prices, associated with living at the shore.

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Mind, Stress, and Emotions: The New Science of Mood
by Gene Wallenstein
Genetic, biological, psychological, and environmental bases of
emotions, with novel treatment strategies for mood and anxiety
disorders. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0972060731/eegspectrum

Sleep And Sleep Disorders: A Neuropsychopharmacological Approach
by Malcolm Lader
New book on the neuropsychopharmacological of sleep.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1587062542/eegspectrum

Executive Function In Children, Adolescents, And Adults With ADHD
by Weyandt
Executive deficits in ADHD are not gender-specific, persist, and
often are not accounted for by intelligence or comorbidities. --
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805895035/eegspectrum

Handbook of Disruptive Behavior Disorders
by Herbert C. Quay, Anne E. Hogan
Three quarters of all psychopathological disorders of childhood and
adolescence are disruptive behaviors (ADHD, ODD, CD). Reviews
various issues of this disorders including assessment.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0306459744/ eegspectrum

Cognitive Electrophysiology of Mind and Brain
by Alberto Zani, Alice Proverbio
Reviews developments in recording of bioelectric and magnetic
responses of the brain.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0127754210/eegspectrum

Neurotransmitters, Drugs and Brain Function
by Roy Webster
Textbook for students of pharmacology, psychology, neuroscience, and
related disciplines.
  --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471978191/eegspectrum

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: From Genes to Patients
by David Gozal
Discusses the genetics and recent research in clinical neuroscience
on ADHD --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 1588293122/eegspectrum


-----------------------------------------------------------


JOURNAL PAPERS

EEG biofeedback in the treatment of ADHD : Clinical improvement was reported in
three-quarters of ADHD patients, but more controlled group studies are needed.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16013783


Personality traits and its association with resting regional brain activity. :
Some associations are found between delta and theta activity across cortex with
Extraversion and Conscientiousness but few associations were found for alpha
and beta activity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16019096


EEG evidence for mirror neuron dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders. :
Following the idea that mu activity (8-13 Hz) over sensorimotor cortex reflects
mirror neuron activity, high-functioning autistics showed mu suppression to
self- performed hand movements but not to observed hand movements.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15993757


Long-term stability of frontal EEG asymmetry in depression : Alpha asymmetry
was moderately stable in depressed and normals individuals (intraclass
correlations between 0.39 and 0.61).
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16002168


EEG mapping and LORETA in diagnosis of psychiatric disorders : Low-resolution
brain electromagnetic tomography identifies brain regions affected by
psychiatric disorders and psychopharmacological substances.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15999906


rTMS in treating OCD and Tourette's syndrome : Normalization of right
hemisphere hyperexcitability was observed after just the first week of rTMS
treatments.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15982444


Influence of Age, Gender, Health Status, and Depression on Quantitative EEG. :
Prefrontal cordance in theta activity, independent of demographic variables,
was associated with pathophysiology of depression and response to treatment.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15990459

  -------

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)

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ Sep 22-25
Atlanta, GA Oct 20-23
Portland, OR Nov 10-13
Woodland Hills, CA Dec 8-11
San Antonio, TX Jan 19-22, 2006
Orlando, FL Feb 23-26
Phoenix, AZ Mar 23-26
Boston, MA Apr 20-23
Washington DC Jun 22-25

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.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

ISNR  - http://www.isnr.org      Denver CO       Sep 8-11
---------------------------------------------------------------------



Last Word

None - Enjoy your summer!

----end--

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

Vol. 8 No. 7 - July 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Sleep
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Connectivity
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements

Drugs to boost brain power will become 'as common as coffee'
Study: Lorenzo's Oil protects against ailment
Brain Region May Govern Resilience to Trauma
A Dispute Over Brain Donations
Brain development may be influenced by genetic parasites
Deep, Dark Secrets of His and Her Brains
A scientific journey into the mind of a child

All links at:
http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=science&cat=brain_research

-----------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Sleep

One of the earliest neurofeedback applications was for insomnia, the
sleep disorder (papers from 1980, 1981). My alum mater UCLA is one
of the elite sleep research programs in the world, so just walking
the halls of the Brain Research Institute should have filled my head
with knowledgeable insights into sleep via osmosis -- that, and
taking a course on the neurobiology of sleep . So this is some of
what I know about the central mystery of the night.

First, how important is sleep? In the great scheme of things is
sleep more important than food? More important than water? More
important than the World Series? Who knows? Well, one way to
estimate the relative importance of any biological function is to
deprived some creature of said function. Boston deprived its
inhabitants of a World Series champ for nearly a century and it
turned many of the people into batty superstitious mystics, so
deprivation can change personality. In terms of sleep, what is the
effect on survival? It may sound gruesome, and it can be, but it
does give us some clue as to the importance of sleep.

Death from Deprivation (approximate duration) in order

Oxygen (minutes)
Warmth (hours)
Water (days)
Sleep (weeks)
Sustenance/food (months)
Social (months at infancy)

(The last item -- social deprivation -- I wrote about months ago in
Harlow and Bowlby's work.)

So sleep is more important than food. but a more eternal question,
is sleep more important than sex? We are always asking ourselves
whether we should miss out on sleep for sex? Well, a few of us have
lived their entire lives sex-deprived and none the worse for wear
(well, who knows). Isaac Newton had this unfortunate and shy
distinction, as did (supposedly) Queen Elizabeth I, Friedrich
Nietzsche, Lewis Carroll, Jane Austen, Ludwig van Beethoven, and
perhaps even the madman Adolph Hitler. Might explain a few things.
But regardless, sleep is more important to life than food, less than
water, warmth, and oxygen.

So why then do we spend one-third of our life asleep? We don't spend
that much time drinking, or breathing even? Or perhaps we spend
about 1/3 of our life breathing as the average rate of respiration
is 20 times a minute, though lower rates when asleep. Still, what
function(s) does sleep serve?

People who cannot sleep die. There is a very rare genetic disorder
called as fatal familial insomnia (FFI) that produces a general
brainstem deterioration during middle age. The first symptom of this
untreatable disorder is the inability to sleep, for months.
Eventually the adult man or woman dies, and as with rats who die at
17 days, and young dogs in 6 days, adult dogs in 13 days, these
individuals die from the consequences of thermoregulation failure.
Thermoregulation is a common theme in sleep. Keeping the body
temperature stable is a very critical function (#2 on our list) and
sleep (slow wave sleep) in integral to this process.

So what happens short of complete deprivation. Well, we can thank
the Chinese Army of the 1950s for knowing this answer. Chronic sleep
deprivation was used a form of torture and interrogation during the
Korean War on dozens of captured U.S. airmen. It left no physical
marks as it forced these men to confess to war crimes they didn't
committ (West, 1962). Despite the appearances of normality when the
soldiers returned to the U.S., persistent personality dysfunction
continued. A documented anecdote also supports how chronic sleep
deprivation can alter personality. In 1959 Peter Tripp, a radio DJ
who invented the Top 40 countdown, went 201 hours (8 days) without
sleep. He suffered paranoid delusions & hallucinations during the
stunt, and permanent personality changes after. He was given Ritalin
by the doctors to keep awake so the delusions and hallucinations may
have been caused by acute amphetamine psychosis, or perhaps
intrusions from the periodic REM cycles during the wee hours. At one
point Peter confided to the two psychiatrists overseeing his charity
wakeathon that he was not Peter Tripp but an imposter -- in other
words he went psychotic. He also thought that one of the doctors was
actually an undertaker to take him away to his grave. Strong stuff,
that Ritalin (or strong stuff, that lack of sleep). As for
personality change, his loved ones noticed the change right away.
Peter rebounded with a full day of sleep after the marathon, but his
wife noticed a change in him. Tripp fought with him boss, got caught
in the payola scandal, fired, divorced, and ended his years
traveling around the country doing various odd jobs. Other DJs soon
followed his wakeathon stunt, staying awake longer, but less was
documented of their results. Finally in 1965 a 17-year old high
school student stayed awake 11 days (264 hours) with the help of TV
reporters and pinball games but with little permanent change in
personality. So the effect of prolonged sleep deprivation on
personality may be age-dependent, which may explain why I hate
all-nighters now, but enjoyed them in college.

Prolonged sleep deprivation in children can be deadly, however,
leading to failure to thrive diagnoses during infancy. Complete
sleep deprivation is nearly impossible to die unless there is an
organic problem because individuals fall into microsleeps (momentary
REM and non-REM states of a second or two) whenever they can. But
prolonged sleep deprivation, even with the microREMs is dangerous.
Many avoidable accidents are caused by sleep-deprived operators,
including significant industrial ones such as Three Mile Island and
Chernobyl nuclear incidents, the 1989 Exxon Valdez crash, and the
decision to launch the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986, which ended
in disaster. Perhaps as many as half of the DWI accidents are
actually sleep deprivation related -- alcohol relaxes the driver
until they are overtaken by their sleep debt (below) and fall
asleep. Sleep deprivation impacts significantly two aspects of
cognition: vigilance, and our ability to learn -- i.e., integrate
new information with old. Memory, rote learning, and many motor
skills are unaffected by modest to moderate sleep deprivation.

In characterizing sleep, at one time most scientists believed that
sleep allowed the entire brain to shut down to rest, that sleep was
passive. But with the invention of single cell recordings it was
discovered that some neurons are five to ten times more active
during sleep than waking; that some cell's entire function seems to
be to maintain sleep. Another false characterization is that sleep
onset is gradual, not immediate. Yes, somFor instance when sleep
deprived subjects have bright strobe lights shined randomly into
taped-open eyes and asked to respond (press a button) whenever the
light is flashed, they occasionally miss a strobe or two but fail to
notice. This and other evidence suggests an active shutting off
process, a "perceptual wall" that is built in milliseconds, and it
also explains how come some of my kids can sleep with their eyes
open.

As I've aluded to above, sleep is not unitary but consists of two
complementary forms, REM and non-REM sleep. REM stands for rapid eye
movement sleep, and it was discovered half a century ago (Aserinsky
& Kleitman, 1953). Imagine, centuries of people watching other
people sleep and no one until these two took much notice of the
scanning eyes below the lids. Non- REM is better known as slow wave
sleep (SWS) because large EEG waveforms are detected during this
part of sleep. There are 4 to 5 REM-NonREM cycles across the night,
with each stage going from Stage 1 through Stage 4 before REM
occurs. (In narcolepsy one drops immediately into REM from the
wakeful state, and because there is no muscle tone in REM, one
literally can fall asleep). Each sleep cycle is around 90 minutes
and as the night proceeds more and more time is spent in REM, which
is why cutting short one's sleep reduces the amount of dreaming.
(The lengthy dreams stack up at the end of a good night's sleep.)
Stage 1 sleep may be waking, may be sleeping, hard to say, so it's
not until the appearance of sleep spindles in the EEG record during
Stage 2 that we are sure someone is asleep, as opposed to resting
their eyes. Stage 3 and 4 are filled with less spindles and more
delta waves and is the physically restorative portion of sleep, as
well as the hardest to wake from ("deeper sleep"). After the first
cycle or so, we rarely return to stage 3 and 4 but spend the
remainder of the night between Stage 2, REM, and the occasional
wakings and bathroom run.

What is the minimum units of restorative sleep in terms of time?
Edison spoke of feeling refreshed after catnaps lasting only
minutes. Well, if I wake you up every 5 minutes, then keep you up 5
minutes, then let you sleep for another 5 minutes, and so on, and
on, for 16 hours until you've accumulated 8 hours of sleep (half the
time), you would consider yourself tortured by the end of the day.
Ten minute units are no better, still tortured, but at 15 minutes
you would (in theory) feel rested. The minimum unit of restorative
sleep is 15 minutes, but I question this finding. Too many nights in
hospitals. Why do they wake us up if sleep is so necessary for
immune functon and healing? ... which it is.

For every hour of sleep missed, we need an hour of sleep to make it
up. In college I thought I needed only 15 minutes or so for every
hour missed, but sleep debt is like real debt in that every
withdrawal requires the same deposit, and then some. Most of us
carry too much debt (sleep and otherwise) and this can be easily
observed by the standard "cave" sleep study. Place a participant in
a cave (a room without time of day cues such as windows, clocks,
TVs) and let him or her sleep, and most will sleep 25 or 30 extra
hours over the first two weeks. This is debt repayment.

One way to elegantly quantify sleep debt is with the Minimum Sleep
Latency Test (MSLT). Starting at 8 am or 10 am, we place you in the
cave on a cot and time how long it takes for you to fall asleep. If
you are not asleep after 20 minutes, we tell you to scoot and come
back later (noon, 2 pm, 4 pm etc). If you fall asleep, we wake you
at the 20 minute mark and every two hours after that. The MSLT time
quantifies how sleepy you are.

As it turns out, 9 and 10 year olds average 20 minutes in the MSLT.
In other words they get all the sleep they need and are not at all
sleepy. But a few years older, in high school or college. they score
around 3 minutes, similar to the elderly and sleep apnea sufferers.
Elderly carry heavy sleep debt because they need 8 hours of sleep
like any adult but their sleep onset switch (a neurotransmitter
system) often becomes impaired and cannot keep them asleep for very
long, that and their bladders. Apparently we have 5 or 6 neuronal
arousal systems such as histamine (which is why antihistamine knocks
us out) but only one sleep-onset system, but these neurotransmitter
"switches" still need more study before we can understand them.

The behavioral definition of sleep is a state of little movement,
stereotypic posture (lying on one's back or side or stomach for
humans, floating in kelp if an otter, draped across a tree limb if a
leopard or one of my kids), reduced response to stimulation,
immediate reversibility (thus not coma or death), periodic, and
naturally occurring. However behavior is not as clear as
electrophysiology (which is less clear than molecular biochemistry);
still, sleep is nearly always characterized with the help of
simultaneous EEG, EOG (ocular, for eye movements) and EMG for muscle
tone.

REM appears in the EEG as waking, but the associated loss of muscle
tone shows clearly in the EMG. The function of REM is probably to
provide early videogame experience to the prenatal brain... well,
nearly so. Heteroplasticity is one theory for REM -- early
stimulation for the maturing brain, which is supported by
antidepressant evidence in adults (we can eliminate REM with
tricyclics in adults without major problems). REM may motorically
tune our binocular vision system, or may provide neuronal
stimulation for the third-trimester brain, or something else
entirely. Regardless of the reason, the pre-natal brain is nearly
always in REM, kicking away, but by week 40 (birth) half of the
sleep state is now non-REM. Fortunately for parents the newborn
sleeps 16 hours a day; but unfortunately sleep consolidation is a
thing in their future and the 16 hours are not all at once but
evenly spread across both day and night. This means an infant is
awake every third hour or so along with his or her mother (and
occasionally, father). It's not until school years that sleep
consolidation approximates the adult, all hours in a row. By this
time REM now makes up only a quarter of the sleep duration. We do
know that all mammalian young sleep more than adults, and all show
more REM sleep. REM is called paradoxical sleep as the EEG records
during this aroused state resemble waking.

Dolphins exhibit unihemispheric sleep: one hemisphere of the brain
is always awake. Unlike us, they are voluntary breathers and when
anaesthetize they die. Now it may be the case that unihemispheric
sleep is the first form of sleep, and our type (bihemispheric sleep)
evolved later. Watching evolution in real time is difficult to do,
but we do have old mammalian reruns hanging about, especially in
Australia. Monotremes, the egg-laying mammals that somehow escaped
slaughter of marsupials and placental mammals, show co-evolution of
REM/NREM states, a state mixed with both elements. So duck-bill
platypuses (or platypi) also look weird in the inside as well.

