Showing posts with label neurofeedback. Show all posts
Showing posts with label neurofeedback. Show all posts

Friday, August 11, 2017

ADHD is a disorder of the brain? Yes according to research

Several subcortical brain structures are smaller in children and adults diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study recently published in The Lancet.

ADHD is a neurological condition that is often diagnosed in childhood, but around two-thirds of patients continue to display symptoms into adulthood. Key symptoms of ADHD include hyperactivity, inability to sustain attention and impulsive behaviour
Previous imaging studies report structural and functional brain abnormalities in patients with ADHD compared to healthy individuals. For example, studies have consistently found reduced basal ganglia volume in ADHD patients. But the number of participants in each of these studies has been too small to generalize the results to the population as a whole. Identifying brain differences in people with ADHD is crucial for increasing our understanding about the underlying mechanisms that cause the disorder and how to effectively treat it.
In the largest study of its kind to date, a team of scientists led by Martine Hoogman (Radbound University Medical Centre, The Netherlands) combined the results from multiple imaging studies in a meta-analysis consisting of 1,713 patients with ADHD and 1,529 healthy controls. The results revealed dramatic differences in the brain volume of patients with ADHD and healthy controls.
Areas of reduced brain volume included the amygdala, accumbens and hippocampus, which had not been identified in previous studies. The results also revealed similar findings to previous studies including reduced caudate and putamen volume.
ADHD is often treated with stimulants. The results of this study found that brain volume differences in ADHD patients were the same whether they had taken stimulant medication or not. The largest difference in brain volume was found in the amygdala which is important because it provides an explanation for the disruption of emotional regulation that is often seen in ADHD but is not listed in current diagnostic criteria. Hippocampus volume was reduced in ADHD patients which is interesting because there is little evidence of long-term memory deficits in ADHD. However, some studies suggest that the hippocampus plays a role in regulating emotion and motivation, which is compromised in ADHD.
Overall, the study confirms that patients with ADHD do have structural and functional brain alterations, and ADHD is therefore a disorder of the brain. The strongest differences in brain volume were found in childhood which supports current thinking that ADHD is produced by a delay in brain maturation. The results of this study will be important for improving our understanding and reducing the stigma of ADHD.

Clinical Neurofeedback Training in Malaysia
Neurofeedback is a scientifically-based treatment for a variety of problems that result from a dysregulated nervous system. There have been hundreds (or more) of research studies to prove the effectiveness of Neurofeedback in the last 45 years. Recent meta analyses document the effectiveness of Neurofeedback in the treatment of ADHD (Arns, de Ridder, Strehl, Breteler, and Coenen, 2009). In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics rated Neurofeedback/ Biofeedback is rated as a Level 1 intervention for ADHD – the same as medication. Contact us if you need help in Malaysia.



Source:
http://www.psypost.org/2017/08/large-study-identifies-differences-brains-people-diagnosed-adhd-49450

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Review( Therapy for Tourette Syndrome Symptoms) - Mr Soo Son Case

 
Client Name: Mr S's Son

Age: Around 13 years old



Most of the time, some sounds like throat cleaning sound, sniffing, or grunting sound will come
out involuntarily by my son's mouth. He is a patient who suffered from Tics disorder (Tourette Syndrome and ADHD). 

People around my son felt annoyed with his noisy sound. It affected his daily life and he feels ashamed of it. He even get bullied by his friends in school.

To get rid of it, my son visited neurologists and ate medicines. However, it only can be controlled at the very beginning and it seems that his body started to resist it with some side effects. I even went to temples and visited monk before. He lived with this condition and suffered for 2 years until I follow Hiro Koo's brain training, finally I saw hope. 

After following the training session with Hiro Koo, his vocal tics reduced significantly, he have better self-control even without finding any distraction. Besides, My son regained his confidence and he have better mood every day. I was amazed by this technique as it is a very effective training to control my son's vocal tics. 

The advantage of this brain training technique is that this is a natural approach without any pain and side effect. I definitely will recommend to people who suffered for similar issues.










Remark: Our client's information will be kept strictly confidential all the time. All reviews and photos have been acknowledged and provided by past and current clients of Hypnosis Integrative Hub (Clinical Hypnotherapist Hiro Koo). Clients names have been changed to protect their identity.

Sunday, June 11, 2017

How scientists are trying to unlock the mysteries of hypnosis


Nevertheless, Patterson and research partner Jensen have made considerable strides by examining the neural underpinnings of a hypnotic trance. To study hypnosis, Jensen uses electroencephalography, or EEG, which measures electricity in the brain. Our individual neurons are constantly generating electrical pulses as they transmit information from the body to the brain and around the brain itself. Occasionally, large groups of neurons will coordinate these pulses into a sort of rhythmic pattern. Picture the brain as a giant football stadium, and the pulses are like the fans doing a wave. Using sensors attached to the skull, scientists can listen for broad electrical rhythms — called oscillations — caused by wide swaths of neurons working in concert.
Keep in mind, though, that the brain isn’t a single stadium, but rather 1.2 million interlocking stadiums at once. So the EEG may pick up many different interlocking elements, and to make matters more complicated, because the sensors are on the outside of your head, only the outer parts of the brain can be measured. That makes the stadium even harder to hear. “The Rolling Stones are in town, but you don’t have a ticket,” Patterson says. “So you are standing outside the stadium. It’s very loose. You don’t know what, exactly, you’re hearing, but you can tell if they are singing a ballad or a rock song.”
Amazingly, even with all these barriers, when scientists listen to multiple places in the brain, a neurological picture of hypnosis begins to emerge. During meditation, the “stadium chant” that many parts of your brain participate is measurably slower than in daily life; during hypnosis, the chant becomes even slower — about the only way to get the brain rhythms slower than those during hypnosis would be to fall into a coma.

