Neurotherapy with Adults

Several possible conceptualizations of neurotherapy are discussed: EEG operant conditioning; EEG homeostatic normalization; and utilization of EEG biofeedback as a means of accessing particular states of consciousness. Attention is given to how neurotherapy is actually done and when it may be a useful adjunct to psychological or medical therapies. Integration of neurotherapy with the larger framework of cognitive behavior therapy and the biopsychosocial model is discussed. Three case studies of adults involving the use of neurotherapy are described.     

The Neurotherapy of Anxiety Disorders

Only five studies of patients met criteria for this review. Four of the five had a good clinical outcome. The only one without efficacy reported no enhancement of the target waveform. Of the other four, two reported some enhancement, whereas two gave no details about changes in the target waveform. There were 10 studies of nonpatients with generalized anxiety, of which eight had a good outcome. The decrease of anxiety in these eight studies was correlated with enhancement of the target waveform in five. Three of the eight had no increase of alpha, showing placebo plays a part in neurotherapy. There were nine studies of nonpatients with phobic anxiety, of which six had enhancement of the target waveform accompanied by good outcome. The remaining three studies had poor outcome in spite of enhancement of the target waveform.     

EEG Biofeedback for Addictive Disorders—The State of the Art in 2004

This paper reviews studies of brainwave biofeedback as a therapeutic technique for substance use disorder. This modality is attractive as a medication free, neurophysiologic, and self actualizing treatment for a substance based, brain impaired and self-defeating disorder. Three approaches are described and the literature for each reviewed. Alpha–theta occipital feedback was originally employed to facilitate autosuggestion in hypnagogic states to augment standard therapy approaches in substance abuse treatment programs and appears most suited for chronic treatment resistant alcoholics. Beta augmentation feedback in conjunction with alpha/theta feedback has been employed in mixed substance abuse and stimulant abuse with good results. Individualized brainwave biofeedback based on correcting EEG abnormalities, or based on addressing comorbid conditions is a third approach that has been described, and may be most appropriate where confounding comorbid conditions are present. Although effectiveness in certain hard to treat populations (conventional treatment resistant alcoholics, crack cocaine addicts, cognitively impaired substance abusers) is promising, better-designed controlled studies are needed.