Why is sleep necessary? Why is sleep universal? Why is there such
prevalence in early life? And what is the function and role of
dreaming? Most sleep researchers are a cranky lot because they
cannot answer Question One when asked by their kids what they do. I
would also be cranky if when people asked me what I studied (the
brain) and I didn't have a clue what it was or did. (And who knows,
perhaps I don't -- I mean, how often in the equilibrium of
nothingness does an asymmetric hyperdimensional break in physical
laws actually become self-representational and dyadic....not every
day, I call assure you.) Well, perhaps there is some shreds of
certainty in our knowledge of sleep,. Sleep serves some role in
restoration and recovery of function, especially in connection with
thermoregulation. There may be an energy conservation aspect to
sleep, although we sleep after bedrest and the young sleep more than
old and the energy used during sleep is something like 85% of that
during wakefulness. Okay, so the energy conservation idea is a hard
sell. Maybe sleep keeps kids quiet and alive (i.e., uneaten) as past
predators sought motion instead of snoring during prime hunting
hours.

As for sleep mentation (dreaming, both REM and nonREM states), that
will have to wait for another time because it's 4 am now and I'm
certain to make mistakes if I continue writing at this hour. When it
comes to sleep we can agree that it prevents sleepiness, and that is
the function I seek right now ;-)

-DK
-----------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

NEW BOOKS

Delivered from Distraction : Getting the Most out of Life with
Attention Deficit Disorder
by Edward M. Hallowell M.D., et al
Follow-up to Driven to Distraction, a personal testimony regarding
adult Attention Deficit Disorder which includes the latest research.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/034544230X/eegspectrum

Sleep Disorders Sourcebook
by Amy L. Sutton et al
Consumer health information about sleep disorders such as apnea and
insomnia and others. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/
ASIN/078080743X/eegspectrum

Depression and Anxiety
by Johns Hopkins Consumer Health
In-depth special reports written by specialists in each respective
field, providing latest research and findings from all major medical
journals. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1933087048/eegspectrum

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: From Genes to Patients
by David Gozal
Newest publication in the Contemporary Clinical Neuroscience series.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1588293122/ eegspectrum

Clinical Disorders of Balance, Posture and Gait
by Adolfo M. Bronstein, et al
Clinical guide for diagnosis and management of abnormal balances,
postures, and gaits. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/
ASIN/0340806575/eegspectrum

The Brain Takes Shape: An Early History
by Robert L. Martensen
Reviews how during the 17th century primarily the heart was
supplanted by the brain as the primary locus of one's self. --
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195151720/eegspectrum

Do-Watch-Listen-Say: Social and Communication Intervention for
Children With Autism
by Kathleen Ann Quill
Guide for designing and implementing intervention plans, and
collecting data. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/
1557664536/eegspectrum

Sleep Psychiatry
by Alexander Z. Golbin, et al
Discusses the role of sleep in mental health disorders as well as
health and healing. Cure sleep and the day will follow. --
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1842141457/eegspectrum

Severe Emotional Disturbance in Children and Adolescents:
Psychotherapy in Applied Contexts
by Denis Flynn
Argues for psychoanalytic psychotherapy in treating severe cases of
emotional disturbance. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/
ASIN/1583912126/eegspectrum

The Mind: Its Nature and Origin
by Christiaan D. Van Der Velde
General introduction to neuroscientific investigations into the
ultimate black box, mind. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/
1591021901/eegspectrum

Opium: A Portrait of the Heavenly Demon
by Barbara Hodgson
The history of opium, perhaps the most celebrated and notorious
psychoactive substance in the world. --www.amazon.com/
exec/obidos/ASIN/1553650581/eegspectrum
-----------------------------------------------------------


JOURNAL PAPERS

Functional MRI in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder : More evidence of
hypofrontality in ADHD children; also evidence of a compensatory network
including basal ganglia, insula and cerebellum during low cognitive load.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15876503

Neural synchronization in the emergence of cognition across the wake-sleep
cycle.
: Review analyzes state-dependent brain dynamics at different levels of neural
integration
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15810655

EEG measures of regional hemispheric activity in offspring at risk for
depressive
disorders. : Offspring at risk for a major depressive disorder show relatively
more alpha activity over right central and parietal regions.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15705347

Electrophysiological and neuropsychological analysis of a delirious state :
LORETA findings suggests that theta excess associated with delirium were
primarily localized in the anterior cingulate and right fronto-temporal brain
areas.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15766639

Functional neuroimaging of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder : Convergent
findings from numerous research approaches implicate dysfunction of
fronto-striatal structures in ADHD (lateral prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior
cingulate, caudate, and putamen).
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15949999

Cerebral blood flow and separate symptom clusters of major depression: SPECT :
Blood flow correlated with severity of depressive mood, insomnia, anxiety, and
cognitive performance at different brain locations in depressed individuals.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15921853

Compositions of brain oscillations. : Using a probability-classification
analysis
of short-term EEG spectral patterns, researchers found relatively low
variability
within and between sessions for individuals.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15946755

Alcoholism is a disinhibitory disorder : Alcoholics appear to activate
inappropriate brain circuitry during cognitive processing and produce lower
p300s
in a Go-NoGo task.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15925035

Gray matter volume reduction in the chronic fatigue syndrome. : A decline in
gray
matter volume linked to reduced physical activity was found.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15955487

Alpha synchronization and anxiety: Implications for inhibition vs. alertness
hypotheses. : Anxiety is associated with increased alertness, as shown by higher
alpha power during reference intervals; which was interpreted as increased
readiness for information processing.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15961174

Neurophysiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. : Reviews
neurobiology of ADHD and concludes there is no single pathophysiological profile
underlying this disorder althought two QEEG subtypes have been reported.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15979751

Psychiatric comorbidity in epilepsy. : Little research has been done on axis II
personality disorders and epilepsy, and more needs to be done.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15975853

Age distribution of MEG spontaneous theta activity in healthy subjects. :
Younger
individuals show theta dipoles more posterior than adults and elderly.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15974475

Functional brain imaging of tobacco use and dependence. : Smoking enhances
neurotransmission through cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic circuits. Acute
administration of nicotine activates prefrontal cortex, thalamus, and visual
systems and increases dopamine in the ventral striatum.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15979645
-------

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)

Woodland Hills CA Aug 11-14
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ Sep 22-25
Atlanta, GA Oct 20-23
Portland, OR Nov 10-13
Woodland Hills, CA Dec 8-11
San Antonio, TX Jan 19-22, 2006


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.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers

CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

ISNR  - http://www.isnr.org      Denver CO       Sep 8-11
---------------------------------------------------------------------



Last Word

Connectivity

I attended a connectivity training conference near NYC last month
and made three important discoveries:

1). Satellite radio. I rented a car with XM radio and drove 6 hours
to and from Rochester but it was a joy with Satellite radio, on
Baseball Hall of Fame weekend... well, nearly a joy.

2). Orr & Naitoh (1976). I cruised Cornell's archives for an obscure
paper important to coherence and found the numbers incorrectly
presented in a coherence tutorial currently being circulated
(online). If you had trouble with online tutorial, no wonder, a few
of the initial numbers are wrong; the correct numbers are below.

And

3). Connectivity training is a must, a great addition to
neurofeedback. EEGer will be the first system to incorporate both
coherence and comodulation training, at least the first to do both
approaches to connectivity correctly.

Here is the abstract from my 2 hours talk at the meeting:

Comodulation and Coherence are independent measures of EEG synchrony

by David A Kaiser, Ph.D. Rochester Institute of Technology, NY

Coherence quantifies phase consistency and comodulation magnitude
consistency between EEG signals. Each approach captures two
estimates of linear similarity: coherence and phase delay,
comodulation and magnitude proportion. Coherence assesses shared
constraint between signals in general (e.g., a common generator or
origin) and comodulation quantifies shared energies (e.g., related
activation across time). Both techniques are typically performed on
the same frequency band at each site, but bicoherence and
bimodulation between different frequency bands at the same site may
provide useful indices of consciousness and mental representation
which can be trainable.

Comodulation and coherency were compared using random numbers and
empirical data. Twenty adult normals, 10 children with Asperger's
syndrome, and 9 children with attentional deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) were also analyzed. As expected, no significant
coherence or comodulation was found between numerous pairs of random
digits. Despite being orthogonal measures, comodulation and
coherence did correlate strongly with each other, in the r=.70 range
for eyes closed data. Related comodulatory measures were also
analyzed, including a gross mean that may reflect cortical
maturation. This measure correlated with age in ADHD children, and
separated ADHD from age-matched Asperger children, and children from
adults.

The role of coherence and comodulation in QEEG assessment will be
discussed, along with practical issues in implementing training of
either measure such as the length of history to use and the sampling
rates of this history. Techniques to provide fluidic, moment to
moment representations of comodulation and coherency are described.
Finally, a clarification of spectral analysis is provided,
separating frequency analysis from power transformation which was
mistakenly conjoined by past investigators (e.g., Blackman & Tukey,
1958).

Orr & Naitoh's Raw Data

Observation

CHANNEL X
Record 1:  3  5 -6  2  4 -1 -4  1
Record 2:  1  1 -4  5  2 -5 -1  4
Record 3: -1  7 -5  0  2  1 -1 -2

CHANNEL Y
Record 1: -1  4 -2  2  0  0  2 -1
Record 2:  4  3 -9  2  7  0 -6  1
Record 3: -1  9 -4 -1  2  4 -1 -5


For Channel Y, the 1.25 Hz Sine coefficient for Record 3 is 0.841
and I also have a number different from the tutorial for the 1.25 Hz
Cosine coefficent also Record 3, -0.573, though the 1976 has -.348.

The calculation in the online tutorial is for power coherence. I
would alter it to magnitude coherence for EEG. Tukey had a magnitude
version calling coherency, the square root of coherence. (not a
great difference in name, if clarity is one's goal). -DK

----end--

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

Vol. 8 No. 6 - June 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - School Shootings, High School Size, and
Neurobiological Considerations
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Neuroplasticity and SABA

----------------------------------------------------------------

Study Shows How the Brain Recalls What Turns It On

Brains Contain 'Celebrity Cells'

Yes, bigger brains mean higher IQ, on average

Brain's Marijuana-like Chemicals Postpone Pain

Brain development may be influenced by genetic parasites

Deep, Dark Secrets of His and Her Brains

All links at:
http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=science&cat=brain_research
---------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

School Shootings, High School Size, and Neurobiological Considerations

A disgrunted school board treasurer blamed his farm foreclosure on
taxes paid for building the new school and to exact retribution he
decided to destroy the school, with the children inside. He wired
more than 500 pounds of dynamite throughout the basement the night
before and detonated it at the start of the school day. He also
drove into the schoolyard and detonated dynamite stashed in his car.
A total of 37 students and 6 adults were killed, including the
demented farmer, and nearly 60 more were injured. So began school
violence in America, in Bath, Michigan, on May 18, 1927.

I live in a small town of 2,000 which shares schools with a large
neighboring city, like many towns in America do. Together they pull
in enough students to satisfy the school district, about 1,600 in
the high school, or 400 per (graduating) class. Last month a teenage
boy suspended from school was intercepted by police as he headed to
the school grounds with his own stash of arms and ammunition in his
car. He wanted to prove something to his teachers, or the world, but
fortunately his mother tipped off the police and there were no
injuries, only one arrest. I drove by moments after he was arrested
and when I saw the police cars blocking entry to the school, I had a
feeling what for.

In the last decade there were 14 multiple-injury student school
shootings in the United States, 11 of these in large schools. In
1959 James Conant, then president of Harvard University, contended
that the small high school was the number one problem in education
and advocated for its elimination through district reorganization
and consolidation. Today the number one problem in education is the
large high school.

The past half-century has been a period of unprecedented
consolidation as 200,000 public elementary and secondary schools in
1940 have been whittled down to 65,000 in 2005, despite a 70%
concomitant increase in population. Median public high school size
is 1,200 in suburbs and 1,600 in cities despite the fact that
smaller schools (500 to 800) serve every aspect of a child's
development to a much better degree than larger schools.

Smaller Schools are superior to larger schools on:
-athletic participation
-extracurricular activity participation
-absenteeism
-dropout rate
-student satisfaction
-minor and serious infractions
-self-esteem and locus of control
-interpersonal relationships
-sense of community
-parental commitment
-parental involvement
-interpersonal relations between teacher and students
-teacher attitudes

Smaller schools are generally better on academic measures as well.
The best high school size for improving math and reading test scores
is around 600, 150 per class (Lee & Smith, 1997). Primatology and
anthropology finds that this size -- 150 -- is our natural group
size, the size of many hunter-gatherer bands and horticultural
villages, groups we are survived within for 99% of our species
history. Our brain's large size is believed to be an adaptation to
the social environment (the Machiavellian hypothesis) but even with
a massive supercomputer sitting atop our shoulders we are prone to
confusion when too many neighbors are milling about. When we are
faced with more than 150 faces, our response has always been to
leave, to separate. Bands and villages splinter into daughter groups
and move apart when there are too many people to figure out, when
the group has become too complex for the brain. Neurobiology limits
the number of individuals we can significantly interact with on a
regular basis. This is how humanity spread across the globe in a
relatively short time: constant division, down to appropriate- sized
groups. Kids today, given the same chance to leave large numbers,
will often take this option. The 9th grade percentage drop-out rate
correlates significantly with school size in cities and large towns,
r=.55 and r=.59. Too many faces leads to ingrouping and outgrouping,
alienation and depression, cliques and wars. A school populated with
strangers is an environment that children are biologically unsuited
for, and from which many will separate, emotionally if they cannot
physically.

Below is a list of school shootings with multiple injuries:

     LOCATION           Injuries*  Grade Size
-------------------------------------------
     BETHEL, AK              4        74
     MOSES LAKE, WA          4       185
     EDINBORO, PA            4       240
     WEST PADUCAH, KY        8       146
     PEARL, MS              10       250
     SANTEE, CA             13       468
     JONESBORO, AR          15       121
     SPRINGFIELD, OR        26       360
     LITTLETON, CO          35       475
-------------------------------------------
               * includes fatal injuries

School shootings are as rare as airplane crashes and might be
considered in the same vein in terms of analysis. Airline crashes
can be the result of an unfortunate series of random forces and tell
us little about a phenomenon, or they can be quite revealing and
indicate severe structural flaws that otherwise escaped our
attention. The Valujet crash in 1996 exposed operational and
organizational problems with that company which eventually shut them
down for good. I think school shooting incidents fall into the
latter indicative category, the tip of the iceberg phenomenon,
revealing structural decay in how we conceive and administrate our
schools. Large schools are detrimental to emotional, social, and
intellectual development as children do not possess the cortical
resources to integrate and function well within such groups. (Nor do
the teachers.) Educational systems fail our children when they fail
to address and adapt to the neurobiological realities of childhood
and adolescence.

We have had a hiatus from school shootings in America until
recently. A teenager on a reservation shot many classmates in a
small school in Minnesota last month. This reminded me that not all
pressures facing our youth can be quantified by the size of his or
her social environment. It was still the social environment that
failed him, simply the smaller family unit. We police ourselves when
we know one another but require police -- formal institutions of
behavioral control-- when we do not. Reducing school size to within
our children's neurobiological capacity is a form of neurotherapy.
Preventive neurotherapy, the best kind.

