By using special equipment, we can now monitor, analyze, and record your brain wave frequencies through a simple process of placing sensors on your head. Our equipment then separates the fast brainwaves from the slow. Four divisions of electrical impulses made by your brain are called “frequency bands.” These frequency bands tell us which parts of your brain are active and which frequency band the brain should use to complete a given task. For instance, when we are balancing our checkbooks or are in a class following directions, certain areas of our brains will need to be active and using the faster frequency band called beta. On the other hand, if after a long day we want to relax and wind down, a different part of the brain will need to be activated using the slower brainwaves frequency band called alpha.
When our brains are unable to transition smoothly between activating different parts of the brain in the correct frequency band we wil be unable to perform tasks as well as a normal brain can. So problems occur that are the result of our brains inability to regulate itself. To function well, our brains need to self-regulate. Training that improves our brains ability to self regulate smoothly enables the central nervous system to function better.
How is Neurofeedback Done?
We place sensors on the head that record brainwave activity. Our computers divide the electrical activity into key frequency bands. Sitting in front of our computer screen, the person is able to see the ebb and flow of their brainwave activity (as in top picture). This information looks much like a video game. Some frequency bands we will want to encourage, while other we may want to discourage. By rewarding the brain each time it produces the desired frequency, we help the brain learn to regulate it's activity. By learning to play the video game, and individual can learn to change their brainwaves. This is a learning process called “operant conditioning.
How will You know Which Frequency Band and Which Area of My Brain to Train?
We place what looks like a swim cap with a number of sensors on in on your head in order to record the strength of the key frequency bands at different locations. Our equipment will then analyze this information and we can generate a picture of the electrical activity of your entire brain. This is called a brain map. The Brain map will tell us which areas of the brain are too active, or not active enough, as well as which frequency band is not being well regulated by the brain.
