Neurofeedback: What It Is And How This Therapeutic Tool Is Used
In recent times we are witnessing a true revolution in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools that allow us to evaluate brain function and influence it. And among all of them, Biofeedback stands out and more specifically Neurofeedback, a form of Biofeedback that acts through the recording and regulation of brain electrical activity (electroencephalogram).
Neurofeedback, therefore, is a type of neurotherapy, that is, a treatment that seeks to modify brain function by acting directly on it.
Unlike psychotherapy, which influences different psychological processes through the relationship between therapist and patient, neurotherapy arises from the brain-machine relationship , and does not address the psychological processes themselves, but rather the underlying neurobiological state. Let’s see what the keys to Neurofeedback are.
Obviously, all psychotherapy will produce, if it is effective, changes at a neurobiological level, because the mind is based on neurochemical and neurophysiological processes of the nervous system. And vice versa, in any type of neurotherapy the therapist-patient relationship will play a role and will determine its effectiveness.
However, to simplify, we will say that psychotherapy works on psychological processes, and has the therapeutic relationship as one of its central elements, and Neurotherapy works by seeking direct modification of the function of the nervous system , through specifically designed devices. That is, neurotherapy is a therapy focused on the neurobiological level, and through its influence at that level, it will also modify underlying psychological processes.
What is Neurofeedback?
Technically, therefore, Neurofeedback is a treatment that acts on brain waves to allow the person to be aware of their brain activity and modify it Starting from an electroencephalographic (EEG) recording, Neurofeedback devices extract a series of parameters that will be used to evaluate bioelectric function, transforming the analog signal (the classic EEG that we all know) into data whose modification we can program.
In any case, Neurofeedback is a non-invasive method that influences brain function passively , through the reinforcement or inhibition of certain brain waves through images or sounds. In other words, Neurofeedback devices do not emit any type of wave or energy.
According to the International Biofeedback Certification Alliance (BCIA), Neurofeedback is used to modify the electrical activity of the CNS including the EEG, evoked potentials, slow cortical potentials and other electrical activity. whether of cortical or subcortical origin Neurofeedback is a type of Biofeedback that works with brain wave measurements through an operant conditioning paradigm.
Its use in mental health
Biofeedback in general, and Neurofeedback in particular, They have a clinical aspect, and another aimed at improving performance Regarding its clinical applications, the most recognized is the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), having been included in various clinical guidelines for this condition and endorsed by scientific groups such as the American Pediatric Association. Apart from ADHD, favorable results have been published in disorders as diverse as brain damage, epilepsy, anxiety, OCD, headache, etc.
Regarding its use in improving performance, It has been applied in the preparation of elite athletes artists and in improving cognitive function in healthy subjects.
Vitaliza’s commitment to the use of Neurofeedback as a therapeutic tool, whether as a therapy of final choice or complementary to other forms of intervention, is definitive. The experience of the last twenty years has been very encouraging and this has encouraged us to promote, together with other health professionals, the creation of the Spanish Society of Bio and Neurofeedback (SEBINE), the authentic regulator and driving force of the sector in our country.