-DK
---------------------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

BOOKS

Causes of Conduct Disorder and Juvenile Delinquency
by Benjamin B. Lahey
Causal models of conduct disorder are discussed including
developmental pathways. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/
1572308818/eegspectrum

Autistic Thinking
by Peter Vermeulen
Introductory book offers window into autistic mind and the very
individual way in which it processes information. --
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1853029955/eegspectrum

Brain Energetics and Neuronal Activity : Applications to fMRI and
Medicine
by R. G. Shulman, D. L. Rothman
Theories of neuronal activity and disease states.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470847204/eegspectrum

Healing And Hope: Six Women From The Betty Ford Center
by Betty Ford
Six women share poignant stories of the destructive power of
addiction. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 0425198308/eegspectrum

Neuroscience : PreTest Self-Assessment & Review
by Allan Siegel
Review neuroscience at a high level with 100s of questions,
explanations, and outlines of key material. --www.amazon.com/
exec/obidos/ASIN/0071436510/eegspectrum

Stress, the Brain and Depression
by H. M. van Praag, et al
Neurobiological changes induced by stress and depression are reviewed.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 052162147X/eegspectrum

Advances in Neural Population Coding
by Miguel A. L. Nicolelis
Historical overview of neural populations and coding schemes.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/044450110X/ eegspectrum

Holographic Reprocessing: A Cognitive-Experiential Psychotherapy for
the Treatment of Trauma
by Lori S. Katz
Use of holographic reprocessing in treatment of trauma, sexually or
physically-derived PTSD. --www.amazon.com/exec/
obidos/ASIN/041594757X/eegspectrum

Full Circle : From Addiction to Affection
by Bruce Codrington
Personal story of drug addiction, incarceration, loneliness,
depression and feeling unloved, and the woman who removed him from
this vicious cycle.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0595329160/eegspectrum

Asperger's and Self-Esteem: Insight and Hope through Famous Role Models
by Temple Grandin, Norm Ledgin, Marsha M. Ledgin
Many famous thinkers fell into the Asperger category of
self-representation and object-relations. --www.amazon.com/exec/
obidos/ASIN/1885477856/eegspectrum

Functional Neuroimaging in Child Psychiatry
by Monique Ernst, Judith M. Rumsey (Editors)
Reviews functional neuroimaging techniques and their implications for
child psychiatry. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/
ASIN/0521650445/eegspectrum
---

JOURNAL PAPERS

Contributing factors to changes of cerebral blood flow in major
depressive
disorder. : Reduced blood flow associated with depression appears to be a
precursor to an episode rather than a characteristic of depression
itself.
Apparently mental lethargy drifts us into depression.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15916810

On the human sensorimotor-cortex beta rhythm: Sources and modeling. :
Inhibitory neurons drive neuronal synchronization (in the 20 Hz beta
band) than
those onto excitatory pyramidal cells, as we've always presumed.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15907295

Neural substrates of faulty decision-making in abstinent marijuana
users. :
Heavy users of marijuana focus on immediate gratification, which
results in
persistent decision-making deficits and alterations in brain activity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15907305

EEG biofeedback with Asperger's syndrome. : Pilot study of EEG
biofeedback on 5
boys with Asperger's syndrome showed improved behavior as rated by
parents and teachers.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15900187

Neuroimaging of Epilepsy: Therapeutic Implications. : Neuroimaging
provides new
insights into the pathophysiology and neurotherapeutics of epilepsy.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15897958

Neuropsychological dysfunction in bipolar affective disorder: a critical
opinion. : Reviews possible causes of neuropsychological dysfunction
associated
with bipolar disorder, in attention, learning and memory, and
executive function.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15898960

Intelligence related differences in EEG-bandpower. : Intelligence is
reflected
in EEG activity by both lower and higher activitions; a contradiction
reflecting differences in task difficulty. Intelligence is the ability to
organize energy effectively.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15896490

Neuroimaging of gender differences in alcohol dependence: are women more
vulnerable? : Alcoholic effects on brain function and behavior are
gender specific.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15897736

Neural correlates during cocaine self-administration : Drug craving
correlated
with limbic, paralimbic, and mesocortical activity while high were
inversely
correlated in same areas
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15886020

Functional MRI in ADHD: Evidence for hypofrontality. : Hypofrontality is
apparent in ADHD but a compensatory network including basal ganglia,
insula and
cerebellum for low cognitive load tasks also exists.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15876503

Atypical language representation in chronic seizure disorder : Discusses
inefficiencies of right-hemisphere structure for reading.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15816948

Exteroceptive and interoceptive feedback systems in orbital prefrontal
cortex :
Evidence for two appetitive systems in prefrontal cortex.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15872112

Electrophysiological ratio markers for reward and punishment. : EEG
indices
reflecting motivational imbalances in reward- and punishment-driven
behavior
are described.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15878265

Language-learning disorders and youth incarceration. : Discusses how
language-learning disorders, poverty, and delinquency in boys may be
buffered
against to prevent recidivism
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15862813

Effect of traumatic brain injury on the timing of sleep. :
Investigates sleep
timing in TBI patients and how the Morningness-Eveningness
Questionnaire may be
inappropriate for this cognitively impaired group.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15865324

Deep brain stimulation in treatment of neurological and psychiatric
disease. :
Overviews deep brain stimulation to treat a variety of conditions.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15853543
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Charlotte NC Jul 21-24
Woodland Hills CA Aug 11-14

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.

Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers
CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

ISNR  - http://www.isnr.org      Denver CO       Sep 8-11
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Last Word

Neuroplasticity and SABA

Neuroplasticity is the hottest topic in neuroscience these days, and
neurotherapy is actually well ahead of the curve on this one.
Actually it is the curve: We will be there around the bend when the
bench neuroscientist look up from their microscopes and staining
tools and try to apply what they learned to people. Thirty years ago
George Lucas' film THX 1138 showed a world learning was essentially
forbidden, where every child wore IVs and resisting to take one's
medication was a crime. Set 400 years in the future, the State has
taken control of mental health and everyone is drugged into a
continual stupor. Loudspeakers in the home and work constantly
remind individuals to take the appropriate amount of sedatives.
Avoiding one's medication is a crime. Near the end of the film our
fate is tied to one of the men who has fought the system and failed.
He's about to be arrested and "re-educated." With nowhere else to go
or hide, he sits alone in a lobby, calmly awaiting the authorities.
Here we see for the first time children: a line of boys and girls
calmly step off a nearby escalator, noticeably subdued, passive,
without curiousity. The camera focuses on an IV-tube strapped to
each right arm. One of the children appears frightened and confused
and approaches our man for help. His IV tube has come loose. Our
man, drained of all fight, reattaches the IV tube and with a sweet
smile sends the child on his way... Perhaps this way is best for all
of us, his weak smile conveys..

I've written about this film and its prescience before and I wish is
was more parody and less a growing reality. One goal of neurotherapy
is to stop the current rising trend of overmedication of children.
Short-term psychoactive treatments, stop-grap measures, these will
always be necessary, but too often psychoactive medication merely
mask symptoms and fails to address underlying mechanisms. Short-term
relief from symptoms sometimes is the cure, or at least opens the
road to improvement in many conditions, but in the long run mental
health must be earned by the brain. As we gain mastery over our
lives and its problems, we grow. When "mastery" is given to us, we
shrink.

Here is a brief overview of the 4th conference of the Society for
Advancement of Brain Analysis (SABA) which took place from June
6-12, 2005 on a cruise ship from Vancouver to Anchorage, Alaska.
SABA is a nonprofit membership group and a number of EEG Spectrum
affiliates are members. The point of presenting this overview, in
part, is to show people unaware of the variety of dynamic groups
involved in "therapist-assisted neuroplasticity" and how many
notably practitioners are searching for better answer, better
approaches to treating mental illness.

In the keynote address, Barry Sterman presented his model of the
role of EEG oscillations in learning, dropping down to molecular
levels including transmission facilitation and synaptic
reorganization.

Niels Birbaumer & Connie Weber described two controlled studies
using slow cortical potential and SMR neurofeedback in ADHD which
demonstrated equivalent results than ritalin control and no
difference between the two neurofeedback groups. Neils also
presented a brain-computer interface (BCI) using SMR,
Slow-Brain-Potentials, P-300 and invasive recording of ECoG for
direct brain communication in locked-in patients with ALS or for
movements of neuroprosthesis of a paralysed hand in chronic stroke.

Edward Hallowell provided a number of insightful and entertaining
anecdotes, the most striking being the metaphor for parenting.
Parenting is packing your child's suitcase, to prepare them for the
world. You have 18 years to pack it, and hope it is filled with
confidence, self-esteem, success, and love in order to help the
child make their way in the world. He related a story how a teenage
daughter was friends with a troubled teenage girl and how the father
disapproved and told her that she didn't need friends like that. But
as the daughter explained, "But maybe she needs a friend like me."
Sometimes our children's suitcase are packed better than we imagine.

Michael & Lynda Thompson presented QEEG patterns from child and
adult ADHD patients. For instance they find a common pattern in
adults with ADHD that they call a 'Busy-Brain' (high amplitude
bursts of hi-beta activity, a corresponding dip in SMR, and a high
ratio of 26-34/13-15 Hz). They described other patterns including a
distraction / inattention profile due to rumination that correlated
with bursts of 23-34 Hz activity.

William Sears, M.D. talked about a health care provider model
(Pills-Skills) in which the patient is taught skills in order to be
weaned off any pills needed for the short term. In another talk,
Sears described five Bs for infant caring: bonding at and after
birth, breastfeeding, babywearing, bedsharing, and being sensitive
to the content of baby cries.

Dave Kaiser discussed the differences between two connectivity
measures in QEEG, coherence and comodulation, which measure phase
and amplitude difference consistency, respectively. We also
attempted a Research Pilot Study that examined the role of immediate
consolidation pausing was begun onboard using a counter-balanced,
cross-over experimental design.

Here is a list of the talks:

-EEG Oscillations, Synaptic Reorganization, and Neurofeedback: A Model
for the Mechanism of EEG Operant Conditioning -- M. Barry Sterman, Ph.D.

-Treating the Whole Patient -- Barry Sterman, PhD.

-Biofeedback and the Nature of Self-Regulation in Epilepsy and AD/HD:
Some New Data --Niels Birbaumer, Ph.D.

-Self-Regulation of the BOLD Effect: -- The fMRI-Brain-
Computer-Interface and Emotional -- Regulation Niels Birbaumer, Ph.D.

-Delivered from Distraction-- Edward Hallowell, M.D.

-Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness -- Edward Hallowell, M.D.

-Improving Attention in Adults and Children: Differing EEG Profiles
and Implications for Training -- Michael Thompson, M.D. & Lynda
Thompson, Ph.D.

-Invasive and Non-Invasive Brain- Computer-Interfaces (BCI) for
Paralyzed Patients -- Neils Birbaumer, Ph.D. -

-The Difference Between Coherence and Comodulation -- Dave Kaiser, Ph.D.

-Neuronavigator/QEEG (Introductory) -- Tamara Lorensen, Ph.D. cand.

-From Pills to Skills: -- A New Paradigm for Managing Chronic
Disorders -- William Sears, M.D.

-Feeding the Brain for Optimal Function -- William Sears, M.D.

-An Update on the Clinical EEG and Neuropathology -- Denise Malkowicz,
M.D.

-Diversity in Neurofeedback - -Wolfgang Keeser, Ph.D. & Others

-DK
----------------

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

Vol. 8 No. 5 - May 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Defensive Clinical Disorders
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Imaginary and Real Time

----------------------------------------------------------------

Watching New Love as It Sears the Brain
Words Sharpen Visual Memory, Study Finds
Experimental Drug Reverses Brain Injury in Rats
Autism linked to difficult births
Alcoholism-Linked Brain Damage Hits Women Sooner

All links at:
http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=science&cat=brain_research

Review the evolution of www.eegspectrum.com since 1999 using the
WayBack machine. Not all links work, but here are two early ones:
04/27/1999, 03/04/2000. EEG Spectrum, Inc., the
precursor of ESII, went online in December 1995, a mere year after
the web was born.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Defensive Clinical Disorders

My daughter attends first grade at the school across the street.
Because there is no crossing guard or light, she takes a bus which
after picking her up strangely does not go directly to the school.
The bus meanders around the shops and side streets of our little
village, passes under the single traffic light of Churchville at
least twice in two directions. Our house sometimes seems the center
of Schoolville each morning as every few minutes school bus after
school bus rumbles down our street to pick up the next batch of
school children for the next batch of schools. We share schools with
a larger neighboring town, but still I cannot believe we need a
dozen or so buses to service a town of 2,000. But I'm not
complaining, I'm simply sharing my disbelief.

Well, about a month ago one of the regular bus driver was ill and a
substitute bus driver accidently stopped in front of our house.
Before we realized that it was the wrong bus, Madison had jumped on
board and the bus pulled away. My wife caught the number of the bus
and called the school to find out if this bus went to the elementary
school across the street, and sure enough it did, and with less
meandering, but just to be sure the transfer from strange bus to
school went smoothly, my wife walked over to the school's back
entrance and waited for my daughter to appear. After a moment my
little girl did, of course -- it's a very safe town, a bus nearly
for every child, something out of the 1950s, but what stayed with me
this day is what my daughter said when she hopped off the strange
vehicle.

"Mommy," she said, "there was a whole bunch of new friends on that
bus."

What a way to be. Dropped into a group of strangers my
seven-year-old daughter sees only friends, friends she simply
doesn't yet know.

The late Jeffrey Gray and Neil McNaughton published a seminal work
on anxiety and fear that organizes the techniques and brain
structures employed by adults to defend themselves from the strange
people on our bus. It is a very clear and easy way of thinking about
"defensive" clinical disorders, as they call them, placing the most
common maladaptive defenses into a single hierarchy. Why this work
is not well known in our field (though perhaps it is to some) may be
partly on account of some bad titling. "The Neuropsychology of
Anxiety: An Enquiry into the Functions of the Septo-Hippocampal
System", Gray & McNaughton (2000). A good opening followed by a
rarely diagnosed form of publisher's introversion -- a subtitle
meant to scare potential buyers away, I think. "Septo-Hippocampal
Systems" sounds like a how-to plumber's guide more than a cogent and
well-organized tome about the neurophysiology of clinical disorders.

Here is their Functional Typology for Defense.

(A figure appears on the web version of this newsletter,
http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/may2005.htm). For those who
will not look at the image online, here is a verbal description of
the typology:

There are the two types of threat: potential and actual. Depending
upon the type of threat and whether it is detectable and avoidable,
different brain structures are involved and different responses
occur. I reordered the figure and the text below to mimic shrinking
defensive distance, as they discussed in their book. I also raise
detectability one level in the potential threat hierarchy, which
they didn't do, and added some animal perspective to clarify the
drama.

