With many patients and parents increasingly skeptical of
the benefits of medications for ADHD, more and more people are seeking other
possible methods of treating the symptoms of the disorder.
Symptoms of ADHD include inattention, impulsivity, and
hyperactivity. Stimulant medications address the problem on a neurochemical
level. ADHD involves decreased levels of a key neurotransmitter, dopamine. Stimulants
raise dopamine levels in order to treat the symptoms of ADHD. Unfortunately,
stimulants can also have a range of potentially negative side effects,
including appetite loss, difficulty sleeping, increased heart rate, and
habit-forming potential.
Neurofeedback for ADHD is a relatively new alternative to
pharmaceuticals. Whereas stimulant medications work on a chemical level,
neurofeedback works on the level of electrical activity within the brain.
Neurofeedback uses EEG feedback to help correct the abnormalities in brainwave
frequency that have been found to distinguish ADHD individuals from normal
individuals. Although research is not yet complete, what has been found to date
has demonstrated that this is often an effective treatment for the symptoms of
ADHD.
Is Neurofeedback for ADHD Based on Proven Scientific Principles?
The principles underlying the use of neurofeedback for ADHD
are in fact scientifically substantiated. Beginning in the 1970s, scientific
research has explored differences in EEG patterns that distinguish brain
activity in people with ADHD from that of normal individuals. What they have
consistently found is that people with ADHD have excess levels of the alpha and
theta types of brainwave frequency, and deficient levels of beta brainwave
activity. Beta wave activity is associated with focus, mental clarity, and
concentration. Neurofeedback for ADHD is intended to stimulate beta wave
production as a way of correcting the problems that underlie the symptoms of
ADHD.
Has Neurofeedback for ADHD Been Tested and Researched?
Neurofeedback for ADHD is one of the most thoroughly
scientifically researched applications of neurofeedback therapy. Peer-reviewed
scientific journals have published numerous papers exploring the function and
benefits of neurofeedback therapy for treating ADHD.
The results have been largely positive. In controlled
trials, it has been demonstrated that there was significant improvement in ADHD
symptoms in the experimental groups treated with neurofeedback.
Some clinicians do express concerns that more research is
needed to establish the efficacy of neurofeedback for ADHD. However, as more
research is performed, it has become increasingly apparent that neurofeedback
can be highly efficacious as a treatment for ADHD, both on its own, and in
combination with traditional ADHD drugs such as Ritalin. With more evidence,
neurofeedback for ADHD could come to be accepted as what is called a “Level 5”
treatment for ADHD, meaning it is universally accepted as effective.
Neurofeedback therapy is also safe, and has no documented side effects.
Research Does Demonstrate The
Efficacy of Neurofeedback for ADHD
Rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific research has been
conducted regarding the effectiveness of neurofeedback therapy for ADHD; the
results thus far have been very promising. A majority of participants in the
experimental groups who underwent neurofeedback did exhibit clinically
significant improvement in the symptoms that distinguish ADHD, including:
impulsivity, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity. To learn more about this
revolutionary technique visit our website: www.braincoretherapy.com/how-it-works
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