Get Off Sleeping Pills: Now What?

April 9th, 2012

Considerable media attention has recently been focused on a San Diego State University study that has reared close to proving that insomnia patients who choose to get off sleeping pills could, quite possibly, be saving their own lives.

ABC World News, NBC and CBS all gave major coverage to this story, but illustrated little on how patients taking drugs like Ambien and Lunesta can actually wean off of them without suffering severe withdrawal symptoms. This includes a side effect called rebound insomnia, which is described in pharmaceutical literature as not being able to sleep at all for up to seven or more days.

“Patients are stuck in a treatment catch 22″, says Hyla Cass, MD., author of the book, 8 Weeks to Vibrant Health. “They are being informed that continuing on these medications is no longer an option, and at the same time, stopping cold turkey, without some form of effective intervention is very, very difficult”. Read the rest of this entry »

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Electroencephalography Leads Placed by Nontechnologists Using a Template System Produce Signals Equal in Quality to Technologist-Applied, Collodion Disk Leads

February 28th, 2012

Brad J. Kolls,* DaiWai M. Olson,* William B. Gallentine,* Mark B. Skeen,* Christopher T. Skidmore,*and Saurabh R. Sinha*

Summary: The purpose of this study was to compare the quality of the electroencephalographic (EEG) data obtained with a BraiNet template in a practical use setting, to that obtained with standard 10/20 spaced, technologist-applied, collodion-based disk leads. Pairs of 8-hour blocks of
EEG data were prospectively collected from 32 patients with a Glasgow coma score of #9 and clinical concern for underlying nonconvulsive status epilepticus over a 6-month period in the Neurocritical Care Unit at the Duke University Medical Center. The studies were initiated with the BraiNet template system applied by critical care nurse practitioners or physicians, followed
by standard, collodion leads applied by registered technologists using the 10/20 system of placement. Impedances were measured at the beginning and end of each block recorded and variance in impedance, mean impedance, and the largest differences in impedances found within a given lead set were compared. Read the rest of this entry »

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QEEG-guided Neurofeedback: New Brain-based Individualized Evaluation and Treatment for Autism

January 19th, 2012

by James Neubrander, MD, Michael Linden, PHD, Jay Gunkelman, QEEGd, and Cynthia Kerson, PHD

QEEG-guided neurofeedback is based on normalizing dysregulated brain regions that relate to specific clinical presentation. With ASD, this means that the approach is specific to each individual’s QEEG subtype patterns and presentation. The goal of neurofeedback with ASD is to correct amplitude abnormalities and balance brain functioning, while coherence neurofeedback aims to improve the connectivity and plasticity between brain regions. This tailored approach has implications that should not be underestimated. . . . Clinicians, including the authors, have had amazing results with ASD, including significant speech and communication improvements, calmer and less aggressive behavior, increased attention, better eye contact, and improved socialization. Many of our patients have been able to reduce or eliminate their medications after completion of QEEG-guided neurofeedback.

Preface by By James Neubrander, MD

Parents of children with autism know me (JN) as a physician who uses various biomedical treatments to help children move toward recovery. Several years ago, I was introduced to the powerful modality of QEEG-guided neurofeedback. This treatment uses EEG biofeedback, also known as neurofeedback, guided by the QEEG, or quantitative electroencephalogram. Neurofeedback has since become an important addition to my practice because it offers therapeutic options that are not possible through biomedical treatments alone. Read the rest of this entry »

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Beneath the Sensors

January 19th, 2012

beneath the sensors1 Beneath the Sensors

by Elizabeth L. Stroebel, Ph.D., BCIA-C

The metamorphosis of an egg into a caterpillar, to a cocoon, to a butterfly is an awesome phenomenon because it is relatively rapid; maturity is achieved in a few weeks and it can proceed full circle in complete view of the observer. The changes occurring within a child are equally cataclysmic, but are cloaked by a deceptive surface appearance of a “cute miniature person.” Many adults are prone to expect, first:that given food, support and time, this miniature adult will grow up; and, second: that there is little reason to expect significant variation and marked individual differences in the speed and nature of the developmental process, although while questioning the truth and reliability of the adult world. ugh substantive research in childhood development has shown otherwise. Read the rest of this entry »

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Combining Biofeedback with Virtual Reality to Manage Fear of Flying

