Neurofeedback For Seniors– An announcement

Cognitive health is a vital part of one’s health and well-being. But with age, we tend to forget to improve our brain health. You may have heard of new options for treating memory loss at Buttonville Senior Center. To give you access to new resources and knowledge, our team of experts has researched the most reliable interventions for our small center to provide you with effective senior treatments.

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive therapy that monitors brain wave activity and uses real-time data, typically through electroencephalography or EEG attached to the skin. Brain cell communication is recorded through electrical impulses, which create device patterns that are fed into a feedback loop through audio or visual form.

Available methods carry a hefty financial burden, and we are delighted to announce our gracious committee has donated adequate finances to support the addition of neurofeedback technicians prepared to install and manage devices in our community lounges. For treatment to begin at Buttonville Senior Center, we must ensure our residents understand the health benefits and risks of neural feedback treatment. This announcement will dive into the available research and options for neurofeedback treatment in our facility. All trained faculty members will assist in developing the new community project– Community Neurofeedback Project!

What is Neurofeedback?

Since these developmental years, neurofeedback has become a commonplace form of treatment with burgeoning levels of research.

A Brief History of Neurofeedback – The Well Mind Center (wellmindsa.com)

Neurofeedback, a subset of biofeedback, measures and monitors brain wave activity, typically through electrodes attached to the skin. Brain waves are gamma, beta, alpha, theta, and delta. Functions include various states and levels of awareness, alertness, relaxation, tiredness, and sleepiness.

This non-invasive treatment applies visual or auditory signals to change how the brain responds to particular stimuli for optimal brain functioning– and this works because of operant conditioning! This therapy is used as a complementary treatment for patients with neurodegenerative disorders like dementia and as preventative maintenance for seniors with mild cognitive impairment. In addition to improving typical cognitive decline, treatment targets brain areas responsible for enhanced emotion processing.

Electroencephalography, or EEG, is recorded during the activities and then fed into a feedback loop in either audio or video form. Through reinforcement of visual or auditory cues, EEG-based neural feedback improves mental performance in various cognitive domains. The real-time neural feedback should reward and support brain activity and disfavor others by providing said cues during videos, digital games, and music. Typically, through reinforced learning, the activities teach patients to modulate brain wave activity, even months after treatment.

Patients with dementia benefit because neurofeedback supports independent self-regulation. While past literature lacked systematic reviews, recent research found neural connectivity (delta, theta, alpha, and beta waves) maintains synchronicity four weeks post-treatment.

Neurofeedback at Buttonville Senior Center

To get involved in the neurofeedback, you must fill out a letter of interest with the treatment department. Because it is not recommended as an exclusive treatment for elderly patients, treatment staff will monitor health plans and include additional modalities and medications. Our team plans to collaborate with patients, families, and other healthcare providers to examine the most effective cognitive interventions. Single-intervention approaches are unsupported at Buttonville Senior Center as seniors through holistic and meaningful treatment plans are means to empower.

What Health Conditions Benefit From Neurofeedback?

Research supports treatment efficacy for two main conditions– ADHD and dementia. Still, therapy is beneficial for a range of conditions related to many common disorders. Research in this field is not stagnant, and many researchers have considered the requirements for it to become an evidence-based treatment.

A Brief History of Neurofeedback

Biofeedback and related brain-computer interface (BCI) programs were studied in various fields as methods for obtaining physiological responses. While researchers reliably used B.F. Skinner’s approach to aid procedural outcomes, neurofeedback therapy, gained popularity in the late 1950s as scientists studying muscle action potentials in animal subjects learned animal models could control autonomic responses, changing the trajectory for future researchers. Quite accidentally, researchers found animals could control brain waves through simple reward-based systems.

Neurofeedback Treatment Follows Two Concepts

1. Operant conditioning: learning through reinforcement and punishment.
2. Neural Plasticity: neural structures change and adapt through reward/punishment.

Most research supports clinical reviews for neurofeedback and the treatment of learning disorders. While it may not be glamorized or trendy, neurofeedback has been used for years with essentially zero adverse side effects. Neurofeedback enhances cognition through operant conditioning because neurofeedback rewards the patient through frequency waves. Training the brain to regulate brain wave frequencies (alpha, beta, gamma, etc.) teaches patients to maintain “desired” brainwave patterns through positive reinforcement– games, music, images, sounds, etc. Neurofeedback technicians, using a brain-computer interface (BCI), monitor the waves and adjust programs according to personalized treatment plans.

Neurofeedback Controversies

• Neurofeedback is not an evidence-based treatment yet.
• Studies have found mixed results on neurofeedback.
• Researchers have found limitations throughout the research–small sample sizes and no placebo group.
• Meta-analyses contradict one another.
• Scientists argue that the methods used in studies were not exhaustive. Therefore, the evidence is weak.
• Researchers cannot define what constitutes “normal” brain wave patterns.

Pros and Cons of Neurofeedback Treatment

While there are advantages and disadvantages to many clinical interventions, there are virtually no risks associated with neurofeedback treatment besides some temporary complaints and financial burdens. More transient effects may be anxiety, tension, sleepiness, and fatigue– as the brain waves learn to regulate brain wave frequencies without the machine.

Some advantages of the treatment –mental clarity and focus– are maintained for several months after the activities. While risks are minimal, it is critical to note the financial commitment as some patient testimonies vary. Luckily, our center is well-funded, and we are pleased to announce the expansion of our trained staff to include five new technicians for the Community Neurofeedback Project!

Ending Statement

We have created this senior announcement to ensure the safety of our community and to reassure family members of treatment options for seniors during routine visits. Compared to more invasive methods that require surgery, like deep-brain stimulation, neurofeedback is non-invasive. Everyone at Buttonville Senior Center should understand the options for various procedures. While research is sometimes debatable, most studies agree there is no harm in treatment, and there are minimal risks associated with neurofeedback therapy.

Residents will be provided with documents for future treatment. Staff is regularly rotating to answer any questions and to update you on possible neurofeedback technician timeslots in our state-of-the-art lounges. We must inform you of procedures to guarantee proper staffing for the success of Buttonville’s Community Neurofeedback Project!

References

• History and Development | Brainworks Neurofeedback (brainworksneurotherapy.com)
• EEG Neurofeedback for Treating Psychiatric Disorders (psychiatrictimes.com)
• Neurofeedback: A Comprehensive Review on System Design, Methodology and Clinical Applications – PMC (nih.gov)
• Neurofeedback and the Aging Brain: A Systematic Review of Training Protocols for Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment – PMC (nih.gov)
• Neurofeedback Basics: What Is It and How It Works (myndlift.com)
• A Brief History of Neurofeedback – The Well Mind Center (wellmindsa.com)
• NF History – Neurofeedback AllianceNeurofeedback Alliance