LEGEND: Type of Threat-- mental strategy; brain response; clinical
disorder; brain structure involved

Undetectable avoidable potential threat-- Anticipate; Obsess; OCD;
cingulate
Detectable avoidable potential threat-- Assess; anxiety; GAD;
septal-hippocampus
Detectable unavoidable potential threat-- Conserve resources;
depression; depression; NA/5HT neurotransmitters
Avoidable actual threat-- Flee; fear; phobia; amygdala
Avoidable or unavoidable actual-- Fight; anger; (rage and related
disorders); medial hypothalamus
Unavoidable actual threat-- Freeze; panic; panic disorder,
periaqueductal gray (PAG)

Another way is to convert generic terms to an animal perspective:

Animal senses danger (Undetectable avoidable threat)
Animal perceives distant strange object (Detectable avoidable
threat)
Strange object approaches (Detectable unavoidable)
Object closes until it's within the immediate environment (avoidable
threat)
Object closes to its likely striking range (avoidable or
unavoidable)
Object closes to within animal's striking range (unavoidable)

I've been emailing Neil about an illogical aspect in this response
order, at the end of the typology. The last two defenses are fight,
followed by freeze. Why would we fight for a bit, and failing to
keep the predator at bay, suddenly freeze? Given that threats -- a
bigger fish, a larger crustracean, an unruly boss -- likely have
longer reach than us, a larger zone of attack than its potential
victim, why stop fighting when the enemy has finally drawn within
range of our teeth and claws? Why not freeze earlier, before we
started fighting? Maybe we freeze and the predator may pass us by.

But not everything is a predator. In fact few things are.

Neil's response to what I saw as a reversal of response logic has to
do with leaping past the attack, not exposing one's flank when nose
to nose, etc. My idea is that we freeze at the closest range because
another functional system kicks in. This large object didn't kill
you at the fight zone range... so maybe it isn't a predator at all
but a potential mate. Many species are dimorphic, males
significantly larger than females, so perhaps the last stage of
surrender is not defensive at all. A functional typology of mating
may ride side by side with defensive behaviors.

Neil summarized it all as follows:
Clinical symptoms such as phobia, fear, anxiety, panic, and OCD are
of maladaptive intensity due to either (1) excessive sensitivity to
specific eliciting stimuli -- excessive resources used in detection
or (2) excessive activation of relevant brain structure -- excessive
resources used in response. (PTSD is a special condition which
simply predisposes us to comorbidities.)

Defensive assessment and response systems have to be able to
override higher brain systems occasionally, but a clinical disorder
is when one or more of these systems have performed the obligatory
coup d'etat over conscious cortex but then has refused to step down
from power. (Not unlike Alexander Haig saying I'm in charge here
after Reagan's shooting.) Mental health is restoration of the
republic (cortex).

-DK
---------------------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Complete Guide ...
by Chantal Sicile-Kira
Popular resource for parents and educators.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0399530479

Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Proactive Intervention
by Jean L. Blosser, Roberta DePompei
Addresses unique needs of children with traumatic brain injury and the role of
speech- language pathologists in recovery of skills.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0769300553

Therapeutic Exercises for Children
by Robert D. Friedberg, Barbara A. Friedberg, Rebecca J. Friedberg
Cognitive-Behavioral exercises --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1568870655

Clinical MR Neuroimaging: Diffusion, Perfusion and Spectroscopy
by Jonathan H. Gillard, et al
Discusses technology and applications of clinical MRI machines.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0521824575

A Bird's-Eye View of Life with ADD and ADHD: Advice from Young Survivors
by Chris A. Zeigler Dendy, Alex Zeigler
Survival guide to help kids/teens with attention deficit cope with life.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0967991137

The Traumatic Brain Injury Handbook
by Camilia Anne Czubaj
Discusses different classifications of concussions, and cognitive and affective
learning strategies and outcomes. -- www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0972123806

Psychic Trauma: Dynamics, Symptoms, and Treatment
by Ira Brenner
Clinical study of psychic trauma, focusing on two groups--early physical and
sexual abuse and Holocaust survivors. --
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765703653

Somatoform Dissociation: Phenomena, Measurement, and Theoretical Issues
by Ellert R. S. Nijenhuis
Describes how trauma, somatoform dissociation and defense may work together.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 0393704602

The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook
by Edmund J. Bourne "
Clearly written workbook for phobia and related problems.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/157224223X

Cognitive Neuropsychology Of Alzheimer's Disease
by Robin Morris
Theoretical and clinical issues, how it progresses over time and the
characteristics of the prodromal phase. --
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0198508301

Mapping Cognition in Time and Space
by Th. Muente, H.J. Heinze
Focuses on high temporal resolution neuroimaging techniques -- event-related
brain potentials, magnetoencephalography --
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/9051994923

Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook
by Joyce H. Lowinson, et al
Textbook on biological, psychological, and social aspects of substance abuse.
For clinicians. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ ASIN/0781734746
--------------------------------------------------------------------

JOURNAL PAPERS
Methylphenidate-evoked changes in striatal dopamine : Correlational evidences
suggests that methylphenidate decreases dopamine neurotransmission in ADHD.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15808987


The thalamus in patients with refractory medial temporal lobe epilepsy. :
Anterior thalamic atrophy was found with medial temporal lobe epilepsy, with
greater ipsilateral atrophy.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15809001


Affect-modulated startle in adults with childhood-onset depression :
Participants with numerous depressive episodes display a blunted startle
response across affective conditions.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15808286


Disturbance of dorsolateral prefrontal-hippocampal functional connectivity in
schizophrenia. : During working memory, patients showed reduced activation of
the right DLPFC and left cerebellum.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15809405


Left prefrontal rTMS impairs performance in affective go/no-go task. : A
picture-based affective go/ no-go task was impaired by left prefrontal
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation compared with right prefrontal or
occipital stimulation.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15812319


Examining the diagnostic utility of EEG power measures in ADHD : Classification
results support an independent diagnostic test for ADHD based on EEG power at
rest.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15826843


Functional connectivity of dissociative responses in PTSD : Greater activation
of neural networks involved in bodily state representation was seen in
dissociated PTSD subjects than in controls.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15820708


Frontal lobes and the regulation of mental activity. : Discusses the
implications of possibly specific or modular frontal lobe mechanisms compared
to general regulatory mechanisms.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15831406


Neuropsychological correlates of EEGs in children with epilepsy. : Conclusions
drawn from adult surgical studies cannot be generalized to pediatric patients.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15847849


Functional neuroanatomy of spatial attention in autism spectrum disorder. :
Autism spectrum disorders exhibit a dysfunctional cerebello-frontal spatial
attention system .
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15843105


EEG spectral changes in treatment-naive, actively drinking alcoholics. :
Increased EEG power across theta to high beta bands distinguishes
treatment-naive alcoholics from controls.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15834218

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------


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


Alexandria, VA Jun 23-26
Charlotte NC Jul 21-24

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.


Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers
CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

SABA  - http://www.skiltopo.com  Anchorage AK    Jun 6-12
ISNR  - http://www.isnr.org      Denver CO       Sep 8-11
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Last Word

Imaginary and Real Time

Sometimes it is enough just to remember
There was once a time before we knew about time
When the self and the world fit snugly together.
-- Edward Hirsch

Frank Conroy, Director of the Writers' Workshop at the University of
Iowa, died recently at the age of 69, the same age as my father,
also named Frank, when he died on Christmas Eve 2000. Before his
death Conroy was interviewed about his life in Iowa City as director
of the world's oldest and most prestiguous writing program. The
Workshop has been around for 70 years and it has been a revolving
door for famed literati since its inception. Writers such as John
Irving, Philip Roth, Kurt Vonnegut Jr, have taught or studied here,
to namedrop a few. Frank came in to take the job during my final
year of the program and he occasionally hung out with us at the
Foxhead, playing pool and drinking beer or martinis or whatever the
night's poison happened to be. He was closer to my poet friends than
he was to me because, frankly, I was a kid. He was famous in
literary circles for as long as I had been alive, having authored
the most well-received bildungsroman (coming of age novel) since
Catcher in the Rye. His novel was Stop-Time and it would eventually
land him a cushy job at Iowa. We chatted occasionally but never
man-to-man. In his eyes I was a boy and I could see that. Most of
the writers had already lived before trekking out to the wilds of
Iowa. They had spent time in Morocco or South Africa or South Texas,
or were emerging from with their first divorce or second child or a
Hollywood contract that went sour. Everyone was deep into their 30s
or 40s and I was a boy, 22 years of age, writing well beyond my age
and ability.

I tried to read Conroy's novel once but I couldn't get into it. "My
father stopped living with us when I was three or four," it begins.
I didn't want to approach that kind of grief. Perhaps I'll never
read it, but I did come away with the title: Stop-Time. As a command
or even a faint whisper of adolescent power, it's beautiful. Time
should be stopped. Stop the world now, I want to get off. Time is
our enemy and our only friend and one thing for sure, she is more
beautiful than we deserve and not the same beauty we knew in our
youth.

Okay, leaving beauty aside and getting back to reality, I had two
career options when I left Iowa in 1988: Enter a doctoral program,
or park cars at Comiskey Park. I never cared for the Chicago White
Sox and I hoped to keep my mind alive for another year or two so I
sought out the intellectual sanctuary of more graduate school.
Graduate school is where you gradually realize you don't want to go
to school any more, to quote a workshop alum (Irving). I applied to
seven Psychology programs and was turned down by nearly all, which
didn't surprise me as my sole preparation for a Ph.D. in Cognitive
Psychology was an MFA in fiction writing, a BA in English, and a
handful of classes in the discipline I planned to take on as my
career. Worse still, my research statement was a discourse on
beauty, a topic few scientists (save physicists and mathematicians)
ever admit they are studying until their last decade of life and
here I was tackling taboo on page one of my application. Fortunately
UCLA didn't balk and gave me a home for six years, for which I will
forever be grateful.

As we all realize, the laws of beauty are not subtle, just hard to
pin down. Like obscenity, we may not be able to define it, but we
can recognize it when we see it. For every action there is an equal
and opposite reaction. That is beauty, push is pull. Physics is
nothing but beautiful ideas, one of the better ones being imaginary
time. Stephen Hawking uses imaginary time to keep the Big Bang at
bay, and I could use it to avoid loneliness (zero) at any scale, but
the imaginary time metaphor I want to talk about is the one we all
share, our sense of self, our real and imaginary senses of self.

We are born a fawn, a dove, a cloud. We fit into a universe more
perfectly than we can ever imagine. Beauty is the normal state of
life in this world; we know this because of "the perpetual effort of
Nature to attain it" (Emerson). Beauty is alignment, attention,
devotion to that which is more beautiful. This is rule one in a
universe of very few rules. (Another rule seems to be 0 plus 0 is 2
for very large or unstable values of 0.) So the mind is real, the
body imaginary, but like the hands of a clock we need each one to
tell time. Beauty reveals the secret laws of Nature (Goethe). Beauty
is the moment of transition, (Emerson). Beauty is when reality and
the imaginary are interchangeable (Kaiser).

We are born real and slowly realize that we live in an imaginary
world that we depend upon. Imaginary in the sense that it came
before us, is not us, and yet is us and affects us and we affect it,
if we so endeavor. We often lose balance between ourselves and
others, our mind and body, the imaginary and the real, the
consensual world and our private one. These can be times of learning
or times of crisis -- it is your choice. Choice may be the third
rule of life, and hopefully the last. Perhaps our brain is too big
for us, too large for a primitive species. As a child this endless
expanse can come easily or painfully or not at all. For some,
infinities are granted, and freely; to others there is constant fear
and doubt. Two worlds seem to collide in the same schoolyard: Seek
and we shall find, for some, and seek and you will be lost, for
others. This parrots RD Laing -- a person secure in her sense of
self gratifies herself whereas an "ontologically insecure person is
preoccupied with preserving (herself)."

Most of my life I've experience the former, but not always, and I've
never skated through any part of life. Let me give you example of
the latter. In 5th grade science class we had to complete a team
project and two boys on the brink of becoming the class bullies
grabbed me for their team. I already had a reputation of taming
teachers so they thought it would be a breeze. Unfortunately my
imaginary world was not as powerful as theirs.

I happily joined them and we set out to work on learning everything
about the bathysphere, a small submersible submarine for one,
collecting various facts of interest for a brief class presentation.
But minutes before our talk, the teacher launched into a lecture and
it was, strangely, all about the bathysphere. Here it was, all the
work we had found on our own in the books and materials in class,
and it was being spooled out of head by the only adult in the
classroom. When it came time to give our talk, we sounded like
simpletons, repeating everything he had just said. Instead of
recognizing his error, the teacher leaned into us, criticized our
laziness, our lack of diligence, and gave us all a D for our (lack
of) work. I stood there dumbfounded as I listened to him, focused on
his crossed and agressive body language. I could sense the scolding,
but was also above it as it happened. This was not meant for me,
this was not my imaginary world. This was a glimpse into the world
of the two boys beside me, a world I would never make for myself.
School to my chums was a place without rules, or worst, a place
where effort mattered not, rules were fixed, outcomes predetermined,
and the dice were always rigged against you.

Their imaginary world was dead set on killing those boys. Who would
create such a monster, except a child. It taught me that not
everyone is living in my imaginary world and how we should all tread
gently when we accidently step into an imaginary world someone else
has drawn. As Ethel Thayer, the matriach in the 1980 film "On Golden
Pond" explains it, "Sometimes Billy you have to look hard, you have
to look really hard at a person to realize he's doing the best he
can; he is just trying to find his way." Perhaps some of us create
imaginary worlds that have no way, no exit, no freedom. Some are so
much a trap they kill even the kindest souls who draw near them. So
my last thought on beauty is a bittersweet one, when the imaginary
overcame the real last century.

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.
     -Anne Frank (1929-1945), Diary of a Young Girl


-DK
----------------

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

Vol. 8 No. 4 - April 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Physical Therapy for the Brain
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Dividing by zero, draft #2

----------------------------------------------------------------

Experimental Drug Reverses Brain Injury in Rats
Autism linked to difficult births
Alcoholism-Linked Brain Damage Hits Women Sooner
Move towards autism test at birth raises fears
Brain-Damaged Fireman's Recovery a Mystery
The Scent of a Man
Anatomy of Give and Take
Searching for the Why of Buy
Revenge of the Right Brain

All links at:
http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=science&cat=brain_research

---------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Physical Therapy for the Brain - CIC 2005

When one thinks of autism, schizophrenia, perhaps even Down's
syndrome and a myriad of other conditions, one might come to the
conclusion: "What's done cannot be undone. "

But not so fast... Shakespeare's own queen of obsessive compulsive
disorder Lady Macbeth who uttered the famous phrase might have
thought otherwise had she attended last week's EEG Spectrum Intl
Clinical Interchange Conference. The realities of mental illness and
neurological disorders may be undone, more imaginary then real.
Imaginary to the extent that they can be eliminated, fixed, the
brain returned to evolutionary eloquence.

Let's be Descartes for a moment and think of the brain and mind as
separate. The metaphor may be helpful. When the brain is not fully
inhabited by the mind, for whatever reason, be it due to early
trauma, recent trauma, genetic predisposition, environmental toxins,
etc., mental illness must follow, or when the brain runs too fast or
too slow for the mind to follow, then chaos emerges. Neurotherapy is
a means to ensure that this physical piece of hardware, the brain,
is kept in working order.

The conference opened with a panel on Learning Theory. Ed Hamlin
spoke about the need for neurotherapists to understand four things
(which I hope I get right, as I was on the panel and not taking
notes). A therapist needs to understand something about learning
theory, something about the EEG technology we are using, something
about the brain and how it works, and finally something about being
a good clinician. Mike O'Bannon highlighted the importance of
intrinsic rewards over extrinsic rewards. When we are motivated by
internal forces, instead of beeps and M & M's, our potential is
endless. David Kaiser (myself) spoke about the acquisition and
consolidation phases of learning, as well as the Skinnerian
reinforcement schedules and related issues. Most important, and
unknown to most learning theorists, is the role of habituation in
learning. Looking at the EEG we can track when an individual learns,
when they and the environment are one. The presence of PRS
(post-response synchronization) is the true reward, a momentary
shutting off of the sampling or perceptual processes, to consolidate
the information one has acquired. We shut off when we think our
universe is the only universe.

