Neurofeedback for a New Millennium

Get Plugged In and Turned On To a Healthier Life Neurofeedback for a New Millennium by Vicke Quinlyn

There is a rhythm…..a flow to all of life.

In a world where modern technologies, computers, TV’s, Satellites and cell phones loom all around us, we are reminded daily of the delicate balance of correct alignment. Where too much flow overloads circuits and too little flow interrupts reception, even our debt cards will not work if inserted upside down.

The human body is our ancient technology vibrating with the internal flow of life and energy, pulsating with the rhythm of blood, lymph, and cellular rejuvenation, our brain being the central receiver our life dependent upon that flow of energy.

We have a microcosmic universe inside, where reception and the flow of energy can create balance, and life runs smoothly. When the electrical patterns in the brain are out of balance we experience them as headaches, learning disabilities, or obsessive-compulsive behaviors, anxiety, depression, mood swings, and or addictions.

Each of us may take for granted the ease at which life unfolds. We may not even be aware of our brain until something happens that causes us to take a step back. For some it is in the form of a panic attack. For others it is a recurring loss of all motivation to keep going on. We experience the effect of these imbalances differently. It could even be low self-esteem or self-loathing as Brooke was experiencing. She confessed, ”I hated myself.”

John was having problems controlling his temper. He said, “I used to have a knee jerk response and impulsive reactions no matter what I did, and I did it to excess.” Having chronic back pain he was also addicted to pain medications.

Maya began to have severe anxiety. She said, “I was always so high strung. I would just go so fast, and then crash and get sick. Intellectually I knew I needed to slow down. When I started having panic attacks, I knew I had to change.”

There are times when we feel disconnected and out of balance when we want to self medicate or stimulate dependent upon the brain waves. An excess of Beta brainwaves can leave us with a feeling of tension and anxiety. Excessive slow brainwave activity can produce symptoms such as ADD/ADHD, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and difficulty in controlling attention, emotions, with impulsive mood behaviors.

The brain operates at different wavelengths or frequency. This is the rate at which the electrical charge moves through the brain cells or neurons. The communication between groups of neurons is sometimes too fast or sometimes too slow. Ideally, the optimum idling ‘speed’ for our brain is measured using cycles per second or 14 Hertz (Hz).

A leading psychologist and neurofeedback specialist practicing over 20 years, Dan Staso, PhD, currently has his practice in Santa Barbara and Ventura, CA. He explains, “Neurofeedback is the monitoring of brain waves with the goal of changing the patterns that are associated with a variety of symptoms.”

Further explaining this rhythm and balance Dr. Staso continues,”Your brain produces four distinct types of brain waves, which are labeled in Greek letters.” People usually have a mixture of frequencies at any given time, but the dominant frequency varies depending on the state of consciousness. Starting with the fastest of the brainwaves: Beta waves are above 13Hz and are associated with outward focus and concentration. They represent a state of alertness. Alpha waves are a little bit slower and larger than Beta waves ranging from 8-12Hz. These waves represent the brain going into a relaxed state and should dominate when you close your eyes. Theta waves are much slower waves between 4-8Hz. These waves are typically fleeting and everyone passes through them as they start to fall asleep and as they are waking up. Delta waves are the slowest at 0.5-4Hz and they are dominant when a person is fast asleep.

Dr. Dan Staso shares, “The core of my work is EEG neurofeedback training. I use several units, but the one I currently use the most is a software program called the Bioexplorer in combination with the NeuroIntegrator hardware. Five noninvasive, painless sensors are attached to the scalp. The placement is dependent upon the individual client’s training protocol. These wires connect to an EEG amplifier, which is connected to the computer where they are then filtered into specific brainwave frequency bandwidths. The computer translates these signals to a monitor where a person can see their own individualized EEG pattern. With one click, the client begins to receive a reward when their brain waves move towards balance. A person might watch computer animations, listen to music, or watch a movie for the training experience. The reward stops and starts depending on what the brain is doing. I want to make it a pleasant and enjoyable experience. Often, the client wears a special pair of see-through glasses that use LED colored lights. The flickering rate matches the dominant frequency, but at a slight offset. The goal of the training is to gently but steadily reduce the excessive amplitude of the brain as well as the excessive variability of the amplitude. You re-train your brain (a process of self-regulation) to produce optimal performance and normalization.”

Brooke, John and Maya all have one thing in common, training for their imbalances though neurofeedback with Dr. Dan Staso. Each had an electrical pattern that consisted of high amplitude and wide variability in different areas of the brain. As a result, it caused difficulties in their relationships, work and overall happiness. Neurofeedback training sessions have produced a greater balance and created a healthier life for each of them. Brooke has regained the confidence and self-esteem that was lacking. She remarked, “I was skeptical at first. I can actually feel my brain clearing up. My mood is so much more stable. I ended up getting a better job.” John is no longer hooked on pain medications and he is able to be at ease behind the wheel of his car where he exceeds 1,200 miles per week. He added, “It feels like the major issues have been dealt with, and are behind me. Pain is a non-issue and I don’t undermine myself anymore.”

Maya said, “My energy is very even now. At work it’s easier to focus calmly on a task. Even just cutting vegetables in the kitchen, I chop more calmly. I don’t get burnt out now. I definitely felt like it had some impact on me, like it was putting my brain back in order again. I’ve done a lot of yoga before this and no yoga, even the best yoga experiences, gave me this kind of clarity.”

Getting plugged in and turned on to neurofeedback begins the process of retraining your brain for permanent lasting results. Through monitoring the biological process, amplifying it and feeding back to the brain, your brain can change. Over the last 40 years, a transformation has taken place in this field of neurological study through the accomplishments of persistent men and women.

Pioneering spirits have created a great revolutionary evolution in the field of study on the human brain. They include, Barry Sterman, PhD, professor of neurobiology and biobehavioral psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine. Dr. Sterman’s classic neurofeedback study was in the 1970’s. He trained cats to increase their brain waves at a frequency called SMR. In a later study, he discovered that when these cats were exposed to toxic vapors, they did not have epileptic seizures like the ones who did not receive the training. He translated this finding to humans. Dr. Sterman has achieved a 60% reduction of refractory epilepsy seizures for 60% of his patients.

Joel Lubar, PhD at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, a former research associate of Dr. Sterman, noticed that the seizure patients who also had hyperactivity showed significant improvement in this problem as well. Dr. Lubar went on to create the protocol used for the treatment of ADD.

Margaret Ayers was also a researcher with Dr. Sterman at UCLA. She set up the first ever neurofeedback clinic in the 1970’s. Based in Beverly Hills CA, she now holds a patent on the world’s first all digital real-time EEG neurofeedback device, called Neuropathways. Her studies have lead to a deeper understanding into head injuries and recovery from them. She has become world famous for bringing patients out of comas.

Dr. Staso sees a wide application this technology. He said, “Many people need help for their emotional or behavioral problems but don’t exactly want talk therapy. Some issues either take a long time or never completely remit by talking about it. I see neurofeedback as an alternative for those individuals. Of course, a person can do both at the same time. Neurofeedback needs to be seen as an alternative method, the same as biofeedback in general is seen. The core of my work is self-regulation. It’s all about bringing your life back into balance and the brain is the master regulator. So why not focus on that? I simply encourage the brain to quiet itself down. When it does this, it does its own self-correction. In that sense I’m not doing anything. The brain does its own healing.”

Neurofeedback for the new millennium, get plugged in, and turned on to the rhythm and flow that creates balance and live a life at ease.

Dr. Staso’s website is www.neurofeedback-sb.com.