In the human brain, alpha waves — electric waves that pulse 8 to 12 hertz, or 8 to 12 times per second — prevail when we are relaxed or closing our eyes. Theta — 4 to 8 hertz — commonly arise when we are drowsy or lost in thought, and delta waves — 0 to 4 hertz — happen when we are asleep or in a coma. Jensen’s work suggests that theta and alpha waves may be key to pain relief. When going about our daily activities, the brain generally uses the much faster beta and gamma waves (up to 100 pulses per second). This is especially true when we’re in pain, which usually goes hand in hand with anxiety and stress. Thus, if hypnosis can trigger slower brain waves, those waves may replace the faster patterns and thus replace the perception of pain.
The implications for helping the millions of people in chronic pain might be enormous. This idea led Jensen to a fascinating study. He looked at the brains of 20 patients before and after they experienced some relief from pain through both hypnosis and meditation. He found that people who naturally had high levels of theta waves — in other words, people with naturally relaxed, slower electrical activity — experienced a great deal of pain relief from hypnosis. Meanwhile, people with busy, overactive minds benefited the most from meditation, which slowed their buzzing brains down to a crawl.
“Meditation takes care of a problem that you have. Hypnosis builds on a skill,” Jensen says animatedly. “It’s capitalization or compensation. Are you capitalizing on a strength or are you compensating for a weakness? It looks like meditation is compensating for a weakness, and hypnosis capitalizes on a strength.” Imagine pain management as a skill, like running or weight lifting. According to Jensen, hypnosis is a little like taking an already strong sprinter to the gym and pushing her to a whole new level.

If Patterson and Jensen are right, their research could back up much of what scientists have suspected for many years: Hypnosis may be an exotic brain state that directly accesses expectation and perception — a little bit like turning off all the software in your computer and accessing its basic coding (although that is a huge simplification). And while a placebo says, “Take this amazing thing and it will make you feel better” and giving you a promise for the future, a hypnotic suggestion says, “Floating along this stream, you suddenly feel better,” which is a promise for right now. Which one is better? Which one taps into your expectation more effectively and permanently? That is a question that will take much more time and experimentation to unravel.


Source:
http://ideas.ted.com/how-scientists-are-trying-to-unlock-the-mysteries-of-hypnosis/

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

都会佳人Citta Bella | Life Magazines 生活杂志 - 2017年4月刊Bella Soul 之《别让压力影响你》

在现今社会,我们时常被压力压得喘不了气。除了静坐,心理咨询或临床催眠疗法等服务都是解压的好方法。然而鲜少人会主动寻找心理科专业人士解压,这泰半和大众对心理专科的误解有关。其实根据不同的问题,也会有不同的选择供你去决定;这一次就让大家了解什么是脑电波反馈训练法。
疑问(一)我目前在半工半读着,时常因为课业和工作问题,导致压力颇大。真的读得很累,成绩业绩也大受影响。
建议:基本上,除了可以咨询非使用药物的心理从业员如临床催眠师、临床心理师或者心理辅导员疏解压力;你也可以考虑脑波反馈疗法训练,这是一种直接性的训练大脑的脑科学科技。当我们的大脑进入压力状态时,脑电波很容易进入Hibeta快频脑电波状态。当你意识层面进入这类脑电波频率时,你特别容易感到疲累与焦虑。这就好比说你在高速公路疯狂加油奔驰一样;长期让你的大脑呈现在Hibeta快频脑电波状态,你将会非常快速的消耗头脑里的能量波,这可能引致你的抗压力与专注力变差,严重会引起害怕焦虑等相关问题。
疑问(二)如果我的脑电波真的长期运用Hibeta快频脑电波来运作,这真的只有负面的作用吗?车子跑得快不是好事吗?大脑转得快怎么会是件坏事呢?
建议:大脑运用Hibeta快频脑电波来运作并不完全是坏事,然而前提是你有能力把这快频波给减速下来。通常脑电波反馈疗法训练可以将过激的脑电波给“减速”并把能让身心平稳的Alpha电波给训练上来。然而过多的Alpha波处于左脑前额叶也会产生情绪低落等负面效果,所以治疗师的临床判断也起着举足轻重的角色。一旦一个人学会了如何控制自己的脑电波,他的抗压力也会因此得到改善。通过改善脑电波,一个人的专注力也得以提升,可以借此改善专注力与学习能力。科学研究显示,脑波反馈疗法对专注力缺失问题有非常显著的帮助呢!
疑问(三)我听说左右脑的强度差异也会影响一个人的抗压能力,这是真的吗?右脑活跃的人比较有创意力?这是真的吗?
建议:近期的科学研究发现,创意力佳的人并不只是依靠右脑来工作。实际上,创意力好的人也会充分运用左脑和右脑的功能。科学家也发现,右脑前额叶较活跃的人,也比较容易有害怕焦虑与没有安全感等问题缠身,所以当一个人大脑长期处于不安害怕的焦虑状态里,这确确实实会引起情绪上的相关问题。当你的情绪不平稳,自然而然的也会影响自己的抗压力;这其实和大脑里的化学反应也有着直接的关系。
疑问(四)请问脑电波反馈训练真的那么神奇?或要如何知道我也适合做脑电波训练呢?
建议:脑电波反馈训练法不属于传统的心理咨询等服务,它更像是一种大脑运动技术。就好比说你去瘦身或健身前,你需要去测量体重计。你的体重计并不会评断你是否超重,而是由你的个人教练去给你意见该如何进行训练。同样的道理,脑电波反馈训练教练EEG biofeedback practitioner会为你进行脑波检测服务。你的脑波反馈教练会根据你的状况量身订造适合你的训练模式。科学研究发现,通常经过20次的训练,脑电波才会有显著的改善。这就如运动一般的道理,脑波训练也当然是做越多越有效。当你在选择你的脑电波反馈教练时,记得查询他的专业背景(如可有心理学或医学相关背景)与临床经验,一个临床经验越丰富的教练将会更有效地助你达到绝佳训练效果,脑电波训练绝对是安全、无痛以及无副作用的。