Eran Zaidel described his hemispheric neurofeedback research, which
elegantly addresses the three central aspects of attention --
conflict resolution, orienting, and alerting -- by modifying
Posner's task into a lateralized version. Jack Johnstone spoke about
the robustness of event potential and potential for training them,
and how all of us can look forward to slowing mentally 1.5
milliseconds a year in our P300s... unless, I interject,
neurotherapy keeps us at our peak.

David Kaiser (myself) opened his second talk by repeating a portion
of Lanford Wilson's play "The Fifth of July." In this play, a
schoolteacher is transcribing from a tape player a story that a
speech-impaired boy has created. It is a science fiction story that
goes something like this: When humankind eventually mastered all the
forces of nature, they set out to explore the universe in search of
life and intelligence, but finding nothing of note in all the
galaxies of all the universe, they were obliged to return to Earth
where it was up to them to become all the things they had imagined
they would find."

This is my definition of adulthood: Becoming what one imagined one
would find when we got here (I'm recently turned 40). As a child I
imagined adults would soon have a cure for autism, a cure for
schizophrenia, a cure for nearly every human ailment, and many are
gone, but of course many remain. (I still await my videophone
wristwatch and personal jet pack as well.) I also talked about
assessing whether a client's brain was organized normally or not in
terms of speech, emotional processing, and spatial functions. Some
simple tests can help determine whether an electrode on the left
hemisphere is over the dominant (speech-centered, expressive)
hemisphere or actually above the non-dominant (receptive)
hemisphere. I also explained the orthogonality of coherence and
comodulation and previewed my "Infinite Content" SKIL games.

The Keynote address was a UCLA school-mate of mine. We took the same
Narrative and Psychology course from Jerome Bruner in 1991 or so, I
a grad student, he a psychiatric resident. Daniel Siegel, author of
The Developing Mind, spoke about the emerging field of interpersonal
neurobiology. We are a social species, linked together not just by
our words and senses, but by biological functions. Attachment theory
may be the best known aspect of this paradigm, and EEG itself was
the invention of a man who sensed interpersonal neurobiology well
before we did. (Hans Berger suffered a near-death accident as a
young man, and his sister had a premonition of the accident. Hans
spent decades trying to find the signal transponder in our heads
that had at that critical moment broadcast out to his sister
hundreds of miles away.) Interpersonal reality is already a reality.
The day before the conference, I ran a joint EEG biofeedback with
two of my students at RIT. Joining one's brain activity with another
is an idea with all sorts of applications, some of them therapeutic,
others recreational.

The conference also included numerous panels, breakfast discussions,
and a great atmosphere overall. Next month I'll provide the Defenses
Typology by Gray and MacNaughton that I talked about to some of the
attendees.

Here is what I took away from this year's CIC, my abstract for the
upcoming Tennet symposium on neurotherapy: Neurotherapy is physical
therapy for the brain. Using the tools and techniques of
neurotherapy an individual establishes or reestablishes adaptive
patterns of neurophysiological function: they learn their way to
better mental health. In the upcoming decade we will witness the
development of many new and exciting techniques that can
revolutionize the way people attain and maintain a sound mind and
body. It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future,
but here are a few: The number of electrodes or channels used in
training will increase, the complexity of analyses will increase,
and the training techniques and rewards will become more tailored to
client deficits. Coherence and comodulation training are realities,
as is LORETA training. Task-based neurofeedback will foster
appropriate brain responses to math, reading, and other executive
function challenges, and it is already a reality. Desensitization
training will become in part neurotherapeutic and allow us to
address the most intractable issues of childhood such as nonverbal
stage traumatization. Joint training sessions that involve dyadic
coupling are now practical and can address affect synchrony and
other parent-child and spousal neurobiological issues. Consciousness
itself may be trainable using bispectral and bicomodulation
techniques. As technology advances and session times cheapen,
coregistration training with fMRI should emerge to correct
dysrhythmia and discord between any two brain areas. The power for
good and the potential for harm will increase exponentially in the
next decade. To maximize the first and minimize the latter we must
not only refine our assessment and training capabilities and
increase our general knowledge of how the brain works, but we'll
need to better understand and be able to harness the most powerful
force in nature, and that is learning.

-DK

---------------------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

Neuronal Substrates of Sleep and Epilepsy
by Mircea Steriade
Examines neuronal mechanisms underlying sleep and paroxysmal
activities. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 0521817072/top100

Thalamocortical Assemblies: How ... Organize Sleep Oscillations
by Alain Destexhe, Terrence J. Sejnowski
Molecular and ionic mechanisms underlying sleep oscillations
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0198524250/top100

Disorders of Personality: DSM-IV and Beyond, 2nd Edition
by Theodore Millon
Description of 15 personality prototypes and 60 subtypes, in a
historical framework.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/047101186X/top100

Fundamental Neuroscience, 2nd Edition
Edited
Comprehensive textbook that both graduate and undergraduate
students. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 0126603030/top100

Navigating the Social World: for Asperger's Syndrome...
by Jeannie McAfee, Dr. Tony Attwood
Exercises and guides for the student with AS.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1885477821/top100

Antisocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents
by John B. Reid, et al
Approaches to reduce antisocial behavior, from the earliest years in
childhood onward. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1557988978/top100

An Adult Child's Guide to What's Normal
by John C. Friel Ph.D., Linda D. Friel M.A.
Guide to begin dealing with pain and trauma of being raised in a
dysfunctional family. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1558740902/top100

Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation: Children and Adolescents
by Mark Ylvisaker
Various perspectives on recovery, from everyone involved in TBI care
including the patient. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0750699728/top100


---
JOURNAL PAPERS

Evoked brain potentials in adolescents in normal conditions and in
attention deficit : Adolescents with ADD discriminated signal of
duration 11 msec significantly worse than normals during the oddball
paradigm.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15779327

Neuroimaging of emotion : Unwarranted use of proportional global
signal scaling (in fMRI) might contribute to conflicting results in
affective neuroscience.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15784431

Depression predicts drug abstinence in outpatient substance abuse
treatment. : Depression affects successful substance abuse treatment
outcomes.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15780549

Effects of mild traumatic brain injury cannot be differentiated from
substance abuse. : Patients with uncomplicated MTBIs and those with
substance abuse problems scored similarly on concentration, memory
and processing speed.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15762097

Neurobiologic processes in drug reward and addiction. : Compulsive
drive for drug use is complemented by deficits in impulse control
and decision making, mediated by the orbitofrontal cortex and
anterior cingulate.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15764467

Neural basis of eye gaze processing deficits in autism. : A
difference in the response of brain regions underlying eye gaze
processing was found for autism.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15758039

Amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex responses to fearful faces in
PTSD : PTSD group exhibited exaggerated amygdala responses and
diminished medial prefrontal cortex responses to fearful vs happy
facial expressions.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15753240

Neuroimaging studies of aggressive and violent behavior : Reviews 17
neuroimaging studies: compromise in prefrontal cortex and medial
temporal regions are implicated in aggressive or violent histories.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15753199

Effects of Methylphenidate on Quantitative EEG for ADHD during a CPT
: Methylphenidate increased alpha activities and decreased theta in
numerous areas during the CPT task but not during rest.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15744803


---------------------------------------------------------------------


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


Alexandria, VA Jun 23-26
Charlotte NC Jul 21-24

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.


Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers
CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

SABA  - http://www.skiltopo.com  Anchorage AK    Jun 6-12
ISNR  - http://www.isnr.org      Denver CO       Sep 8-11
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Last Word

Dividing by zero, Draft #2 (Pinocchio draft)

I know this will be meaningless to many, but my newsletter, like the
universe, is self-published with no peer review to contain it, so if
it's not to your liking, I apologize for the inconvenience. Next
month I'll write about Ralph Waldo Emerson's favorite topic here,
which is also my favorite topic, Beauty.

Now let's get mathematical: Let's divide by zero. Well, that's hard,
my calculator freaks out. So let's start by multiplying by zero.

0 times infinity should approximate 1. But if I had a number larger
than infinity I know for sure I could merge it with nothing to make
something. Kind of like the universe.

Well, if you want to have a number larger than infinity, that's
simple. Just stack another at a right angle to it (orthogonal axis).
So infinity in the real and infinity in the imaginary create a
vector of the square root of two infinite. Multiply this by zero --
she also demands fairness so she has both real and imaginary axes,
leading to square root of 2 zero. Multiply the sq(2) zero by sq(2)
infinity and we get two. And two is all we have here, yin and yang,
the infinite and the infinitesimal, male and female. (0ir)(INFir)=2
We cannot live with them, and we cannot live without them.

Let's set infinity to C so that we can stay within our light cone.
This means (0ir)(Cir)=2, which means we can divide by zero more
easily, given a nicer algebraic term than INF. So 1/0ir=Cir.
Actually it looks like zero can mess with anything thrown at it,
much like my two sisters, so perhaps the equation that started it
all is best to be described as a flowing spectrum: 0 < C0 < C . But
going back to unity, 1/0=C and therefore 0=1/C meaning the smallest
something can be in the physical domain is never empty of content,
not in this light cone, but it is Planck's constant, which makes C
the reciprocal of Planck, around 1.5 times 10^33 or whatever, our
creation ratio. Relativity and quantum mechanics in a single
equation, 1/0=C, the infinite and infinitesmal, male and the female,
wave and particle, no spare parts.

This also unites math and science. Math cannot act freely,
abstractly, but must have a real referent on one axis, a
representation of something. Using an Einsteinian thought
experiment, take the ratio of temperatures in a room as it
approaches freezing with three thermometers, one Fahrenheit, one
Celsius, and one Kelvin, and now compare the F/C behavior to the F/K
behavior. The math in one ratio freaks near water freezing while the
other behaves, while the physical reality is unaffected. Note how
three elements are needed to create two different ratios, like men
and women requiring a third, the third being obvious perhaps.

Ok, now let's fix the most famous equation.

For E=mc(squared) the two Cs are not the same, one is real, the
other imaginary. Now, 1/0ir=Cir which suspiciously resembles
E/m=c(squared)... perhaps mass is so heavy because it weighs nothing
in two directions and it's hard to lift that much nothing. Instead
of Ci and Cr lets keep the imaginary speed of light constant as C
and the real one as D, the next letter in the alphabet. So this
breaks the terrible symmetry of Einstein's equation E=mc^2 to make
it E=mcd. This movement from imaginary to real is how Creation
continues to this day and how we progress towards more understanding
of ourselves and the world.

So a real short history of time is: Nothing gets reorganized as
singularity which divides into symmetry which breaks into infinity
which evoles into Mind/Body (relativity on one side, QM on the
other) which is regulated by the next dimension, brain, a perfect 5d
sphere, which gets pressure from ...

Oops, interrupted by my 7-year old autistic son. He just awoke (5
am) needing to use the bathroom. To get him out of the hypermale
mode of processing, invariant, left brain extraordinaire, will
require more neurotherapy, and perhaps a little estrogen. We'll see.
The battle for Jared is far from over. I've made a system of
feedback games, Infinite Content, that can evaporate even the
darkest of black holes, or so I hope, and bring them back to this
world. Hey, I've come out of holes nearly as deep and dark as the
one my son is in now, so it's very doable. But speaking of doable,
it's 6 am and I got to go defend my teaching job at 1 pm, so I have
to go back to sleep. I wish I could elaborate all this, but with
four kids to raise and play with, I rarely have a moment to myself.
Which is good...

-DK

----------------

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

Vol. 8 No. 3 - March 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Comodulation explained
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - Dividing by zero

----------------------------------------------------------------

Brain chip reads man's thoughts
Neural disease researcher melds optics and computer software
College May Buff Up Aging Brains
Some 'Senior Moments' Are Signs of Epilepsy
Rainbow Coalition of the Brain
Big Brains Not Always Better
Bird Brains Get Some New Names, And New Respect
Brain Immaturity Could Explain Teen Crash Rate
Special caps fight brain damage
New method captures brain cells in action
Booze boosts brainpower
Hole in heart link to serious migraine

All links at:
http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=science&cat=brain_research

---------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Comodulation explained

In 1994 I invented comodulation, a measure of synchrony that is
currently being used by a number of clinicians. Signal similarities
in time domain are determined by cross-correlation (Brazier et al,
1952; 1959) whereas in frequency domain are determined by two
properties, coherence (Walter, 1968; Thatcher, 1992) and
comodulation (Sterman & Kaiser, 2001; Kaiser, 1994). Comodulation
was created to refute the low spatial resolution hypothesis of EEG
topography (e.g., volume conduction, Nunez, 1990.) If surface EEG
did not reflect cortical potentials well, all neighbors would be
equally correlated with each other. I found that correlations are
most robust within gross functional boundaries, disconfirming the
low spatial resolution idea.

When most people think of synchrony measures they think of
coherence. Coherence is a measure of phase relationship between EEG
signals (Walter, 1968) To calculate Coherence (Thatcher, 1992, but
calculating for magnitude, not power)

1. Compute cross-spectra for two signals
- cosine and sine coefficients for same frequency
- calculate cospectrum & quaspectrum
2. Compute cross-spectrum amplitude
3. Multiply auto-spectral amplitude of A & B
4. Divide cross-spectra by auto-spectra of both signals


This gives magnitude coherence, not power coherence. Coherence (Coh
for short) ranges from 0 to 1.0

Comodulation, on the other hand, is a measure of amplitude
relationship between EEG signals (Kaiser, 1994), and is far simplier
to calculate. Compute amplitude for a frequency at each moment in
time, then correlate amplitudes of two sites across time for entire
state. Short moving segments provide a fluidic and point-like
representation of comodulatory energy. Comod values ranges from -1.0
to 1.0

Coherence measures stability of phase between signals. Shared timing
indicates a common origin (df=0). Comodulation measures stability of
amplitude between signals Shared energy indicates functional unity.
Energy is independence, higher degrees of freedom. Both are across
time. Coherence averages across time (sameness) whereas Comod
evaluates changes across time (differences). Coherence quantifies
the degree of similar influences and comodulation quantifies the
degree of similar autonomy

If the definitions above don't do it for you metaphorically or
mathematically, try stability of phase difference, or amplitude
difference, may be clearer. And stability is equivalent with
consistency, conformity, congruity, correspondence, similarity,
stationarity, harmony. Unity akin to integration, reconciliation,
consolidation, synthesis, orchestration, blend, arrangement, all
leading to percept formation, that is, perception, a shared moment
between brain sites

In comodulation we are looking at shared energies -- even a child
can understand this. In two related measures of comodulation, one
shows ADD kids with less global comodulation, less coordination
across the head. In another, called Rogue Site Analysis (RSA), which
I'll explain here eventually, I index which part of the cortex is
most often involved in disrupting the dominant frequency, which goes
rogue most often. It's this site that direct the transformation of
processing. The cool thing about RSA is that although no reliable
differences in normals, each normal person has a very reliable
pattern, probably showing the nature dispersion patterns they stay
in, what is most rewarding for them. In ADHD, the motor site C4 was
significantly different than controls during eyes closed, and the
visual site O2 by Asperger's children during eyes open. Both have
intuitive appeal. I also found evidence of focality in Asperger's --
not using the full cortex in processing.

