Book Brand New
Biofeedback for the Brain
By Paul Swingle
220 Pages
Hardcover
Publication Date 2008/05/30
ISBN : 9780813542874
Description:
Neurofeedback is a therapeutic technique based on the idea that we can control our brain activity. It is thought that through direct training of brain function, the brain learns to modify its own electrical patterns for more efficient processing or to overcome states of disregulation. Since the technique first became popularized in the 1970s, neurofeedback has been used clinically to treat numerous conditions, from attention deficient and hyperactivity disorders to epilepsy, migraine, and depression. It is based on the more general principle of biofeedback in which physiological signals can be measured and adjusted through conscious, learned responses. In neurofeedback, or EEG biofeedback, as it is sometimes called, scalp electrodes are attached to the head to record patterns of brain activity in real-time. A computer monitor displays this activity for both the client-patient and the practitioner. The information about the brain's activity is used to guide subsequent waves of neural responses, with the goal being that dysfunctional patterns of brain activity can be self-regulated to alleviate psychological, neurological, and cognitive disorders. While it is not known exactly how neurofeedback works, as an interpretive and therapeutic tool, it is now widely accepted as an alternative to drugs for many psychoneural conditions. The American Psychological Association endorses the practice, while many psychiatrists remain skeptical. For consumers, though, neurofeedback offers a chance for healing.
Item # 3456028