December 27th, 2011

One of the major challenges faced by behaviorally oriented psychologists has been to match reduction of autonomic arousal with stimuli realistic enough for the phobic patient to respond as if it were a truly “dangerous” situation. Historically, patients have been asked to rely on their imaginations to visualize the anxiety producing scenario (Wolpe, 1958), e.g., being in an airplane or crowded elevator. The critical factor has always been the extent to which the patient viscerally responds to the imagined threat, not the amount of visual imagery that is produced. The frequently reported patient complaint of, “I have a lousy imagination,” is not as damning as we once thought. Far more damaging is when physiological measures like heart rate (HR) or galvanic skin resistance (GSR) are unaffected by imagined phobic scenes. Either way, in vitro desensitization has been an awkward treatment to implement. Nonetheless, HR and GSR are considered excellent measures of how people viscerally respond to stressful situations. As everyone knows, rapid heartbeat and excessive sweating are sure signs of nervousness. Read the rest of this entry »

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How meditating may help your brain

November 29th, 2011

Study examines brain activity

Author: By Elizabeth Landau (CNN) – When you’re under pressure from work and family and the emails don’t stop coming, it’s hard to stop your mind from jumping all over the place.

But scientists are finding that it may be worth it to train your brain to focus on something as simple as your breath, which is part of mindfulness meditation.

A new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the latest in a hot emerging field of research examining how meditation relates to the brain. It shows that people who are experienced meditators show less activity in the brain’s default mode network, when the brain is not engaged in focused thought. Read the rest of this entry »

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Henry Ford Health Systems using Biofeedback

November 29th, 2011

Great little video on the use of biofeedback by Henry Ford Health System in Michigan.

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Biofeedback: Can you Teach your Body to lose Stress?

October 20th, 2011

Here is a great article from CNN related to biofeedback. Dr Gevirtz, Leherer and Peper offer their insight into how biofeedback and proper breathing (taught via biofeedback) can be used to reduce stress.

Biofeedback: Can you Teach your Body to lose Stress?

When it comes to stress relief methods for me, the devil is in the execution. More likely than not, I will stack whatever it is (or an article or book about it) on my bedside table and expect it to sink in through magic and osmosis. Alas …

I got a call early last week from my friend Parvathi, who works for a Washington clinical psychologist specializing in cognitive therapy for patients with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. “You need to check out some of these biofeedback devices for stress,” she said. “My doctor has a few of them in the office. He lends them out to patients who are having anxiety.”

I was skeptical. When I actually saw a picture of one of them, the question was obvious: How do you reduce stress by sticking your finger into a socket thingy and breathing for a while?

“Biofeedback is remarkable,” said Erik Peper, a San Francisco State University professor who has been involved in self-regulation and stress management for decades as both a teacher and a clinician.

He proceeded to lead me through a 30-second breathing exercise on the phone that left me lightheaded. “You see? Even small changes in your breathing can make a significant difference in your physiology — in your body, mind and emotions.”

(Read the full article here)

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Protocol for HRV Biofeedback manual cleanup using Kubios HRV

October 13th, 2011

The following is a paper on using Kubios HRV Analysis Software for viewing HRV Data from the J&J I330 – by Christina Huang – California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego, CA

Protocol for Exporting J&J Data

1. After recording your session, exit out of J&J.

2. A small window will pop up in the middle of the screen asking you to select and name a client.

3. Click “Save to Database” and then “Export.”

4. A new window will pop up. On the top left, click on “HR/IBI” and make sure to double check where your file will be saved by clicking on the drop down menu. Also double check all the signals that will be exported in the bottom right hand side of the window.

5. Click ok. Your data should be exported in IBI format to the file you have chosen to save it in.

Protocol for HRV Biofeedback manual cleanup using Kubios HRV Read the rest of this entry »

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Cleveland Clinic’s Motor Control Program – Helping stroke patients

October 7th, 2011

Dr. Jeffrey Bolek Phd has been doing some amazing work at the Cleveland Clinic’s Motor Control Program. Here is a story of how Dr. Bolek used his work to help a stroke patient walk again within a few weeks.

Teen goes from wheelchair to walking in three weeks

It’s the leading cause of debilitating illness in this country but imagine being told as a teenager you’ll spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair. Read the rest of this entry »

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