Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2019 Aug 20;19(3):213-220.
doi: 10.17305/bjbms.2018.3785.

Review of the therapeutic neurofeedback method using electroencephalography: EEG Neurofeedback

Affiliations
Review

Review of the therapeutic neurofeedback method using electroencephalography: EEG Neurofeedback

Nina Omejc et al. Bosn J Basic Med Sci. .

Abstract

Electroencephalographic neurofeedback (EEG-NFB) represents a broadly used method that involves a real-time EEG signal measurement, immediate data processing with the extraction of the parameter(s) of interest, and feedback to the individual in a real-time. Using such a feedback loop, the individual may gain better control over the neurophysiological parameters, by inducing changes in brain functioning and, consequently, behavior. It is used as a complementary treatment for a variety of neuropsychological disorders and improvement of cognitive capabilities, creativity or relaxation in healthy subjects. In this review, various types of EEG-NFB training are described, including training of slow cortical potentials (SCPs) and frequency and coherence training, with their main results and potential limitations. Furthermore, some general concerns about EEG-NFB methodology are presented, which still need to be addressed by the NFB community. Due to the heterogeneity of research designs in EEG-NFB protocols, clear conclusions on the effectiveness of this method are difficult to draw. Despite that, there seems to be a well-defined path for the EEG-NFB research in the future, opening up possibilities for improvement.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A diagram presenting the neurofeedback training loop.

References

    1. Budzynski TH. From EEG to neurofeedback. In: Evans JR, Arbarbanel A, editors. Introduction to Quantitative EEG Neurofeedback. 1st ed. San Diego: Academic Press Inc; 1999. pp. 65–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012243790-8/50004-3.
    1. Kamiya J. The first communications about operant conditioning of the EEG. J Neurother. 2011;15(1):65–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/10874208.2011.545764.
    1. Thibault RT, Lifshitz M, Birbaumer N, Raz A. Neurofeedback, self-regulation, and brain imaging:Clinical science and fad in the service of mental disorders. Psychother Psychosom. 2015;84(4):193–207. https://doi.org/10.1159/000371714. - PubMed
    1. ISNR|International Society for Neurofeedback and Research. Definition of Neurofeedback. 2010. [[Last accessed on 2017 Mar 20]]. Available from: https://www.isnr.org/neurofeedback-introduction .
    1. Sitaram R, Ros T, Stoeckel L, Haller S, Scharnowski F, Lewis-Peacock J, et al. Closed-loop brain training:The science of neurofeedback. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2017;18(2):86–100. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2016.164. - PubMed

MeSH terms