Thanks to the advances in technology, we’re literally gaining a look at how a brain affected with ADD/ADHD works. And because of that, many children – and adults have benefited from a therapy called neurofeedback.

Neurofeedback, so its supportors say, trains the brain to work more efficiently by measuring the brain waves while an individual essentially plays a video game. Now, the effectiveness of this treatment is being put to the test – the scientific test, that is.

Researchers at The Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio testing this form of therapy with the help of 36 children, aged six to 12. Each child receives 40 treatments of neurofeedback training either two or three times weekly for a total of 14 to 21 weeks.

The students are not permitted to take medication for ADD/ADHD during the course of the trial.

This study is the first time that neurofeedback as a treatment for ADD/ADHD has been tested in a double-blind study in this country. The study works by monitoring the brain waves of the children as they play the video game. As the children lose focus on the game, their brain waves will naturally slow. And in turn the test is constructed so the children lose the ability to control the game. They won’t be able to gain control again until they are prompted to refocus, which will increase their brain waves.

Having the research be ‘double blinded’, means that one group of the children will receive the real neurofeedback treatment, where the second group will have the same set up, however the treatment will not be true neurofeedback. This will allow the researchers to see if the neurofeedback leads to clinical improvement in children with ADD/ADHD, because the ‘sham’ treatment is acting like a placebo.

Watch this blog to see view the results of this trial. You can also visit here to read the entire news release of the study.

Best,

Dr. Kenny

p.s. to learn more about neurofeedback and other alternatives for ADD/ADHD, please visit: Alternatives for ADHD.

Technorati Tags: ADD, ADHD, Neurofeedback, alternative medicine

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