Synchrony appears to be the primary state. The neuron is an
autorhythmic system and we develop a go-to part of the brain to
break synchrony, and one form of illness (ADHD, autism) is
over-reliance on these areas, but I'll have to prove that later.

-DK
---------------------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

Framing ADHD Children: A Critical Examination of the History,
Discourse...
by Adam Rafalovich
Examines the three social worlds of ADHD: home, classroom, and
clinic.

Traumatic Brain Injury: Associated Speech, Language, and Swallowing
Disorders
by Kim Lourinia
Case studies illustrate assessment and treatment of communicative
and swallowing disorders in adults and children.

Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think
by Dennis Greenberger, Christine Padesky
Workbook for therapy clients suffering from mood, addiction, and
relationship problems

Clinical Neurophysiology at the Beginning of the 21st Century
by International Congress
Global view of the role of clinical neurophysiology.

The Brainstorms Woman: Epilepsy in Our Lives
by Steven C Schachter, et al
Describes how seizures affect female hormones over the menstrual
cycle and at menopause.

Electroencephalography: Basic Principles, Clinical Applications, and
Related Fields
by Ernst Niedermeyer, Fernando Lopes Da Silva
The one and only classic textbook on EEG. An incredible resource.

St. John's Wort And Its Active Principles In Depression And Anxiety
by Walter E. Muller
Reviews biochemical, functional, and behavioural pharmacology of
Hypericum and its active constituents.

Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging: Linking Cognitive and Cerebral
Aging
by Roberto Cabeza, et al
Effects of aging on neural activity during cognitive functions such
as perception, attention and memory. Also describes normal versus
abnormal/clinical decline.

Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine
by Meir H. Kryger, et al
Encompasses pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders
resulting from disruptions of sleep-wake cycles and circadian
rhythm.

The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma
Treatment
by Babette Rothschild
Somatic memory of trauma experienced is discussed with case studies.

Wider than the Sky: The Phenomenal Gift of Consciousness
by Gerald M. Edelman
How do neurons give rise to subjectivity? From Nobel Laureate.
Pertinent findings of modern neuroscience

---
JOURNAL PAPERS

What is the most effective treatment for ADHD in children? :
Combination drug therapies offer no advantage to stimulants alone
unless it addresses a comorbidity.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15689294

Neurobiological findings in bipolar disorders : Neurobiological
studies do not differentiate bipolar I from bipolar II subtypes
despite genetic evidence of differences.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15679202

Resting cortical brain activity and social behavior in higher
functioning children with autism. : High functioning autistics with
right frontal EEG asymmetry were more socially impaired than a left
asymmetry group, but the latter reported more social anxiety and
stress, and less satisfaction with interpersonal relations.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15679529

Supportive neurodevelopmental evidence for ADHD as a developmental
disorder. : Maturation of the right orbitofrontal cortex, which
dominates both sympathetic and parasympathetic limbic systems, is
essential for the regulation of emotion.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15694693

EEG abnormalities and two year outcome in first episode psychosis. :
Patients with normal EEG show more reduction in positive and
negative symptoms of psychoses over 2 years.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15701105

Effectiveness of neurofeedback and stimulant drugs in treating
AD/HD. Replication. : Neurofeedback produced patient outcomes
equivalent to those obtained with stimulant drugs (n=31 matched
groups).
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15707253

Is anterior cingulate cortex necessary for cognitive control? : Four
subjects with damage to dACC showed normal adjustments in
performance following manipulation of response conflict in Stroop
and go-no go tasks. Cognitive control appears to be intact in these
patients.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15705613

Quantitative electroencephalography patterns in patients suffering
from tinnitus. : Gender differences in QEEG were found: increased
average total power in female tinnitus patients and decreased
average total power in male patients.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15732509

Laterality of motor control revisited: directionality of callosal
traffic : Interesting argument against non-dominant hemispheric
input to motor control. If it turns out to be true, it would be very
useful for assessment and treatment issues.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15736003

Sex differences in brain activation during stress imagery in
abstinent cocaine users : Females show more activation in left
middle frontal, anterior cingulate, and inferior frontal cortices
and insula during stress imagery, possibly because they use a more
verbal coping strategy than males.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15737663

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Last Word

Dividing by zero and the fiction of mathematical functions

This is the draft of a paper I'm working on that started out as an
EEG paper -- power versus magnitude values -- and why magnitude is
needed in the world-to-brain-to-mind correspondence.

If the relationship between a single specified time series
(e.g., 0 1 1 0 1) and its frequency spectrum can be equivalently derived by
two or more mathematical functions (e.g., fourier analysis,
non/recursive filters, moving averages/difference/ratios, Haar's
wavelets, higher-order cross correlation, return maps, maximum
entropy, state space methods, etc.), then each of these functions
are one and the same function (relation) despite superficial
computational differences. And if one relationship (time and
frequency) can be described by more than one computational method,
all mathematical relationships can and do have multiple (actually
infinite) computational surfaces, such as variants where
coefficients are set to zero. As every relationship has a countably
infinite number of surface appearances or functions, no surface
function is any more valid than any other surface function, and all
are equally poor when they approach division by zero. Therefore no
surface function can be the deep relationship, parsimony or other
considerations notwithstanding.

A relationship cannot be specified by any function. A relationship
can only be described by the entire set of corresponding values in
both domains. Thus mathematical functions are a convenient fiction.
There are no rules in math, only relations. Of interest,
relationships do not possess the property of sequence or successive
order.

I make the supposition that real numbers that do not relate to
positive integers do no exist, but this is a side argument, and also
all infinities are countable and no uncountable infinities can
exist, have any reality, again a side argument.

Down to the matter: For f(x) equals x divided by 0, as the
denominator approaches 0, the relationship increases linearly until
it reaches a maximum degrees of freedom which is c. c is the degrees
of freedom of the representation and a unitless measure of the speed
of light.

Inside a singularity the degrees of freedom is 5. This means x
divided by 0 equals c inside a singularity. This messes with math if
it was outside the singularity because 1=5, and 2=4, and 0 not equal
to 0, etc, but inside it makes perfect sense.

The value of c informs us of the number of times the universe we are
experiencing has been created. Essentially it tells us that there
have been five starting points or zeros, five times the nothingness
was divided by zero.

The first division by zero created a singularity, which we
experience in the physical world as electromagnetism and in the
mental world as Being. (This exactly follows the Bible: In the
beginning God created the heaven and the earth...God said, "Let
there be light" and there was light.)

The second division by zero was the most troubling, as all
subsequent divisions are orthogonal (wholly and entirely
independent) to the prior one. Orthogonal to singularity is
symmetry, which is experienced physically as the weak nuclear force
and mentally as Non-Being, where all of our fears derive.

The third division by zero was orthogonal to symmetry and that is
infinity,. The physical force felt by this division is the strong
nuclear force holding matter together. The mental experience is
form.

The fourth division by zero is orthogonal to infinity, and that is
relation, derived first by the whole/part relationship, physicalized
as time, and mentalized as word ("In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the
beginning with God. All things were made by him" for the Bible was
right there again).

The fifth division by zero was order, experienced as number, and
mentalized as unity and order. And unity is singularity once again.
The cycle repeats. The 4 dimensions we experience, width, length,
height, and time are 4 of the 5, but inside the singularity the
fifth is known and known well.
-DK
----------------

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

Vol. 8 No. 2 - February 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   -  Questions about Language, Public and Private
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - none

----------------------------------------------------------------

Neural disease researcher melds optics and computer software
College May Buff Up Aging Brains
Some 'Senior Moments' Are Signs of Epilepsy
Rainbow Coalition of the Brain
Brain Stimulation May Curb Persistent Depression
Big Brains Not Always Better
Bird Brains Get Some New Names, And New Respect
Brain Immaturity Could Explain Teen Crash Rate
Brain theory of eating disorders
Meditation Gives Brain a Charge, Study Finds


All links at:
http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=science&cat=brain_research

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In the Spotlight

Questions about Language, Public and Private

Two symbolic systems: public and private

There is no social behavior without communication (Evans & Bastian,
1969). Few species exist which do not possess a substantial
repertoire of symbolic communicative devices such as vocalizations,
displays, postures, and/or gestures. Also, many species exhibit
behaviors that express an symbolic processing of external reality
(Roitblat, Bever, & Terrace, 1984). But these two symbolic systems
remain separate with little conceptual or featural overlap in nearly
all species but one, humans. In overlapping our two symbol systems,
we have become the paragon of animals, to quote one of us.

This integration is not complete. Many elements of communication
such as phonemes or words, are used extensively in representational
roles while others are hardly used at all, such as gestures or
postures. Some aspects of our representations are cannot readily be
communicated (e.g., the tip-of-the-tongue experience). To what
degree are these two symbol systems integrated in humans? Do other
mammals also use symbols which possess (public)communicational as
well as private (representational) elements, and to what degree?
What is the nature of communicative and representational
integration? Which neural systems are responsible for this
integration in humans? In other mammals? Does this integration alter
either system?

Language instruction in animals (e.g., ape language research)
provides a structured environment in which variables can be isolated
and explored, which is not so easy to do with humans. Premack (1985)
found evidence for integration of communicative and representational
systems in the behavior of a common chimpanzee. According to Premack
(1985) words have two functions in human language: (1) the external
function of words is to retrieve or communicate information; and (2)
the word serves as an intrinsic part of mental representation. He
tested (1) the communicative function of lexigrams (plastic word) by
determine how effective each lexigram was evoking a mental
representation in a chimpanzee (troglodyte). He found that the most
salient physical feature of a fruit for a chimpanzee was color:
specific colors were effective in retrieving the animal's mental
representation of the object. However, names were even more
effective (e.g., fewest errors in tests). Consequently, lexigrams
(plastic words) proved to be extremely effective communicative
devices. To test (2) the representational function of a word, he
applied a phenomena observed in the performance of matching to
sample testing in apes. A blue triangle (lexigram), which refers to
a red apple, can be matched to a red patch of color correctly; but a
blue-painted apple cannot be matched to a red patch. Somehow a
blue-painted word evokes a red apple whereas a blue-painted apple
does not evoke a red apple. Either the blue apple is not recognized
as an apple (which is very unlikely), or perception of a blue apple
interferes with the representation of a red one. He found that
perception of a distorted example of an object adversely influences
the representation of a normal example of this object . Premack
(1985) terms this the impairment effect. The adverse effect occurs
within the same form of representation only (an object must be
compared to another object). Evidence for an impairment effect of
words would indicate that physical features of a word are being
represented by a chimpanzee. It turns out that perception of a
distorted word (orange triangle) does interfere with representation
of a normal word (blue triangle). Chimpanzees find it difficult to
match a distorted lexigram for apple (orange triangle) with a blue
patch (normal color of word for apple). In contrast, chimpanzees
could match blue-painted apples with a red patch of color . The
impairment effect arises when perception and representation of the
same form of information (lexigram and lexigram, or object and
object) are incompatible. The impairment effect does not occur when
perception and representation of different forms of information
(lexigram and object) are incompatible. There is no impairment
effect between word and referent; only when referent and referent or
word and word are incompatible in same way does the effect arise.
The impairment effect is offers a powerful tool, albeit complicated,
for comparing mental representations of different species, and
different levels of development within these species. Premack (1985)
concluded that, like human words, plastic lexigrams possessed both
representational and communicative functions. In spite of this
demonstration of mental continuity, the degree of integration of
representational and communicative systems may still quantitatively
separate human and nonhuman experiences.

How is human language different than other communication systems?
Humans have developed many communication systems that have little to
do with language (e.g., stop lights). A definition of language would
be useful here; but herein lies some of the difficulty of studying
this problem: there is no explanatory nor conceptual definition
which is widely agreed upon. Chomsky (1980), for example, states
that the most elementary property of human language is that it
involves a "denumerable infinity of functionally distinct
expressions", which also describes the system of mathematics. And
the productivity of human language is not infinite, but specific to
those discernable elements in the social and physical problem-space
of human experience (e.g., Parker, 1985). One fact is certain:
language is a behavior that has certain consequences, and these
consequences are in terms of representation and communication. An
utterance has both an ideational meaning and interpersonal meaning
or social purpose (Parker, 1985). Language conveys propositional and
referential information and it provides alternative ways of
expressing ideas as well as means for the speaker to communicate
effectively, engagingly, appropriately (Parker, 1985). The system of
language consists of hierarchically organized levels of processing
(i.e., phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, pragmatics) and
consists of a number of design features (Hockett, 1960). Vauclair
(1990) provides a useful conceptual definition of language: Language
is a system that is both communicational and representational,
grounded in a social convention that attributes to certain
substitutes (signifiers) the power to designate other substitutes
(referents). But was the process of integrating representational and
communicational symbol systems abrupt or gradual?

When did language evolve?

There are nearly as many questions about language evolution as there
are theories, which probably number only slightly fewer than
languages in the world. When did language evolve? Why did language
evolve? How did language evolve? What effects did it have on
behavior and cognition? When and how did primate vocalizations come
to be supplemented, transformed, or replaced by the system of human
language may be answerable. The transformation from ape to hominid
entailed some hundred morphological, physiological, and behavioral
evolutionary changes (Wind, 1981). However, the changes may not been
radical alterations. For instance, according to Wind (1981) the
morphology of the apes' vocal apparatus cannot account for their
inability to speak. He argues that the primate pharynx and airway
were preadapted for speech-like vocalizations ever since the origins
of the anthropoids. "(I)f a chimpanzee larynx could be grafted into
an otherwise normal human being and if all the nerves could be
connected such a human individual would be able to produce
vocalizations and speech hardly or not discernible from the normal
ones." The development of the association and motor areas of the
brain was decisive for the origin of language as we know it. Falk
(1980) also questions the supposed late appearance of a modern
articulatory apparatus, saying that fossil reconstructions have been
insufficient to determine if qualitative alterations have occurred.
Wind (1982) believes that if the anthropoid vocal tracts were
properly wired neurologically, apes would be capable of producing a
sufficient variety of sounds to demonstrate at least some
rudimentary speech. Fossils of Australopithecus robustus display an
upper respiratory system closely akin to that of modern nonhuman
primates, particularly apes. Subsequently, Laitman (1981) concludes
that this species possessed a limited range of vocalizations.
Fossils of Homo erectus, however, show a descent of the larynx,
which would enable (with the pharynx) a greater range of
vocalizations than possible to Australopithecines. An upper
respiratory system similar to that of modern man, with a vocal
apparatus enabling human speech, is found as early as 300,000 years
ago in archaic Homo sapiens. Lieberman (1985) reports that major
changes to the upper respiratory systems have taken place in the
last 250,000 years; that even Neanderthal hominids retained most of
features of the nonhuman supralaryngeal airway and would not have
been able to encode speech as rapidly as even archaic Homo sapiens.

