Decreases in overall well-being and daily functioning result from unpleasant and uncomfortable symptoms associated with physical health and mental health disorders. Neurofeedback training, rooted in the theory of operant conditioning, presents the possibility of increasing brain wave regulation, decreasing symptoms experienced from abnormal brain wave activity, and increasing overall well-being and daily functioning. The efficacy of neurofeedback for physical and mental health outcomes is unclear, contributing to confusion about the treatment and any potential benefits. In order to assess the efficacy of neurofeedback in the alleviation of physical health and mental health symptoms, a systematic review and meta-analysis of neurofeedback using a random effects model to generate the effect sizes was conducted on 21 studies with 22 comparisons that used neurofeedback to treat patients. The results showed that neurofeedback can be effective for physical and mental health outcomes, including for autism with an effect size of 0.29, tinnitus with an effect size of 0.77, schizophrenia with an effect size of 0.76, depression with an effect size of 0.28, insomnia with an effect size of 0.52, obesity with an effect size of 0.40, intellectual disability with an effect size of 0.73, and pain with an effect size of 0.30. Well-being and daily functioning for those with physical and mental health disorders can be improved. These findings have implications for clinical practice to help patients in treatment for physical and mental health problems, and also for social change by providing evidence for alternative health care options.

La presente tesi utilizza la metodologia neuroscientifica per studiare la comunicazione dal punto di vista della embodied cognition, la quale vede la comunicazione come la condivisione dell’informazione tra organismi biologici. Lo scopo della tesi è quello di aggiungere conoscenza in aree della comunicazione in cui l’applicazione delle neuroscienze è carente, usando una metodologia integrata che prevede la coregistrazione EEG-Biofeedback. All’interno della tematica della comunicazione mediata, il primo studio compara le pubblicità commerciale e prosociale, poiché l’applicazione delle neuroscienze a quest’ultima risulta carente. Lo scopo è quello di investigare l’esperienza relativa a questi due tipi di comunicazione, all’interno di differenti categorie semantiche di prodotto, confrontando misure implicite ed esplicite. Un secondo studio vuole illustrare il coinvolgimento di cues comunicative sensoriali durante l’esperienza del consumatore, esplorando diverse condizioni di stimolazione sensoriale entro un negozio per studiarne, a livello cerebrale, la loro interazione. Se la comunicazione possiede diversi livelli di consapevolezza, è possibile studiarla anche all’interno di condizioni patologiche. Un terzo studio, quindi, vuole trovare risposte ad alcuni interrogativi circa le componenti inconsce della comunicazione. In particolare, lo studio vuole valutare i processi sensoriali e cognitivi residui relativi al tatto in pazienti in stato vegetativo. / The present thesis fits the neuroscientific method to the embodied communication perspective, which defines communication as an information sharing between biological bodies. The aim of this thesis is to increase knowledge into different research areas related to communication, in which the application of neurosciences is already lacking, using a multimethod approach that employs EEG-Biofeedback co-registration. Within the topic of mediated communication, the first study compares commercial and social-issue advertising, given the lack of studies that investigate the latter with a neuroscientific approach. The aim is to investigate the experience of watching these two types of advertising, through different product categories, comparing overt and covert measures. A second study has the aim to illustrate the involvement of sensory communication cues during consumer experience, exploring different conditions of sensory stimulation inside a store, in order to understand the interaction between senses in the consumer’s brain. If communication can be seen as a continuum with multiple degrees of awareness, it can be also studied in clinical and pathological conditions. A third study, thus, tries to find answers to open questions about unconscious components of communication. In particular, the study assesses residual sensory and cognitive processes related to touch in vegetative state patients.

Subject of the thesis was focused on the utilization of EEG biofeedback for children with an Attention deficit disorder. The objective was to draw attention to one of the possible therapy methods for Attention deficit disorder and describe the EEG biofeedback in relation with it. The theoretical part addresses the attention disorders, their diagnostics, methods of treatment and the EEG biofeedback. The practical part describes use of the EEG biofeedback in work with children with the Attention deficit disorder through a qualitative research by means of in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interviews were handled from the viewpoint of a parent with a child having the attention disorder and from the view of a professional from a specialized institution. The results of the research on the examined cases show that this method of therapy may be effective not only in relation with the attention disorders, but it could also be used for other diagnosis.

EEG biofeedback (neurotherapy) has been demonstrated as effective in the treatment of alcoholism, as evidenced by Peniston and Kulkosky's research efforts. These neurotherapy pioneers evaluated the efficacy of alpha-theta brain wave biofeedback as a treatment for chronic alcohol abuse, citing 80% abstinence rates as measured by improvements in psychopathology, serum beta endorphin levels, and long-term alcohol abstinence. Most research with alpha-theta EEG biofeedback has addressed alcohol addiction. Cocaine is now considered to be the most common drug problem of patients entering treatment for drug abuse. To date, only one controlled study has been published that researched alpha-theta neurofeedback in the treatment of "crack" cocaine addiction. The present study was an extension of a 4-year EEG-biofeedback treatment outcome project underway at a faith-based homeless mission in Houston, Texas, with male "crack" cocaine addicts. Changes in personality, attention, and impulsivity were measured following 30 sessions of a non-individualized EEG -biofeedback protocol. Experimental subjects received a variant of the Peniston-Kulkosky alpha-theta protocol for 30 sessions while controls received all elements of the experimental protocol except the EEG biofeedback. Assessment measures included the MMPI-2 and the IVA. Although experimental subjects showed greater mean improvement on most MMPI basic scales and all IVA Attention related measures, results indicated no significant differences between control and experimental groups. The present study did not result in significant differences between control and experimental groups on attentional or personality variables in crack cocaine addicts. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

No description available.