source:
http://www.cittabella.my/post/2017/May/Soul/BiofeedbackPratitioner

Friday, April 14, 2017

You May Be Able To Train Your Brain To Be Fearless - Neurofeedback Malaysia

A developing treatment called neurofeedback may help people suffering from anxiety and PTSD.


All your fears, stresses and anxieties have one thing in common. They are sensed by a pair of pea-sized patches of neurons, called the amygdala, sitting deep inside your brain. So what if you could control your amygdala? What if you could change your brain and become calmer and braver?
That idea has a particular appeal for people suffering from depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. But it’s easier said than done. The amygdala is an old part of the brain that does its job automatically, without much care for commands from more conscious parts of the mind. You can’t just tell an oversensitive amygdala to quiet down.
But a brain training technique known as neurofeedback might help people find a way to change such involuntary and automatic brain processes. In recent years, the technique is being developed and refined to address mental health issues. The treatment involves monitoring a person’s brain activity in real time using electroencephalography (EEG) or functional MRI brain scans, and showing those patterns of activity to the person so they can try to boost or reduce them ― basically, changing how their brain functions.
In a new study published last month in Biological Psychiatry, researchers set up a series of experiments to use neurofeedback to teach several dozen people how to regulate their amygdala activity.
“People were able to use this new EEG model to learn how to control their brain activity in a deeply located brain area, the amygdala,” said Dr. Talma Hendler, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist at the Tel Aviv Center for Brain Functions in Israel. 

Reading brain signals from deep parts of the brain is difficult, especially with a cheap and accessible method. Functional MRI, or fMRI, can access these areas, but the device is a complex, gigantic magnet that you can’t just set up at home, even if you could afford it.
EEG, on the other hand, is cheaper and simpler. It mainly involves a few electrodes placed on the scalp. The downside of EEG is that it can’t accurately zoom in on structures deep in the brain.
So, the researchers combined the two methods. They used the detail provided by fMRI to tease out the amygdala’s signal from the electrical activity picked up by the EEG.
“[This method] enables home-based imaging that [targets] brain regions relevant for our mental health,” Hendler said. “It opens a wide horizon of treatment possibilities for the mentally ill, but also for everyone on a daily basis as an empowering tool for mental activity and well being.”
For the experiments, Hendler and her colleagues asked the volunteers to listen to a sound. They were then instructed to lower the volume of the sound by “exercising mental strategies.”
It sounds like a vague instruction. What are the mental strategies that can, seemingly telepathically, control the volume of a sound? No one really knows, and that’s sort of the point. People have to try many different ways of thinking ― thereby changing their brain activity ― until they stumble upon a desired activity pattern.
What the participants didn’t know was that the volume of the sound was programmed to change based on the electrical activity of their own amygdala, and it would lower if the participants managed to dial down that activity. In other words, they were listening to their own amygdala’s firing, disguised in a sound.
A series of tests afterward showed that this game seemed to help participants become more capable of regulating the activity of their amygdala. In response to viewing a series of images, for example, the participants’ amygdalas seemed less sensitive compared to those of people in another group given a fake neurofeedback treatment.
The participants in this study were healthy. But Hendler believes that people with mental health problems, too, would respond to training with neurofeedback.
“We already have indication for this (unpublished yet) that people suffering from depression, chronic pain and post traumatic disorders are able to learn and greatly benefit from such training,” Hendler said.
If the method proves useful in treating mental health conditions in the future, this low-cost, personalized treatment could be used at home to complement and sometimes substitute medications, Hendler said. 

Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/neurofeedback-mental-health_us_57fbee6fe4b0b6a43034b431

Thursday, March 30, 2017

【原创文章】从脑电波与4种大自然元素相连并的关系


从脑电波与4种大自然元素相连并的关系,来更清晰地了解你的人格特性:



Delta波对应【湖泊元素】:当你的大脑被Delta主导时,你非常容易受外界影响。你的同理心也颇强,容易感同身受,是个感性慈悲之人。为此,任何风吹草动都可以在你【脑湖】里造成涟漪。此外,你也特别容易因为湖泊过度的平静导致你特别想入睡。你或许会因为不想那么快入睡而一直马不停蹄地找事情来做。


Theta波对应【海浪元素】:你非常容易感到不安,因为海浪极容易激起你潜意识里的回忆与想法。常常出现发白日梦的状态与无法专心平静下来做事。简单而言,你心境就如海浪般不稳定。你的【脑海】就如海浪般难以放松,抗压力较弱,人际关系也可能因此受到影响。


Alpha波对应【龙卷风元素】:你的思绪就如风一般多变与无法掌控方向。经常会出现许多创意点子与想法,但不一定可以执行。个人生性不喜欢受到限制,好奇心重并喜爱玩乐。喜欢自由地做出决定,想法特别创新并拒绝以传统方式过活。注意力容易不集中,个人兴趣太多易导致三分钟热度反应。对此,你也变得容易因为自己的想法而感到不安。


Beta对应【火山元素】:你是充满能量与积极的人。重视个人效率,善于解决问题与做出决策。个人逻辑与行动能力强,是个具备执行能力的人。然而当你的火山过于强烈时,它将变成蓄势待发准备爆发的【活火山】对应HiBeta脑波状态。脑海中若是长时间在活火山状态中,你会较为冲动行事。不安的状态导致你无法好好的表现,影响了执行稳定性。因为过度担忧,亦较容易激发害怕等不安反应。






原创文章,转载时请注名文章来源:
Hiro Koo临床催眠师

Saturday, February 18, 2017

First Master Trainer on EEG biofeedback for SBCIA in Asia Region

It is my honor and pleasure to be one of the first Master Trainers on EEG biofeedback for SBCIA in Asia region. It is one of the highest levels of qualification in Asia EEG biofeedback/Neurofeedback field. Thanks my mentor Dr Kang who has supported and guided me throughout the journey since long time ago:) Thanks Dr Kang and Prof Dato Dr Susie See for trusting me. I believe that 2017 will be a good year for all of us. We will do our best in offering the neurofeedback training to make sure that the services you enjoy are of the very best quality.

Friday, February 10, 2017

Sleep disorder-Insomnia therapy in Malaysia (Neurofeedback method)


Sleep Difficulties Have a Variety of Contributors 
Many complex factors contribute to sleeplessness and insomnia including stress, anxiety, trauma, and habitual over-thinking resulting in abnormal brain wave function.

Why am I Tired All of the Time? 
Until recently, insomnia was studied from a behavioral perspective, but as this problem grows, new research and insights have been discovered. Recent studies suggest that in cases of insomnia, the brain is unable to process information properly due to cortical hyperarousal. This creates abnormal brainwave function.

Restore Sleep Naturally
By retraining the brain and improving brainwave function in those key areas affected by insomnia, the brain is rewarded through neurofeedback for creating healthier patterns. As the brain learns new responses, new patterns and pathways develop improving brainwave function as you begin to sleep better, longer.

Does Neurofeedback Work? 
Clinical studies have shown neurofeedback to be an effective, drugless, natural approach to insomnia, especially for people who have struggled for years. If you are ready to be able to fall asleep and stay asleep, for improved energy, health and wellbeing, then it’s time to relax and reward your brain.


Why Does Neurofeedback Work? 
Neurofeedback takes advantage of the brain’s ability to change itself through a process known as Neuroplasticity. It utilizes the same learning process that occurs whenever we acquire a new skill. The brain learns by forming connections between nerve cells and utilizing important pathways that connect different locations in the brain. The more frequently you utilize these pathways the better the brain becomes at performing the associated task. In psychology, this type of leaning is called “Operant Conditioning”. It is a type of learning in which responses come to be controlled by their consequences. Quite simply, Neurofeedback offers the perfect learning conditions, since it facilitates awareness of when the brain is producing healthier brainwave patterns, provides reinforcement for the positive change and multiple opportunities to provide practice during a training session.

How do I start with neurofeedback?
A comprehensive assessment is where neurofeedback therapy begins. The assessment allows me to determine whether a client’s brainwave patterns are different from normal. Based on your brainwaves analysis results, we then create a restorative plan of care. Each assessment provides me with neurofeedback training protocols. These protocols are designed to retrain the brainwave patterns towards better pattern. The result of rebalancing these brain waves improve health, healing and functionality for lasting results.


Contact us if you would like to do a brainwaves analysis assessment. 
Kindly note that this is not a medical diagnostic but merely provides additional information for your brain to run more efficiently and sleep better. 
The price of this assessment is RM190 (Report will be provided).



Source:
https://braincoretherapy.com/brainwaves/

Friday, October 28, 2016

EEG biofeedback training in Malaysia

Can you retrain your brain?
YES! EEG biofeedback training is the answer.

EEG biofeedback/Neurofeedback training (Brain entrainment) is a safe, painless and non-invasive training method to improve your brain function. Brain entrainment falls under the jurisdiction of the Association of Hypnotherapy Practitioners, Malaysia (AHPM) - clause 3(b). EEG biofeedback method is not a medical diag­nos­tic tool but a training device. It is designed to give the client’s subconscious mind a voice, and allow the Clinical Hypnotherapist to reveal the various underlying factors that shape the client’s cognitive abilities, emotional responses, and automatic behavior. 

