How Neurofeedback Therapy Can Improve Cognitive Function and Brain Performance

Neurofeedback therapy is a safe and non-invasive method to help you control your brainwaves consciously. It is used alongside talk therapy and psychiatric medications but is also effective as a standalone treatment.

It uses reward-based training, like music or video games, to encourage neuroplasticity and replace dysfunctional brainwave patterns with healthy ones. Results can take up to 10 sessions to notice, with longer-lasting effects after more consistent training.

ADHD

Neurofeedback therapy is an effective tool for boosting cognitive functions in patients and is especially beneficial for attention deficit disorders, such as ADHD. Peak performers in sports and business also use it to improve their decision-making under pressure.

Neurofeedback works by showing you your brain wave patterns on a screen and teaching you to “train” your brain to change those negative, dysregulated frequencies that cause your symptoms. This is done by providing feedback, such as when a bar graph turns green, and the goal is to train your brain to do so without using drugs or chemicals.

You sit or lie down with electrodes on your head and ears during the sessions. A computer then reads the electrical impulses created by your neurons and sends the data to a monitor displaying your brainwaves. You then learn to control your brainwaves, allowing you to focus better.

Anxiety

Neurofeedback therapy is a drug-free and non-invasive therapy that balances brain waves by teaching your brain how to get back into normal ranges. This technique allows your brain to learn to recognize unhealthy patterns so that you can correct them independently.

With the help of visual and audio feedback (as in watching EEG tracings or hearing a movie playing), you can train your brain to produce healthy brainwaves that support focus, calmness, and a sense of well-being. As new neural pathways take shape, you will see symptom relief in real-time and over time.

Alpha-theta neurofeedback training can improve attention deficit disorder, learning, and reading problems, ADD, and autism while promoting relaxation, creativity, and better sleep. Enhanced alpha and SMR neurofeedback has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, ADHD, and self-reported pain symptoms. It can also strengthen the connection between the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, which helps you to control impulsive reactions.

Depression

When a brain has been injured by trauma (like PTSD or a concussion) or by chemical means (such as an overdose of sedatives), neurofeedback helps to train the brain into healthier patterns. It can also improve symptoms of autism and other organic brain conditions.

In neurofeedback sessions, electrodes are attached to your head or scalp, and data is transmitted to a computer that shows you what is happening in your brain. The computer identifies inefficient brain wave patterns that may be causing your symptoms and teaches you how to change these patterns.

The process is painless, non-invasive, and drug-free, and results can be long-lasting as new neural pathways are formed. However, working with a highly trained specialist is essential to mitigate any physical or emotional discomfort during treatment.

Trauma

Neurofeedback can help improve traumatic brain injury symptoms such as headaches, memory problems, impulsiveness and mood swings, balance issues, depression, anger management, and cognitive decline. It’s also been shown to increase brain function in PTSD patients and enhance the effects of talk therapy and medication.

During sessions, your doctor monitors the speed and pattern of your brainwaves while you watch something on a screen. When the brainwaves show healthy habits, the screen brightens and dims when they veer into dysfunctional ones. This real-time feedback encourages your brain to “prune” dysfunctional patterns and reinforce healthy neural pathways.

Neurofeedback can be done alone or in conjunction with talk therapy and psychiatric medications, and it’s safe for kids and adults with developmental trauma. It’s non-invasive and requires no drugs or injections, making it an excellent complement to a holistic approach to mental health care. As a result, it’s increasingly being used in conjunction with other therapies, such as yoga and mindfulness practices.