Peniston and Kulkosky (1989, 1990) demonstrated the effectiveness of alpha-theta EEG-Biofeedback (EEG-BFB) in treating inpatient alcoholics noting significant improvements in depression, psychopathology, serum β-endorphin levels, and abstinence rates. The present study is an extension of a previously unpublished replication of the Peniston EEG-BFB protocol with 20 chemically dependent outpatients (Bodenhamer-Davis, Callaway, & DeBeus, 2002). Fifteen subjects were "high risk for re-arrest" probationers. Data for the EEG-BFB group was collected from archival records. Subjects completed an average of 39 sessions (SD = 6.096), with 33 of those being EEG-BFB. Pre/post-treatment MMPI-2s™ (University of Minnesota) were collected and follow-up (4-11 years) data obtained (abstinence rates, re-arrests in some cases). Treatment effects were evaluated by comparing assessment data (pre/post) and documenting abstinence rates. Post-treatment MMPI-2 results were within normal limits, with several scales significantly reduced from baseline suggesting less psychopathology. Results were then compared to 20 subjects receiving standard addiction treatment (OT-CD group), but not EEG-BFB. OT-CD subjects completed a 2-week inpatient program followed by 18 outpatient sessions. Pre/post assessment and follow-up data was collected on the OT-CD group. The OT-CD group's post-assessment results showed three elevations (MMPI-2 scales 4/6/8), suggestive of characteriological problems. Post-MMPI-2 results of the two groups were compared via ANCOVAs. Findings indicated no significant differences between groups on targeted scales; however, there was a trend for the EEG-BFB group to have lower scores. Follow-up data was obtained on 13 EEG-BFB subjects. Results indicated 92% (n = 12) were sober, with 8% (n = 1) claiming significantly reduced alcohol intake. Probationer re-arrest and revocation rates were collected on the subset of probationers (n = 14 out of 15). The majority of the probationers (79%, n = 11) had not been re-arrested nor had their probation been revoked. Short-term follow-up information (35-131 days post-assessment), available at the time of writing, for the OT-CD group (N = 13) showed 85% (n = 11) were sober, with 15% (n = 2) relapsed. Limitations and implications of the study are discussed.

This master‘s thesis presents the problems of EEG bio-feedback and its application for relaxing a person. It deals with the requirements of the sensing electrode and the biological signal amplifiers. The main substance of my thesis is the proposal of Alpha monitor, a device that uses the electrical activity of alpha brain waves for the realization of biological EEG feedback. The device concept takes into consideration the requirements of users’ security and also characteristics of alpha activity, which define the requirements for signal processing circuits and for propositions of the aural transducer. This master‘s thesis analyses given submission, proposes particular circuits, presents the overall electrical diagram and the list of components. The overall electrical diagram and single circuits are drawn within the EAGLE 5.7.0.

This study investigated the relationship among anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances and the treatment of these three disorders through neurotherapy. Research suggests that these conditions commonly co-occur in the general population and that central nervous system (CNS) arousal may play a primary role in the development and maintenance of these disorders. Several recent studies suggested that neurotherapy, a biofeedback-based treatment for CNS dysregulation, might be an effective treatment for comorbid conditions, particularly the ones of interest here, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. This investigation used a clinical case-series design to assess pre/post neurotherapy changes on objective measures of anxiety, depression, and sleep and to determine whether changes in anxiety and depression then predict improvements in sleep quality. Data for 23 participants (10 males) were obtained from files of adults (Mage = 40.22 years, SD = 16.20) who received at least 15 neurotherapy sessions (M = 47.83 sessions, SD = 22.23) the University of North Texas Neurotherapy Lab. Matched pair t-tests revealed that symptoms of sleep disturbance, depression, and anxiety showed significant improvements following neurotherapy. Neurotherapy treatment effect sizes generally ranged from moderate to large (d = .414 - .849). Multiple regression analysis found that changes in self-reported anxiety symptoms, but not depressive symptoms, predicted observed improvements in sleep quality (adjusted R2 = .26). Last, the implications and limitations were discussed in relation to neurotherapy practice and the associated research.

The master´s thesis presents the problems of EEG biofeedback and its application to relax people. The first part discusses the properties of EEG signal , the requirements of the standard EEG and also distribusion signal into different frequency bands. The main essence of the work is the design and realization of Alfa Monitor – a device for relaxation , that for implamanting EEG biofeedback uses acoustic form and sensing of electrical activity of brain in the region of alpha waves. The second half of the work is t focused on circuit design, using integrated circuits with component values of relevant calculations . Further, it analyzes the practical implementation of alfa monitor. The last chapter is devoted to the testing the functionality of this device.

This work deals with problems of EEG biofeedback and possibilities of its use in therapy. The method of EEG biofeedback helps patients to achieve the state of relaxation. It is a noninvasive treatment modality. The paper also discussed the requirements for each component unit. The main point of a design and construction of Alpha activity monitor, a device implementing EEG biofeedback focused on sensing electrical activity of the brain, specifically alpha waves. Alpha activity is specific and their parameters are taken into account when selecting components and construction equipment. Custom feedback is then for the appearance of alpha activity mediated by the headphones in acoustic form. The work also includes design of electrical circuits and electrical diagram of the overall apparatus including a list of used parts. Electrical diagrams are formed in the EAGLE 6.1.0.