It is based on operant conditioning concept, a reward system for the brain, to change the amplitude of brainwaves within a given frequency. There is no input of energy or drugs in the EEG biofeedback that we provide. What is the purpose of that? It can change the way you function... for example if you are too anxious we reward reduction of high-frequency waves which relate to tension and anxiety. This will train your brain to calm itself, and after repeated training, the calm state becomes more of a trait. EEG biofeedback training can be used to improve concentration, calmness, focus, stability of mood and to address many symptoms. Many patients with ADHD or anxiety or depression find neurofeedback to be a very useful alternative to drug treatments. Many people struggle to cope with cravings due to addictions... EEG biofeedback training can assist with the process of recovering from addictions. We train children, adolescents, and adults. Many people use neurofeedback training to reduce or terminate reliance on medications (with medical doctor supervision). Most people find meaningful changes in the short term in a few sessions and longer term changes in 20-40 sessions.

More info:

Disclaimer: Brain Entrainment method (Neurofeedback/EEG biofeedback) is not a diagnosis tool or a cure for any diagnosed conditions. It works by resolving the underlying imbalances and brain dysregulation. It is clearer viewed as personal training rather than a treatment.



Source:
http://www.eeginfo.com/what-is-neurofeedback.jsp
http://www.neurofeedbackandtherapy.com/menu/

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Beating depression the natural way - EEG biofeedback training


The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is important for "cognitive" and "executive" functions such as working memory, intention formation, goal-directed action, abstract reasoning, and attentional control. It is also known that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) plays an important role in top-down regulation of emotional processing as part of the more extensive cognitive network that is also critically involved in emotion regulation, particularly by distraction from the emotional stimulus. This dlPFC is important for the reappraisal/suppression of negative affect and a defect in this regulation of negative affect due to a dysfunction of the dlPFC appears to play a very important role in clinical depression. 

Modification of a negative attentional bias by cognitive training alters dlPFC activity in response to emotional stimuli and this is likely the primary result of successful treatment by means of cognitive and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapies. AThe results of a recent study examining the effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the left dlPFC on temporary reduction of negative attentional bias during learning in depressed versus non-depressed college students supports the suggestion that tDCS may actually enhance the learning of cognitive-behavioural therapeutic strategies.

 While there is some strong evidence suggesting that a reduction in dlPFC activity and/or over-activity of the vmPFC may play a major role in the development of depression brain imaging studies continue to reveal other areas of the brain that are also involved in depressed mood and suggest that depression is largely a result of reduced activation/metabolism in a number of brain areas and reports of increased activation of any particular brain area have not consistently been associated with depression. Anxiety, on the other hand, correlates with increased regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in posterior cingulate and bilateral inferior parietal lobules. Since comorbid depression and anxiety are quite common, it is important to recognize the different areas that are activated or inhibited by both depression and anxiety.

Electroencephalographic (EEG) studies have largely confirmed these findings by demonstrating increased alpha (8-12 Hz) EEG relative power in the left frontal regions of the brains to be associated with dysthymia and major depressive disorder (MDD) as well as the onset of depression in patients with damage to the left frontal lobe. Since alpha is generally viewed as a cortical idling rhythm and is inversely related to neuronal activity, increased left frontal alpha results in deactivation of the left prefrontal cortex and a functional dominance of the right prefrontal cortex. Indeed, a number of brain researchers have suggested a laterality of the brain’s affective system; with negative emotions having a bias in activating the right hemisphere and positive emotions activating the left hemisphere. The left frontal lobes may be considered to include an “approach behavior” circuit whereas the right frontal lobes may include an “avoidance-behavior” circuit. As the left becomes more active, we tend to see things as generally more interesting, more rewarding, more approachable (i.e., the cup as half-full). In contrast, activation of the right circuit causes us to see things as potentially more dangerous and less rewarding (i.e., the cup as half-empty). Brain research suggests that a person's mood may largely depend on which side of the prefrontal cortex is more active.

In this vein, Henriques & Davidson (1990, 1991) examined frontal EEG asymmetry in currently depressed versus never depressed individuals and found elevated left frontal alpha power in the depressed individuals. Other researchers have confirmed these findings as well as observing that individual differences in frontal asymmetry emerge early in life and are associated with individual differences in “approach-withdrawal” behavior and the “introversion-extroversion” personality dimension. Taken together, these findings suggest that EEG asymmetry marked by relative left frontal hypoactivation may be a biological marker of familial and, possibly genetic risk for mood disorders. 


EEG biofeedback or Neurofeedback is direct training of brain function, by which the brain learns to function more efficiently. We observe the brain in action from moment to moment. We show that information back to the person. And we reward the brain for changing its own activity to more appropriate patterns. This is a gradual learning process. It applies to any aspect of brain function that we can measure. Neurofeedback is also called EEG Biofeedback, because it is based on electrical brain activity, the electroencephalogram, or EEG. Neurofeedback is training in self-regulation. It is simply biofeedback applied to the brain directly. Self-regulation is a necessary part of good brain function. Self-regulation training allows the system (the central nervous system) to function better.
Neurofeedback addresses problems of brain disregulation. These happen to be numerous. They include the anxiety-depression spectrum, attention deficits, behavior disorders, various sleep disorders, headaches and migraines, PMS and emotional disturbances. It is also useful for organic brain conditions such as seizures, the autism spectrum, and cerebral palsy.