Language is more than rapid vocal behavior. Tobias (1987) reports
that Homo habilis possessed a prominent Broca's area in the
posterior part of the left inferior convolution, which exceeds the
prominence found in homologous areas in Australopithecus africanus .
The pattern of sulci in this region of the brain of Homo habilis is
comparable with that of modern humans and much different from apes.
The area around the parioeto-occipto-temporal junction (i.e.,
Wernicke's area) shows especially strong development in all
endocasts of H. habilis skulls. But he find no evidence of
laterality (i.e., pronounced development more pronounced on one side
than the other). However asymmetry of the Sylvian fissure is
indicated by impressions in the endocranical walls of Homo sapiens
neanderthalsis, Homo erectus, and even Australopithecus africanus
(LeMay & Geschwind, 1975). However, the first true speech sounds may
not have been uttered until very recently. Among the many
neuroanatomical changes which occur during the hominidization
process, there has been a progressive complication of the vascular
system, particularly surrounding the sylvian region of the brain. As
recently as 30,000 years ago, endocranial wall impressions of Cro
Magnon humans were complicated, indicating better vascularization of
the sylvian region than those humans who preceded them; but these
impressions suggest that the vascular system was not developed
enough to support speech. It was not until neolithic times
(10-12,000 years ago) that first fossils which possess a "squaring
of the parietal meningeal vascular system" are found, which
indicates that humans now possessed the developed vascularization
necessary for speech (Saban, 1981). Jaynes (1976a) argues that the
evolution of speech cannot be detected by fossil remains (i.e., a
skill may by physiologically possible but latent). However, the
origins of spoken language, the acquisition of words, etc., may have
produced behavioral changes in those hominids which possessed
speech, and these cultural/behavioral changes may be reflected in
the artefacts left behind. According to Jaynes (1976a), speech
produced three changes which benefitted hominids: (1) spoken words
enable one to train attention on specific salient features of
objects and events (in contrast, feral children have more difficulty
training attention, possibly due to however other factors besides
lack of language; (2) verbal labelling also facilitates recalls (cf.
Herman, 1986, analogous ability in dolphins); and (3) language
allows one to code and compare attributes of objects verbally,
thereby freeing us from the momentary perceptual impact of one
attribute or another.

When did speech originate in hominid? First, the supposed radical
change from a primate communication system to language must have
occurred at a time where its benefits outweighed in disadvantages
(e.g., greater likelihood of choking). When was there great enough
ecological pressure to evoke such a change? Glaciation was likely
the strongest ecological force at act upon hominid evolution. Each
Ice age, lasting approximately 70,000 years, would have brought
about a change in the habits and livelihood of hominids living at
the time. There have been four major glacial periods since the
transformation of H. erectus through archaic H. sapiens to H.
sapiens sapiens: the coldest periods being approximately 600,000,
400,000, 150,000, and 35,000 years ago. Warm interglacial periods
are probably without sufficient ecological challenge to provide
language with any new survival value if it had developed during
these periods. As mentioned above, the brain structures which
mediate language - - Broca's area in frontal lobe, Wernicke's area
around the Sylvian fissure, and the supplementary motor cortex --
are not strongly developed until H. habilis. The artefacts left
behind from H. habilis and H. erectus were crude, suggesting little
change from those of Australopithecines. The complete development of
language was not likely. Although there was some progression in tool
manufacture during the first three glaciation, the change was very
gradual. Speech subsequently must have originated during the fourth
glaciation. This age was characterized by large swings of
temperature, beginning 70,000 years ago, achieving its coldest
period about 35,000 BC. Normal temperatures returned around 8000 BC.
An explosion of artefacts and new technologies coincides with the
middle of the last ice age, approximately 40 -35,000 BC (Jaynes,
1976a). The human brain had reached its present proportions
(including its present-day increase in frontal lobes) between
250,000 to 100,000 years ago. Applying these time constraints,
Jaynes (1976a) places the origin of speech at approximately 40,000
BC. Some recent findings in South Africa would probably push this
back to 80,000 BC.

Attempts to reconstruct the earliest languages (e.g., Indo-European
languages from 2000 BC) by linguists and anthropologists suggest
that these languages were as complex as modern languages. If there
has been little change in linguistic complexity in 4000 years, how
much change could there have been in 40,000. The stability of
language complexity suggests a prolonged phylogeny of language,
possibly stretching back million of years. The rapid change in
technology may not indicates a rapid change in cognition and
linguistic capacities. Perhaps what occurred at this time of great
cultural change was a cultural shift. Language may have already been
present before this period, but the means and value of acquiring
knowledge may have changed; knowledge itself gained a new value,
beyond its value for helping to achieve an immediate goal. For the
first time the distribution of labor may have included individuals
who were not primarily hunters or plant gatherers but whose sole
social function involved the transmission and storage of
information, such as shamans, wise man, etc. The cognitive
capabilities of humans probably have not change qualitatively since
the evolution of language; however investigating the change in tools
and artefacts (e.g., from stone tools to cities and nuclear power
plants) are the work of the same intelligence. The rise of
industrialization via mass automation marks a change in an
individual's relationship to the process of knowledge acquisition.
The individual contributes to his own knowledge as well as serve the
cultural knowledge base.

Why did language evolve?

Why did language evolve? What ecological or social pressures
resulted in the development of speech? Gibson (1981) places the
selection pressure within child-parent communication. The dietary
niche of hominids -- omnivorous, extractive foraging with tools --
resulted in offspring depending heavy on parental guidance for long
periods of time. Sophisticated recognition of requests for aid, for
instance, for a specific tool or food item, would have required
greater sensitivity between communicants. According to Jerison
(1988) early hominids invaded an environmental niche (social
predator) that was inappropriate for primates in critical ways. The
niche of a social predator required behavioral and morphological
adaptations which were not present at the time, nor likely to
develop. Living species in this niche (e.g., wolves) must navigate,
control, and defend an extensive territory and range. A scent
marking system is ideal for differentiating territories (e.g., urine
cues). Higher primates, with reduced olfactory system, would likely
have had to rely on their most developed system, that is, the
auditory-vocal system, to contribute to the same kind of cognitive
mapping of the external world. Maintenance of these cognitive maps
over time required active participation. This could be done by
"linguistically-labelling" landmarks (e.g., a river labelled by a
particular whistle; an old tree by a phoneme-like sound).
Construction of these sensory map overlapped with the primate
communication system (i.e., occurred in same modality). This may
account for "the peculiar feature of human language." In language
humans share a constructed reality; whereas animal communication
(apparently) consists of primarily direct commands about behaviors.
"Self-consciousness (arose) to distinguish the reality generated by
one's own information (sensory, linguistic, etc.) from the reality
generated by verbal information from another individual." (cf.
Jaynes, 1976b). Livingstone (1981) also argues a similar origin of
language. However, those mammals which do exhibit territorial
vocalizations possess small territories, where all regions of the
territory are within easy auditory proximity. Baboons and
chimpanzees, who usually occupy large home ranges not unlike hominid
hunters, possess no specialized territorial displays. Fischer (1981)
postulates a vocal onomatopoetic theory. Speech originated in the
"magical" imitation of other species' cries (food calls, mating
calls). Such strange, less human vocalization would have allowed
humans a closer approach to prey than ordinary cries. Unlike earlier
hypotheses, there is some present-day support for this theory. For
example, Amazon basin Indians imitate 35 different species, not to
mention the wide use of decoys in hunting.The ability to imitate a
wide variety of sounds of prey, and other environmental sounds as
well, would have been selected for, as well as the imitation of
postures, movements, and gestures (Fischer,1981). This theory is
intuitively appealing in that, in essence, it means that Nature, the
elements, taught human to speak. Many researchers (e.g., Falk, 1980)
posit that deitic and iconic gestures were originally used to
communicative references during hunts, etc., which were slowly
supplanted by vocal referents. This may explain the ubiquitous
supportive presence of gestures during speech. However, individual
communications may have evolved not to describe the physical world
as much as the social world (cf. Bateson, 1966; Humphreys, 1976).

How did language evolve?

How did language develop? Did it developed in parallel with
cognitive abilities? Is it true that "language is less a gift of the
gods than an exploitation of the primate potential" (Desmond, 1979)?
Gibson (1981) compares the acquisition of object manipulation with
the acquisition of language skills, In phylogeny and ontogeny both
of these abilities mature through differentiation of existing
behaviors into smaller component parts, whose parts are combined and
recombined into new and varied behavioral patterns (see above). This
occurs vocally, semantically, and syntactically. Gradually, through
babbling, infantile coos differentiate into phonemes, which are
combinable into a virtually infinite variety of words. Similarly,
the semantic meaning conveyed by a child's first utterances is not
clearly differentiated and parents must judge from the immediate
context of the utterance. For example, the utterance "milk" made by
a young child could indicate the simple recognition of milk, or the
desire for a drink of milk. As grammatical and semantic skills
developed, the child becomes capable of constructing sentences with
various distinct meanings. In terms of syntactical constructions,
the speech of children begins with single word utterances. Gradual
increases on the mean length of utterances occurs during the second
and third years, coinciding with the development of grammatical
competence (Brown, 1980). The first grammatical constructions are
those of simple position: e.g., agent-action-object. The ability to
differentiate agent and object on the basis of more complex
grammatical rules (as in "the girl is kissed by the boy" or "the
girl that the boy kissed") does not emerge until about five to six
years of age (Limber, 1980). Children at this age can construct
hierarchical embedded structures and are able to judge the meaning
of an utterance by the sum total of grammatical features, rather
than by a single feature or position alone.

A constructional theory of the origin of language postulates a close
correspondence between the communicative and tool-using abilities of
primates (Reynolds,1981). (This theory is particularly interesting
in light of the possible dissociation of these capacities in the two
Pan species). According to this type of theory, the precursor of
human linguistic structure may be found in anthropoid constructional
ability in which objects are arranged into new functional
configurations (such as a ladder). Constructional actions possess
the following properties of (1) intentionality, (2) high-speed
execution of both sequential and simultaneous constituents, (3) the
creation of a new entity from constituent parts, (4) recursiveness,
(5) generalization to new contexts, and (6) nesting of one operation
within another. Ape ladder building has been observed in captivity.
Elements of this skill which parallel the structure of human
language are: (1) extensive practice of voluntary motor movements;
(2) ladders can be built quickly; (3) new construction not reducible
to constituent behaviors (no single element of ladder permits the
ape to climb higher); (4) each pole in one ladder is often used in
functionally different ways or positions in constructing other
ladders (evidence of recursive application);(5) the ability is
generalized to new contexts, with different poles, different
locations; (6) behaviors are nested in that the output of one
support operation is used as the input to another; and there is no
implicitly correct order of actions in ladder construction, actions
are executed within a hierarchical tree structure. Individual apes
build each ladder, but it is use socially to the extent that others
often hold or steady the ladder as others are climbing it. Hence,
human language is the product of general evolutionary changes of
primate constructional ability (Reynolds, 1981).

Gibson (1981) rejects constructional accounts of linguistic
development which are closely tied to tool use. Gestures like tool
use and object manipulation both depend upon differentiation and
construction in visual and manual modes, but speech depends on vocal
and auditory modes. The difference between the abilities in the two
species of Pan may indicating some evolutionary divergence between
vocal skills and the capacity for object manipulation.
Neuropsychological evidence indicate that the highest constructional
levels of tool use and language use are both mediated by the
inferior parietal and anterior frontal association areas. For
instance, lesions in these areas can result in any of the following:
ideational apraxia (inability to use objects properly), ideomotor
apraxia (inability to imitate gestures), inability to name objects,
and inability to understand or construct complex grammatical
relationships. But she notes that while aphasics need not be
apraxic, in general apraxic patients are usually always aphasia
(Gibson, 1981). She concludes that the synchrony between maturation
of object manipulation and language skills, in light of
neuropsychological evidence, reflects two closely tied but separate
neurological processes.

This does not deny a possible fundamental parallel between language
and skilled movement sequences. Complex motor skills are
hierarchically organized: i.e., "the responses contained in a
movement sequence exist as sets of sequential dependencies that
effect the probability of subsequent responses" (Gibson,1981,
pp.20-21). Calvin (1988) suggests the sequential processing involved
in syntactical processing was first developed in complex motor
sequences, such as throwing objects to hit targets. The sequence of
muscle commands which are necessary for walking or breathing may be
viewed as a preadaptation for rule- governed syntactical processing
(Lieberman, 1981). Gregory (1970) suggests that the rule-governed
nature of human language is an extension of neural rules that order
retinal patterns into objects. The phylogeny of language involved a
"take-over operation" in which humans exploited the development of
the visual system in higher primates to structure vocal signalling:
representational and perceptual processes were integrated with
communicative processes.

Human language is a communication system that is also a cognitive
system . The first steps toward complete integration of
representational and communicative systems in the mammalian brain
probably began millions of years ago. Considering general
ecological, morphological, and perceptual constraints, cetaceans
seem best suited, among all mammals, to develop communal
constructions of reality. Strangely, there is little evidence of a
theory of mind in dolphins, positive or negative. Accounts of
altruistic acts by cetaceans are many, and even some behaviors which
border on pedagogy, but few if any empirical tests have been
designed to investigate this issue. There is anecdotal evidence of
dolphins behaving as if they are aware of the existence of other
minds. Do dolphins monitor the effects of signals that they emit and
change their behaviors accordingly? It may be premature to answer
now. Behaviors which are illicit and punishable are often performed
only when a dolphin believes no one is around (e.g., Savage-Rumbaugh
and Hopkins, 1986). When a dolphin squirts water at a human (to show
annoyance), he will often raise his head out of the water to
curiously observe the effect his behavior had on the unsuspecting
victim (personal observation). Both examples show an awareness of
effects one's behavior has on others. Dolphins demonstrate what
Pryor (1986) calls insightful behavior. An experienced animal will
"check out" a training criteria by running through a series of
variations on a learned behavior. Development of a productive
communicative skills in dolphins, such as mimicry, would benefit
many areas of investigation. "Future work on artificial systems
should pursue the development of phoneme-like set of recombinable
sound patterns which optimize perceptual distinctiveness and
reproducibility" (Richards, 1986). The integration of
representational and communicative systems, as partly demonstrated
by the impairment effect (Premack, 1985), have yet to be extensively
explored in dolphins. Even instruction in the use of lexigram
systems would start to resolve some questions concerning dolphin
cognitive and linguistic abilities.

The human brain appears to better organized to impose structure on
visual data than on auditory data, and in the dolphins the reverse
may be true. Forestell and Herman (1986) report indirect evidence
that an object is more an object (e.g., perceived as contiguous)
when it is heard than when it is seen by a dolphin. The kind of self
that might be constructed by dolphins probably involves acoustic
more than visual inputs. Echolocation shares an unusual structural
feature with human language: its contribution to the reality
constructed by the brain may depend on a signal generated by other
animals. Various social interactions in bats, such as foraging and
agonistic behaviors, depend on the ability to intercept the vocal
signals of others (Fenton, 1980). Why did many species of dolphins
attain such large brains? In view of their high cost, we must
propose enhancements of data from echolocation (Jerison, 1988).
Co-occurrence of communicative and perceptual processes in the same
modality would create tremendous pressure for a communally-shared
symbol system. Echolocating animals can possibly share raw acoustic
information, unprocessed, the very elements from which
representational and communicative codes are developed. Integration
of representational and communicative systems in dolphins may not be
as much a unifying process as less segregation at the outset. Lilly
(1967) believed that dolphins were unable to distinguish their sonar
from their communications. One's concept of self is tied to the ways
and degree of acquiring knowledge. Sharing the very vividness of
natural objects would result in intense group cohesion with a
reduction of individuating processes. This communal experience may
change the boundaries of the self: many members of a group may act
as a "decision-making unit" (Jerison, 1986).

