The LA Times had a story recently on the growing use of (and debate surrounding) neurofeedback for a variety of psychological conditions (ADHD, OCD, anxiety, etc). Essentially, neurofeedback is a controversial treatment approach designed to help patients gain control over their brain activity. Generally, electrodes measuring brain activity are placed on the patient’s forehead while he watches a computer screen that provides some type of reward once he achieves the desired state. There have only been a handful of well done studies demonstrating any effectiveness, but proponents are continuing to study it as a possible alternative to psychotherapy and medication.

Neurofeedback has been used for decades in private clinics, but few well-controlled research studies have been done — giving it an unscientific reputation. That’s beginning to change. Researchers are now studying and refining the therapy — with promising results.

Techniques like neurofeedback are often reacted to by the scientific, medical, and psychological communities when there is little empirical evidence, and when the theory of how it works is questionable. It could be on the radar for people looking to try anything that might work, but it apparently has some distance to go before it gains wider acceptance by treatment professionals.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 6 Dec 2006
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.