We offer brainwaves assessment service. It is a tool that designed to give the client’s subconscious mind a voice, and allow the Clinical Hypnotherapist to reveal the various underlying factors that shape the client’s cognitive abilities, emotional responses and automatic behavior. Contact us now for more info.


Source:
http://www.edmontonneurotherapy.com/treatment_depression.html
http://www.eeginfo.com/what-is-neurofeedback.jsp

Monday, September 12, 2016

第11届马来西亚华社辅导研讨会11th Malaysian Chinese Counseling Conference - Research Paper Presentation by Hiro Koo


I was sharing about my research related to clinical hypnotherapy and sleep quality in this national counseling conference in Malaysia. This is research for my master's thesis. I am grateful to my advisor and supervisor for their guidance. To the event organizer, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your invite and the excellent organized Conference.



研讨会主题源自于生命线协会去年所推展“我听见了你”运动。生命线协会透过全国巡迴讲座、工作坊、青少年营、父母成长班、教师工作坊等,唤醒社会大众对“倾听”的觉醒,希望校园、企业界及社区等,皆能理解“倾听”的可贵及重要,一起建立“会倾听,愿倾听”的社会,陪伴家人朋友及时面对压力、困扰与生活瓶颈,进而达到减压力、抗忧鬱、防自杀的健康社会目标。

除了工作坊,研讨会的内容还包括研究报告、研讨课题、公开演讲及华社辅导机构交流会。感谢主办单位,让我有幸可以在这个意义非凡的活动中与大家分享我的研究报告。让心理健康工作者了解到临床催眠和脑电波反馈疗法对心理健康所扮演的角色。也感谢在场500名参与者的支持与鼓励。




Friday, July 29, 2016

2nd Asian Neurofeedback Conference 2016




During the 2nd Asia Neurofeedback Conference this year, I speak about Tic disorder and Tourette syndrome management by using Neuro-hypnotherapy and EEG biofeedback. I am really glad to be here today. 
😄
Abstract
This paper discussed EEG biofeedback as a standalone tool or used together with neuro-hypnotherapy approach for Tics and Tourette Syndrome. In this paper, the advantages of EEG biofeedback alone or integrating EEG biofeedback in neuro-hypnotherapy were explained. Four cases of patients with presenting problems related to tics and Tourette syndrome were presented. The protocol and improvement were mentioned and highlighted. 







Speakers of the day




*Special thanks to Miss Tan Wan Yen. Thank you for giving me a hand in doing research.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Tourette Syndrome Treatment in Malaysia - EEG biofeedback/Neurofeedback

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (TS) is characterized by motor and vocal tic manifestations, often accompanied by behavioral, cognitive and affective dysfunctions. 

Electroencephalography of patients with TS has revealed reduced Sensorimotor Rhythm (SMR) and excessive fronto-central Theta activity, that presumably underlie motor and cognitive disturbances in TS. 

Some evidence exists that EEG biofeedback or neurofeedback (NFB) training aimed at enhancing SMR amplitude is effective for reducing tics. The present report is an uncontrolled single case study where a NFB training protocol, involving combined SMR uptraining/Theta downtraining was delivered to a 17-year-old male with TS. 

After sixteen SMR-Theta sessions, six additional sessions were administered with SMR uptraining alone. SMR increase was better obtained when SMR uptraining was administered alone, whereas Theta decrease was observed after both trainings.

The patient showed a reduction of tics and affective symptoms, and improvement of cognitive performance after both trainings. 

Overall, these findings suggest that Theta decrease might account for some clinical effects seen in conjunction with SMR uptraining. Future studies should clarify the feasibility of NFB protocols for patients with TS beyond SMR uptraining alone.



Source:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51641932_Neurofeedback_Training_for_Tourette_Syndrome_An_Uncontrolled_Single_Case_Study

Saturday, February 20, 2016

马来西亚妥瑞症治疗Non-drug therapy for Tics/Tourette syndrome

妥瑞氏症 (Tourette Syndrome)
妥瑞氏症也稱妥瑞氏綜合症,患者會有不自主重複性動作的癥狀,表現在臉部、手部或腳部可觀察的小肌肉規律性抽動,以及額頭、眼尾、鼻子、嘴部肌肉群的區塊抽動。重症者會出現頭部、頸部、肩膀、身體、腳部的上下前後扭動,以至二個手臂連接整個上半身的大擺動,再結合從小聲至大聲的囈語或穢語。抽動的範圍愈大,時間愈久、次數愈頻繁,顯示癥狀愈為嚴重,反之則癥狀愈為緩解。



妥瑞氏症簡介 妥瑞氏症也稱妥瑞氏綜合症、吐雷氏症、吐雷氏綜合症。此症是法國妥瑞(last nameJean-Nartub Charcot ,first name Gillies de la Tourette)醫生於1885年提出的8個病例報告。此種患童會不自主動作,包括抽搐、眨眼睛、噘嘴巴、裝鬼臉、臉部扭曲、聳肩膀、搖頭晃腦;及不自主出聲,包括清喉嚨、大叫或發類似「干」的怪聲。約有百分之五十的患者會伴有注意力缺陷過動症。