Different animals are conscious of different aspects of their world,
from proprioceptive body awareness to awareness of agency and social
agency (Cheney & Seyfarth). The extent of mental attribution in
humans ("linguistic self consciousness", Crook, 1983) may be a
consequence of extensive integration of representational and
communicative systems, channeled by social demands. During human
evolution, elements of intra-individual communication (cognitive
structures and processes) became progressively linked to and
developed with elements of interindividual communication (displays,
calls). This integration requires tremendous expenditures in terms
of time and other resources to develop and maintain in the members
of a culture. Poets, artists, scientists, and other creative members
of society may develop a higher degree of integration of these two
symbol systems during ontogeny and work very hard to maintain this
desegregration of abilities as adults. "The quality and range of
intellectual performance demonstrated by any member of a species is
in part a function of the breadth and intensity of the long- term
education that individual has received" (Herman,1986). The role
education plays in a species' representational and communicative
systems cannot be overlooked. Nonlanguage-trained animals perform
worse in tasks which require complex manipulation or mental
representations than language-trained animals in similar tasks
(Premack, 1985, see above). Language- trained dolphin & signing
human both process patterns hierarchically, more so than controls
(Shyan & Herman,1987). As with apes, we must admit that there is no
convincing evidence for a sophisticated language in the natural
communications of dolphins. However, we must also admit that the
basic component(s) of dolphin signaling is still largely unknown
(Smith,1986). Proponents of continuity theory can take comfort from
other findings, such as mimicry, observational learning,
protocultural influences on behavior, pedagogy, and the attribution
of minds in others: all of which are telltale signs of the partial
integration of representational and communicative capacities of
mammals.

-DK
---------------------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

Learning Outside The Lines: Two Ivy League Students With Learning
Disabilities ...
by Jonathan Mooney, David Cole
Practical guide to achieving postschool goals who those labelled LD
or ADHD. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 068486598X/top100

Pediatric Epilepsy: Diagnosis and Therapy
by John M. Pellock, et al
Resource for child neurologists and interested professionals.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1888799307/top100

Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul
by Robert Ackerman, et al
Collection of stories on recovery from alcoholism and drug
addiction, behavioral disorders, destructive relationships, and
others. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0757302033/top100

Parenting Children With ADHD: 10 Lessons That Medicine Cannot Teach
by Vincent J. Monastra
Addresses basic problems and guidelines, including importance of a
lesson plan, how to teach children to manage their anger, why
nutrition is critical and why yelling rarely solves anything.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591471826/top100

The Treatment of Epilepsy
by Simon D. Shorvon, et al
Systematic review of contemporary therapy in epilepsy.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0632060468/top100

Brain Mapping: The Methods, Second Edition
by Arthur W. Toga, John C. Mazziotta
Methodology of functional neuroimaging -- a must for any cognitive
neuroscientist or neuropsychiatrist. --www.amazon.com/
exec/obidos/ASIN/0126930198/top100

Clinical Neurophysiology
by Jasper R. Daube
Covers the range of neurophysiological approaches to the diagnosis
and management of neurologic disease. --
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/019514080X/top100

Different Brains, Different Learners: How to Reach the Hard to Reach
by Eric Jensen
Practical guide with teaching strategies to reach underachieving
children. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 1890460087/top100

Clinical Neurophysiology at the Beginning of the 21st Century
by International Congress
Overview of clinical neurophysiology in diagnosis, prognosis and
management of peripheral and central nervous system disorders.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0444504990/top100

  ---


JOURNAL PAPERS

Psychiatric disorders in parents of children with autism : Parents
of children with autism were found to have more psychiatric
difficulties than other parents.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15660645

Neurogenesis in the adult. : Impairment of adult neurogenesis may be
one of the culprits behind certain brain diseases, like depression,
epilepsy, and neurodegenerative disorders.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15662080

Human brain imaging and substance abuse. : Neuroimaging studies have
revealed an acute increase in dopamine release after drug abuse,
often followed by hypofunction after chronic use, and cue
exposure-induced activation of the frontal cortex.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15661624

Functional connectivity in working memory task in high-functioning
autism. : Activity in prefrontal regions was more correlated with
left parietal regions for controls and the right parietal regions
for the autism group.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15652316

Reduced size and abnormal asymmetry of parietal cortex in women with
BPD : Smaller hippocampal size is found in BPD and PTSD, possibly
reflecting a neurodevelopmental deficit of the right hemisphere in
BPD.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15652877

Functional neuroimaging and cognitive rehabilitation for TBI :
Reviews current literature on functional neuroimaging after
traumatic brain injury, relating these findings to cognitive
rehabilitation.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15632490

Reduced Anterior Corpus Callosum in Cocaine- Dependent Subjects. :
Reduced integrity of anterior corpus callosum white matter in
cocaine users is related to impaired impulse control.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15637640

Collaborative problem solving in affectively dysregulated children :
A cognitive-behavioral model of intervention produced improvements
across multiple domains of functioning at posttreatment
andfollow-up.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15612861

For the law, neuroscience changes nothing and everything. : Review
and speculation of the promise cognitive neuroscience holds for
explaining the operations of the mind and misbehavior.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15590618

Mental illness and substance abuse disorders among juvenile
offenders : Of the incarcerated juveniles in Mississippi, most met
criteria for one mental disorder one-third had co-occurring mental
health and substance abuse disorders.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15626325



---------------------------------------------------------------------


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

Boston MA Apr 7-10
Chicago IL, May 19-22
Alexandria, VA Jun 23-26

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.


Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers
CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

AAPB  - http://www.aapb.org      Austin TX       Apr 1-4
SABA  - http://www.skiltopo.com  Anchorage AK    Jun 6-12
ISNR  - http://www.isnr.org      Denver CO       Sep 8-11
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Last Word

none
----------------

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

Vol. 8 No. 1 - January 2005

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 the author's only. Copyright (C) 2005
by EEG Spectrum Intl, Inc. or David Kaiser. All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Announcements      - News
In the Spotlight   - Open Access Articles
News & Reviews     - Books & journal papers
Events & Locations - Conferences, Courses
Last Word          - 2004 Index

----------------------------------------------------------------

What's New in Neurofeedback enters its 8th year! making it the
longest-running, continuously published webzine dedicated o mental
health in history.

Brain tests Help Evaluate Mental Condition
Science Points to a 'Sixth Sense'
Monkeys Control Robotic Arm With Brain
McMaster to study the brains behind the music
Older Adults' Memories Stress the Positive
Awareness May Remain After Severe Brain Injury
The Therapeutic Mind Scan

ll links at:
http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=science&cat=brain_research

---------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Spotlight

Open Access Articles

The January 2005 issue of Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics in
North America features a number of review articles on neurotherapy.
Conditions reviewed include ADHD, addiction, anxiety disorders,
addiction, epilepsy, as well as the use of quantitative EEG in
psychiatric conditions. As it so happens, my college library does
not subscribe to this journal, but it does have interlibrary loan
which means that each article will be scanned by a participating
library and emailed to me as a PDF file. It costs a small fortune
but it can be worth it (especially when the college picks up the
cost.) We live in an information age and nearly every journal
article is now available for download online. But always at a price.

This month I thought I would help to reduce that price. In past
newsletters I've provided comprehensive citation lists for
neurofeedback articles, but citation lists point to abstracts --
abstracts are free and useful, but limited -- they do not contain
details, and it is with details we convince. God dwells in the
details, to quote post-WWI architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (also
supposedly responsible for "less is more").

This month I sought out high quality papers, most published in
journals, that are available online for free.

psychiatrictimes.com/p020268.html
EEG Neurofeedback for Treating Psychiatric Disorders, Psychiatric
Times February 2002

www.eegfeedback.org/pdf/o_donnell.pdf
Evaluation of the effectiveness of EEG neurofeedback training for
ADHD in a clinical setting...

www.zoningin.rcm.ac.uk/ICMPC_NF.pdf
Comparing learned EEG self-regulation and the alexander technique as
a means of enhancing musical performance, 7th Intl Conference on
Music Perception and Cognition, Sydney, 2002

www.openfocus.com/text/clinical.pdf
Attention and Neurofeedback Synchrony Training: Clinical Results and
Their Significance

https://haworthpressinc.com/store/sampletext/J184.pdf
Clinical Use of an Alpha Asymmetry Neurofeedback Protocol in the
Treatment of Mood Disorders: Follow-Up Study One to Five Years Post
Therapy

www.drakeinstitute.com/research-article/neurofeedback-methylphenidate
.pdf
Neurofeedback treatment for ADHD in children...

www.snr-jnt.org/journalnt/jnt(1-1)7.html
A Comparison of EEG Biofeedback and Psychostimulants in Treating
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders (html format)

www.eee.deu.edu.tr/academics/courses/EEE401/eeg_fndmntls.pdf
Fundamentals of EEG Measurement

www.eelab.usyd.edu.au/ELEC3801/notes/electroencephalogram.pdf
Fundamentals of Biomedical Engineering, Electroencephalogram

www.adhd.com.au/Comprehensive%20Neurofeedback%20Bibliography.pdf
Comprehensive Neurotherapy Bibliography, or
http://www.isnr.org/nfbarch/nbiblio.htm

http://www.snr-jnt.org/jnttoc.htm
Journal of Neurotherapys, first three years
  --

General repositories of open access material

http://cogprints.org
CogPrints, free archive of papers (very limited at the moment)

arxiv.org
ArXiv's Quantitative Biology area (very technical papers and only 18
EEG papers)

www.biomedcentral.com
BioMed Central, over 100 Open Access journals covering all areas of
Biology and Medicine.

http://archives.eprints.org
ePrints archives

www.doaj.org
DOAJ - Directory of Open Access Journals

The best overview of neurofeedback (until now, perhaps) was the 2000
edition of "Clinical EEG". www.ecnsweb.com/images/ articles2000.htm.
The reprints will cost you, but as Frederick Douglass put it, "you
might not always get what you pay for, but you always pay for what
you get."

-DK


---------------------------------------------------------------------

News & Reviews

Children and Behavioural Problems: Anxiety, Aggression, Depression ADHD
by Martine F. Delfos
A biopsychological model of children mental health, focused on
diagnosis and treatment
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1843101963/top100

Epidemiology of Sleep: Age, Gender, and Ethnicity
by Kenneth L. Lichstein, et al
Sleep of normal individuals is reviewed by age and gender.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805840796/top100

Magnetic Source Imaging of the Human Brain
by Zhong-Lin Lu, Lloyd Kaufman
Current understanding of neuromagnetic fields.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805845119/top100

Principles of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
by George P. Prigatano
Written for professionals; discusses remediation of higher cerebral
disturbances and management of patients' interpersonal problems.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195081439/top100

Anxiety Disorders in Adults: A Clinical Guide
by Vladan Starcevic
Each adult anxiety disorder is reviewed in a separate chapter.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195156064/top100

Physiology of Behavior
by Neil R. Carlson
Comprehensive textbook, which also includes the latest discoveries
in the changing fields of neuroscience and psychophysiology
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0205381758/top100

Detection of Change: Event-Related Potential and fMRI Findings
by John Polich
Reviews a range of experimental studies using stimulus change
paradigms, with clinical data augmenting the utility of the methods.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1402073933/top100

Magnetic Resonance in Epilepsy: Neuroimaging Techniques, Second
Edition
by Ruben Kuzniecky, Graeme D. Jackson
Overview of new technology in the assessment and treatment of
epilepsy.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 0124311520/top100

Current Practice of Clinical Electroencephalography
by John S. Ebersole, Timothy A.Pedley
Covers the full range of applications of EEG and evoked potentials
in clinical practice.
--www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ ASIN/0781716942/top100


-----

JOURNAL PAPERS

ERPs correlates of EEG relative beta training in ADHD children. :
ADHD children (n=86) underwent approximately 20 sessions of EEG
biofeedback (enhancing 15-18 Hz relative power, and other
components). Good performers acquired positive evoked component over
frontal-central areas as a result of training.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15598513

Meta-analysis of quantitative sleep parameters from childhood to old
age : 40 years of research find: in adults, total sleep time, sleep
efficiency, percentage of slow-wave and REM sleep, and REM latency
decrease with age, while sleep latency, percentage of stage 1 and
stage 2 and wake after sleep onset increase with age
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15586779

Left inferior prefrontal cortex activity reflects inhibitory
priming. : The left inferior prefrontal cortex inhibits interference
from prepotent representations during task-appropriate target
selection. This is consistent with its role in behavioral
inhibition.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15601518

Executive dysfunction in cocaine addiction : Cocaine users show an
over-reliance on left cerebellum, a compensatory pattern previously
seen in alcohol addiction.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15590917

EEG Correlates of Methylphenidate Response in ADHD : Increased
frontal beta activity was correlated with med- related improvement
on the Conners' CPT and parental ratings. Decreased right frontal
theta activity was associated with parent-rated attention
improvements.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15622134

Low interhemispheric and high intrahemispheric EEG coherence in
migraine. : Twenty women with migraine were evaluated. 95% with
migraine and 85% of controls were correctly classified with EEG
coherence analysis .
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15613226

Low-resolution electromagnetic tomography neurofeedback. : Describes
the first application of an EEG inverse solution to neurofeedback.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15614994

Two new neurophysiological indices of cocaine craving :
Cocaine-dependent subjects show augmented slow- positive waves (ERP)
on cocaine pictures compared to neutral pictures.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15582921

Addiction, a condition of compulsive behaviour? Evidence of
inhibitory dysregulation. : Anterior cingulate and orbitofrontal
cortex, both critical in inhibitory control over reward-related
behavior, are dysfunctional in addiction, as they are in compulsive
disorders; so addiction may modelled as a compulsion.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15585037

EEG biofeedback for reading disability and traumatic brain injury. :
Initial support for improving brain injury and reading disabilities
in particiular with neurofeedback.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564056

Role of QEEG in child and adolescent psychiatric disorders. :
Critical review of quantitative EEG research relevant to its
clinical application. Includes a neurophysiologic model of ADD.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564051

Critical validation studies of neurofeedback. : Review at validating
neurofeedback protocols for improving attention, memory, and
performance in healthy participants.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15564053

Electrodermal reactivity and its association to substance use
disorders. : Poor modulators have more symptoms of substance use
disorders than good modulators, which may reflect a biological risk
factor for substance use disorders.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15563350

---------------------------------------------------------------------


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

Orlando FL Feb 24-27
Phoenix AZ Mar 10-13
Boston MA Apr 7-10

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.


Conferences for Neurofeedback Clinicians & Researchers
CONFERENCE                      LOCATION           DATES

AAPB  - http://www.aapb.org      Austin TX       Apr 1-4
SABA  - http://www.skiltopo.com  Anchorage AK    Jun 6-12
ISNR  - http://www.isnr.org      Denver CO       Sep 8-11
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Last Word

2004 Index of WNIN

Spotlight articles

AAPB, 35th Annual Conference (April 2004)
Beware a Terrace Effect
Books for a Young Neurotherapist
Epidemics Revisited
International Society for Neuronal Regulation
Knowledge in the Information Age
Neurotherapy in the Popular Press
SABA 3, Annual Conference
Science of Love, The
75 Years of EEG Investigation
Take Two Placebos and Call Me in the Morning, revised
Year in Neurofeedback, The - 2004



Last Word

Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness
Faulty Foresight
Hand and Brain
Ideas from the Ferry
Information about Mental Health
Online Neuroscience Resources
Research Articles, 2000-2003
QEEG Research: Who, where, and what
Search for Terrestrial Intelligence
2003 Index
Vulnerable to Vocabulary
When Rats Die for Reward

Additional WNIN articles, 1998-2004 -
http://start.eegspectrum.com/Newsletter/review.htm
----------------