Neurofeedback uses technology to retrain the brain

A therapy evolving from scientific investigations early last century to improve brain function has shown promise for helping victims of head trauma and in some cases replacing medication, according to Yuma practitioners.

Neurofeedback uses advanced technology to retrain the brain in order to think more clearly, said Sue Wrigley, who operates Brain Matters, a neurofeedback therapy office.

Brain injury victims of automobile accidents and sports accidents, as well as stroke and attention deficit disorder (ADD) patients can improve by participating in a series of neurofeedback sessions, she said.

"We use feedback on a computer monitor so clients can watch visuals that let them know they're making progress," Wrigley said. "If you want a higher level of thinking, people can control their brainwave patterns to function more efficiently."

Electrodes that run to a computer at one end are attached to a client's scalp at the other end. The computer tracks and measures certain key brainwave frequencies. The procedure is noninvasive and does not send any electrical charge into the skull, nor is there any pain, Wrigley said.

By highlighting the ebb and flow of brainwave activity with a graph on the computer monitor, a "reward" bell on computer speakers rings continually if clients can consciously increase desired activity level and diminish the undesirable.

The brain waves recorded are beta waves and theta waves. The objective is for clients to increase beta waves, used for problem solving, and decrease theta waves, which induce sleeping. While watching two bar graphs, clients may change their thinking to achieve better thought processes, explained Wrigley.

"In clients with ADD, there is an excess of theta waves, which interferes with clear thinking. Many with ADD might describe the condition as being in a fog. Clients can start thinking different thoughts when they see improved brain patterns."

Wrigley noted that studies on neurofeedback began in the 1920s with the work of psychologist Hans Berger. In the 1960s, Joe Kamiya and Elmer Green did research into the brain's alpha waves and their results contributed to the field of neurofeedback. They discovered that alpha waves are linked to relaxation and that people could control their own alpha waves to reduce stress.

Neurofeedback retrains the brainwaves to function optimally, said Jeana Alvarado, Wrigley's associate. It will also measure the electrical voltage discharged in the brain. The ideal range would be 2.5 volts or stronger while most injured clients record below 2.0 volts. By adjusting the electrodes on different parts of the scalp, the technician can pinpoint which part of the brain may have suffered an injury.

"In clients with ADD, we'd see a lot of theta waves," Alvarado said. "Some of those who take Ritalin experience side effects. Neurofeedback can replace the medication by retraining the brainwaves to attain a normal pattern."

Neurofeedback sessions typically last half an hour and depending on the severity of the injury, clients can achieve progress in 20 to 40 sessions, Alvarado said. Clients who successfully complete a program report better concentration, better short-term memory, better physical condition, improved mood and more restful sleep, she noted.

Clients who are highly motivated, more relaxed, or can control respiration with deep breathing exercises report better results. And in addition to sometimes reducing the need for

medication, neurofeedback in some cases has eliminated seizures or migraine headaches entirely, Alvarado said.

Dr. Bapu Aluri, a neurologist who works in conjunction with Yuma Rehabilitation Hospital, said certain clients can benefit from neurofeedback sessions.

Yet how effective it is may be difficult to determine. It depends on the technician's skills and the ailment's severity. With traumatic injury it can be hard to know exactly where the brain injury is.

"The good thing about it, there is no medication," Aluri said. "It might work well for migraines, memory loss, epilepsy and depression."

However, Aluri cautioned neurofeedback would not work well for those with mental retardation because the client would have difficulty processing a technician's feedback to encourage them to increase the cycle of beta waves.

"The beauty of it is, individuals retrain their own brains without medication," he said. "Eventually patients can taper off medication. But it ought to be done in conjunction with a psychiatrist or a neurologist."

Neurofeedback can also benefit those with hypoglycemia or hypersensitivity to noise, light or even those with learning disorders, noted Wrigley.

"We want to work with people who want to have a more fuller life," she said.

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William Roller can be reached at

wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.