症状 聲語上的抽搐(Vocal Tics) 聲語型抽筋可說是妥瑞氏症最為人所知的癥狀。聲語型抽筋包含廣泛,從單純的清喉嚨,擤鼻涕,發出象豬的咕嚕聲,狗叫聲,到突然說一些詞語或發出無意義的聲音。絕大多數的人以為妥瑞氏症患者會突然口出穢言。事實上,大約只有15%的妥瑞氏症病例會出現這種情形。如同運作型抽筋,聲語型抽筋的嚴重程度是變動的,且形式經常改變(譬如說,從發出象豬的呼嚕聲到說一些話語),癥狀隨著狀況不同時好時壞。 聲語型抽筋可分為簡單型以及複雜型。簡單型聲語抽筋包括發出一些簡單的聲響象是清喉嚨或是擤鼻涕。複雜型的聲語抽筋則包括任何言語,連猥褻的言詞也囊括其中;重複別人的話;或是反覆喃喃自語。

動作上的抽搐(Motor Tics) 動作型抽筋是一些不自主的運動,通常發生於臉和脖子的肌肉。這些不自主的運動包括聳肩,眨眼,以及擤鼻子。當手臂伸展,踢腿或跳躍時,身體其他部位也參與其中。動作型抽筋通常發生於身體的同一部位,但是隨著時間的過去,抽筋的現象可能從一部份消逝而在另一個部位又冒出來。


動作型抽筋可以分為簡單型以及複雜型。 簡單型抽筋是突發的、短暫動作,它通常的發作模式是一次只有單一一個位置的肌肉抽筋。象是眨眼、聳肩或是搖頭晃腦都是簡單型動作抽筋的例子。 複雜型抽筋則是一連串的動作。看起來好象是有目的,象是那個人刻意有那些舉動,但實際上他們是不自主的做了那些動作。 舉例來說,複雜型抽筋可能是聞東西(它包含了把東西拿起來,將物體靠近鼻子,聞一聞,然後放下)或是模仿別人的動作(稱為仿作"echopraxia")。 這些舉動很可能被解釋成是患者刻意作出來的。但有一些複雜型抽筋看起來並非刻意而為,象是反覆的踢腿或是搖頭聳肩。 感覺上或心理上的抽搐 大部分的妥瑞氏症兒童都有出現癥狀的前兆,譬如:眼皮酸而眨眼睛,脖子酸而搖頭聳肩,通常是抽搐前兆。也有單獨的燒灼感、緊繃感、肌肉緊張、疼痛。甚至於覺得別人搔癢而去抓人,也有在心理說粗話或重複說一樣的話妥瑞氏兒童在專心於某一行為時(例如:談鋼琴、看錄像帶、玩電動遊樂器、看漫畫書等)抽搐常會消失,熟睡或酒後多半癥狀也會消失;相反地,壓力疲憊無聊及興奮時,會明顯加重抽搐的頻率與強度。 伴隨癥狀過動、注意力不集中(ADHD)及強迫症。根據葉啟斌醫師的說法約有40%的妥瑞氏症兒童有強迫症。Deputy( 2002)表示:至少有五分之一的妥瑞氏症兒童伴隨有注意力缺陷過動症(ADHD)。 

病因 

過度敏感反應 目前所知的病因是腦基底核的多巴胺過度敏感反應,及腦基底核與腦皮質之間的聯繫出現問題,導致出現慢性、反覆、半不自主的動作及聲語上的抽搐(tic)。約50-70%的妥瑞兒與遺傳有關。 與鏈球菌感染有關 根據國外的研究約有四成的妥瑞氏症兒童與鏈球菌感染有關。妥瑞氏症可能與紅斑性狼瘡一樣,是一種自體免疫疾病,鏈球菌感染是危險因子。有妥瑞氏症家族史及體內B型淋巴結免疫缺損的孩童應盡量避免感染鏈球菌。   感冒對神經傳導物質多巴胺也會有所破壞,造成多巴胺不足而導致妥瑞氏症及帕金森症。

其它環境因素 環境因素如有毒物質、心理興奮劑、過敏原、食品等。


發病人群 妥瑞氏症在所有人種皆可見。 妥瑞氏症的病徵通常在18歲之前出現,在7 歲半左右發作。 男性妥瑞氏症的發生率比女性高三到四倍。

诊断 雖然說並無法使用單一一個測驗即可檢測出一個人是否罹患妥瑞氏症,但是某些檢驗,例如:MRI,CT,EEG 以及血液測試皆可幫助醫師將癥狀與妥瑞氏症類似的疾病排除。假如受檢對象在其他的檢查的結果都是陰性的,而此人長期以來一直有多重的動作型或聲語型抽筋,癥狀持續超過一年以上,則可以做出此人為妥瑞氏症患者之臨床診斷。

治療 妥瑞氏症的心理治療分成二個階段,分別處理癥狀與癥狀造成的影響。
第一階段是抽動動作、行為的矯治,以及腦部異常放電之腦電波心身回饋治療
第二階段是偏差行為矯治、人格重建以及深度心理治療。 父母親的協助以及當事人意志力的激發,是治療妥瑞氏症最重要的助力。若無家屬和患者的全力配合,通常心理治療作業都會中斷無法建構療程與療效。

