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ADHD and Neurofeedback
Until recently, there have been no well-done studies on the use of neurofeedback for ADHD. However, the January 2005 edition of, "Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America," had an excellent review in the article, "Elelectroencephalographic Biofeedback (Neurotherapy) as a Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Rationale and Empirical Foundation," by Vincent Monastra.
Although there have been many single case studies, there have now been four controlled group studies. Response was comparable to response to medications, with about 75% responding positively. Approximately 50 - 80 % of responders to neurofeedback were able to reduce (not stop) their medications.
While neurofeedback is more enduring, with decreased symptoms persisting much longer after discontinuation of treatment than after discontinuation of medications, it is not "permanent," and many people return for intermittent "booster" sessions.
Just as with the use of medications, the children who did the best were part of a comprehensive treatment program that included nutritional counseling, medications, parent counseling to improve parenting skills and improve social functioning at home, individual educational plans with the schools, and social skills training. Neurofeedback or medications should be just one small part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
I have an associate who is an ADHD expert and uses neurofeedback. We sometimes share patients. My impressions are that if someone is cooperative with it (all children aren't) and complete the required number of sessions, that about 70% have some response. However, as with medications, a certain percentage don't respond, and of those that do it might be a small, medium, or significant response. Those with a minimal or moderate response often respond better to the combination of a medication and neurofeedback.
There are other new treatments that are promising but not yet proven. Cerebellar stimulation, such as with the Interactive Metronome, is promising, and we're learning that the cerebellum is more involved with ADHD than once believed. Some studies show that omega-3 fatty acids help, while others don't, and the same is true for antioxidants such as super blue-green algae. Dr. Hallowell's new book, "Delivered from Distraction," addresses many of these treatments.
If you want to try neurofeedback yourself, I believe there is a home version available.
Related Topics: Vitamins for ADHD?, Effects of ADHD Treatment May Vary Over Time
Technorati Tags: ADHD, ADD, AD/HD, neurofeedback, biofeedback, integrative medicine
Although there have been many single case studies, there have now been four controlled group studies. Response was comparable to response to medications, with about 75% responding positively. Approximately 50 - 80 % of responders to neurofeedback were able to reduce (not stop) their medications.
While neurofeedback is more enduring, with decreased symptoms persisting much longer after discontinuation of treatment than after discontinuation of medications, it is not "permanent," and many people return for intermittent "booster" sessions.
Just as with the use of medications, the children who did the best were part of a comprehensive treatment program that included nutritional counseling, medications, parent counseling to improve parenting skills and improve social functioning at home, individual educational plans with the schools, and social skills training. Neurofeedback or medications should be just one small part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
I have an associate who is an ADHD expert and uses neurofeedback. We sometimes share patients. My impressions are that if someone is cooperative with it (all children aren't) and complete the required number of sessions, that about 70% have some response. However, as with medications, a certain percentage don't respond, and of those that do it might be a small, medium, or significant response. Those with a minimal or moderate response often respond better to the combination of a medication and neurofeedback.
There are other new treatments that are promising but not yet proven. Cerebellar stimulation, such as with the Interactive Metronome, is promising, and we're learning that the cerebellum is more involved with ADHD than once believed. Some studies show that omega-3 fatty acids help, while others don't, and the same is true for antioxidants such as super blue-green algae. Dr. Hallowell's new book, "Delivered from Distraction," addresses many of these treatments.
If you want to try neurofeedback yourself, I believe there is a home version available.
Related Topics: Vitamins for ADHD?, Effects of ADHD Treatment May Vary Over Time
Technorati Tags: ADHD, ADD, AD/HD, neurofeedback, biofeedback, integrative medicine
8 Comments:
I am a mental health professional and have been working with under 21 youth for 30 years in prisons and private practice. I have recommende the use of ritalin to clients over the age of 15 and have had significvant results. Increases in focus and lowering of hyper behavior have occured in more than 50% of the cases. Is there any long going research that uses anti-ADHD medication beyond the rcommended preteen years.
DMiller
I was just recently told that I have ADD. I am being prescribed Topamax, and what I have read it's for convulsions. Is this drug supposed to help me focus?
