Neurofeedback was founded on the principle that the brain can change itself at any age.
Though it was once believed that brain development stopped around age 25, research has shown that the brain continues to adapt and change throughout life as it confronts new experiences, acquires fresh knowledge, and is exposed to varying sensory input. Different neurons fire, synapses increase, and the brain gets “re-mapped.” It’s now known that this capacity for change continues well into old age.
It is this ability that is the key to changing ingrained brain patterns. This ability is known as “neuroplasticity.”
Neuroplasticity is defined as the lifelong capacity of the brain to change and rewire itself in response to the stimulation of learning and experience. It is based on neurogenesis, the ability to create new neurons and connections between neurons (pathways) throughout a lifetime.
Neuroplasticity is the basis of how learning takes place. For instance, neuroplasticity makes it possible for you (with practice) to become better at a sport or to develop a new habit over time.
Neuroplasticity also makes it possible for people who are suffering from many common disorders (including anxiety, depression, sleep issues, chronic pain, and attention problems) to feel and function better.
Neurofeedback encourages the development of new patterns and structures in the brain over time. With practice and training, these patterns can result in a happier, more contented way of life, such as being less reactive, handling stress better, or improving attention.
Neurofeedback Therapy employs neurofeedback to train the brain into healthier, more functional patterns. Neurofeedback is a method that assists subjects to control their brain waves consciously. The electroencephalography (EEG) is recorded during the neurofeedback treatment. Then, its various components are extracted and fed to subjects using an online feedback loop (audio, video, or combination). This training (using neurofeedback) then helps the brain adjust its timing and strengthens connectivity between the different parts of the brain.
For someone with hyperactivity or anxiety, neurofeedback teaches the brain to calm itself. For someone with depression, neurofeedback helps wake up the brain and elevate mood.
The conventional approach to managing disorders like anxiety, depression, and sleep problems is medication. Drugs can temporarily alleviate, but they don’t teach the brain new patterns and may fail or eventually stop working. The symptoms will likely return when medication is discontinued because the brain hasn’t learned to operate differently.
Many people using neurofeedback can, over time, reduce or eliminate medication (with their doctor’s guidance) primarily because it helps the brain establish new patterns.