Neurofeedback News and Research May 2018
Cal State San Bernardino publishes a study on Neurofeedback and PTSD with very positive results
One in five veterans returning from active combat has symptoms of PTSD. PTSD symptoms can include agitation, hostility, hypervigilance, self-destructive behavior, social isolation, flashbacks, severe anxiety, depression, and insomnia. It is notoriously hard to treat- the most promising therapy up until now in the world of conventional medicine has been CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).
In this recently published study, veterans with PTSD experienced significant improvements in well-being. Initially 80 percent of the veterans were experiencing severe to moderate levels of distress. Following neurofeedback treatment, 78 percent of them reported positive levels of well-being.
“Overall the findings support artifact-corrected neurofeedback as a clinically-effective intervention that helps improve some of the impairments associated with PTSD and that specific improvements in auditory attention and processing speed can contribute to greater well-being.” -Cal State San Bernadino
Time course of clinical change following neurofeedback
A recent study, by combining data from two ongoing neurofeedback studies, has found that the symptoms treated with neurofeedback during these studies continue to improve for weeks after the treatment. Most neurofeedback studies stop measuring the therapeutic response after the treatment is over, which could result in skewed results, showing less therapeutic effect.