Thanks - Paula
I came to hear of EEG Biofeedback in the 1980's and since ADHD stole 2 years of my life (failing 2nd and 5th grade) I thought I'd give it a try. When people as me about the effect I got from treatment (and lots have) the best analogy I could come up with is it's like slowing going from a small black and white TV to a high definition big screen. Medications worked, but no where near as well as Neurofeedback. It's probably not a treatment for everyone; it's time consuming, expensive, and tedious. But if you take the cost and spread it out over my life I got so much more from it than the cost. It was the best money I ever spent on myself.
Did it get me completely off Ritalin? -- No, but I went from 20mg three times a day to needing 5mg in the morning, maybe 5-10 times a month. I consider that a real success.
I don't need research, acceptance by the AMA or a double-blind study (which I understand is coming out soon) my own experience tells me - everyday - this treatment works.
It was refreshing to read an MD who's at least open to the idea. We all know that MD's make a lot of money from prescribing drugs for ADD and they hate the thought of giving it up. I hope other physicians can be as open – Neurofeedback has never killed anyone or changed a person’s personality in a negative way, drugs have. I think everyone with ADD should try Neurofeedback FIRST, and if that doesn’t work, you can always try the medications. Believe me, they are no easy solution either. It just made sense to me that if you can fix a problem rather than manage it by having to take a pill three times a day for the rest of your life, just DO IT. It was a no brainer to me.
I wish people who don't understand Neurofeedback or haven't researched it would stop talking about it negatively since they keep people from having an open mind and they don't know what they're talking about. I get very suspicious why they are so closed to this new, exciting, and VERY powerful treatment.
So I’ll close with just one suggestion, if someone is negative about Neurofeedback, consider asking them how much money they make off drug sales for ADD. In general I shy away from those with a closed mind especially with respect to important things in life: religion, politics, economics, and, of course, my health.
IF you're really interested in reading scientific research articles on EEG Biofeedback or Neurofeedback, consider spending some time at:
www.isnr.org
once there click on comprehensive review of the literature.
I wish people would take the time to read the studies that have been done before saying, "there are no studies that indicates Neurofeedback works" well, duh, yes there are! have you looked for them?
Have you taken the time to read them? If you haven't then be honest, jeeeeessseee just be HONEST
I was diagnosed with Adult ADD just over a year ago and my doctor put me on Dexedrine 15 and 5 mg. One to jump start me and one to carry on through the day. I did this twice a day per his instructions. What with family history and stressful day to day life I have developed high blood pressure. My highest reading has been 160/110. My question is since Dexedrine is essentially speed how is that going to effect my blood pressure that I am now on meds for. I went off the ADD meds for a while and my blood pressure was around 110/78, back on the Dexedrine and it shot up to 148/98. I lived undiagnosed with ADD for 40+ years only to get medication for it and then get high blood pressure. Any ideas what I should do?
Anyone help me with ADD in adults? Here in the State I live, with the funding guidelines (as a lifetimer with ADD not diagnosed until my daughter was - and on the side), this state doesn't believe that adults can have ADD - they think we outgrow it. Thing is, I finally got a dr. to give me sample medication to try and it made me go to sleep!! Then because of the system here, they change doctors about every three months - so I'm back to suffering with loosing things, forgetting what I was doing, never finishing things, not being able to hold a job down, doing twelve things at once, etc. etc. They keep giving me meds and diagnosises for bipolar, but I've had reactions to almost every one of them and they don't work. If a med makes me feel "drugged" I don't think it's right. On the other hand, if I feel like "God, you mean this is the way things are supposed to be?" no excessive energy - no blues - no feelings of being drugged, no twenty thoughts all at once, etc., then I feel that's the right kind of medicaine. Anyone agree? Any doctors out there hear this kind of feedback?
dear fellow ADD'ers
im 25 , ive just been diagnosed ADD.
Taking legal speed , is the last thing in the world i would want to do... the human mind can do anything it wants , withthe right motivation and direction.
I came across a site that sells a great package to improve brain function,
www.learningbreakthrough.com
i dont in any way work for these people , or had even heard of them before today...
if this benefits any body i am happy
Who are the authors and what are the years on the 4 controlled studies?
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