对于妥瑞症的治疗,Newmindcentre.com的治疗师和医师们提供以下服务:


1) 了解病因:检测环境因素
Nutritional therapy合格的营养咨询师将教导您使用食物保養神經的作用穩定 大腦中有許多神經細胞,靠神經傳導物質當「傳令兵」,幫忙傳達指令,身體各部位一收到訊息,就會有所反應。 神經傳導物質有上百種,其中和情緒、壓力有關的包括多巴胺、正腎上腺素、血清素等。好消息是,一些食物可以增加神經傳導物質的濃度,維持神經的作用穩定,不妨適量攝取。营养咨询师可透过头发重金属检测Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)的方法了解环境因素,对症下药了解身体里超标的有毒物质并改变您的饮食,从而帮助您改善身心状态。重金屬藉由飲食、呼吸或是直接接觸方式進入人體,但重金屬不似其他毒素能在肝臟進行分解代謝後排出體外。相對的,它非常容易囤積在大腦、腎臟等器官,漸進式破壞身體的正常功能。簡單、精確、無侵入性的重金屬檢測幫助您提早發現不正常警訊和預防疾病發生。近代學術研究發現,近頭皮的頭髮所含之元素與體內之元素有密切的相關性,並且有強大的學術支持,這些由頭髮檢測之元素即代表體內的元素含量,其中包括了有毒金屬及營養性元素。因頭髮之分析檢測比血液檢測更加的靈敏,可發揮提早發現不正常警訊及與防疾病之優點。














2) 第一階段治疗:抽動動作、行為的矯治(Habit Reversal Therapy)与腦電波心身回饋治療(EEG biofeedback/Neurofeedback)
我们拥有在马来西亚极少数受过合格脑电波心身回馈治疗与拥有丰富临床经验的治疗师。治疗师除了提供科学,安全无痛又无副作用的脑电波心身回馈治疗,也会教导客户如何使用Habit Reversal Therapy等对抽動動作、行為的矯治疗法。



3)第二階段治疗:偏差行為矯治、人格重建以及深度心理治療(Psychotherapy and Neuro-hypnotherapy)
我们拥有执业临床催眠师,可以透过临床催眠疗法除了可以减轻妥瑞症的症状,也能帮助客户进行偏差行为矫正,情绪与心理治疗以帮助客户进行完善的人格重建。我们所使用的脑电波心身回馈治疗也专门设计了针对客户的智力与情绪进行正面的调整功能。



4) 提供客户的亲属适当的心理建设Psychoeducation 
我们提供父母或亲属适当的心理建设与应对措施,让他们了解如何与病患相处。同时也可以和家属亲人一起探讨对策,帮助病患一起面对来自学校,工作以及社会所给予的压力与不平等对待。




总结,我们治疗的5大特点是:
科学验证疗法,
非侵入性并完全无痛,
安全并无副作用,
完全不使用任何药物,
许多成功减轻病情临床案例






 资料来源: http://www.twwiki.com/wiki/%E5%A6%A5%E7%91%9E%E6%B0%8F%E7%97%87

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Keeping Emotions in Check With Neurofeedback

Difficulty handling emotions and keeping them under control can cause various psychological issues, and may even lead to full-blown psychiatric problems. This is especially true in childhood. Trauma experienced in youth can contribute to later problems such as depression and anxiety. There are various techniques for helping people control their emotions. One of these is neurofeedback; a training method in which information about changes in an individual’s neural activity is provided to the individual in real-time. This enables the individual to self-regulate thier neural activity and produces changes in behaviour. While already in use as a treatment tool for adults, this method has not been used on young people until now. Researchers believe neurofeedback could help younger people by providing more efficient control of their emotions.

The new study used real time fMRI-based neurofeedback on a sample of kids. “We worked with subjects between the ages of 7 and 16,” explains SISSA researcher and one of the authors of the study, Moses Sokunbi. “They observed emotionally- charged images while we monitored their brain activity, before ‘returning’ it back to them.” The region of the brain studied was the insula, which is in the cerebral cortex.
The young participants could see the level of activation in the insula on a “thermometer” presented on the MRI projector screen. They were instructed to reduce or increase activation with cognitive strategies while verifying the effects on the thermometer. All of them learned how to increase insula activity, although decreasing was more difficult. Specific analysis techniques made it possible to reconstruct the complete network of the areas involved in regulating emotions (besides the insula) and the internal flow of activation. The researchers observed that the direction of flow when activity was increased reversed when decreased.
“These results show that the effect of neurofeedback went beyond the superficial- simple activation of the insula- by influencing the entire network that regulates emotions,” explains Kathrine Cohen Kadosh, Oxford University researcher and first author of the study. “They demonstrate that neurofeedback is a methodology that can be used successfully with young people.”


“Childhood and adolescence is an extremely important time for young people’s emotional development,” says Jennifer Lau, from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, who has taken part in the study. “Therefore, the ability to shape brain networks associated with the regulation of emotions could be crucial for preventing future mental health problems, which are known to arise during this vital period when the brain’s emotional capacity is still developing.”

Source:
http://neurosciencenews.com/emotion-psychology-neurofeedback-3201/