BELLTIME
Neurofeedback Training – A new science-based approach to treating ADHD and related disorders
Scientific and public interest in Neurofeedback Training( NFT) has grown exponentially over the last decade. NFT is a neuroscience-based method of changing the way the brain works, with the ultimate goal of changing behaviour. In particular, NFT is becoming an increasingly popular intervention for children and adolescents with attentional problems( e. g. ADHD / ADD), behavioural problems( e. g. ODD) and related issues. The magnitude of effects resulting from NFT was summarised by Frank Duffy, a Professor and Paediatric Neurologist at Harvard Medical School in the US, who wrote of NFT:“ In my opinion, if any medication had demonstrated such a wide spectrum of efficacy it would be universally accepted and widely used.”
While relatively new to Ireland, NFT has been used in the US and in Europe since the 1960s to treat a variety of psychological and medical disorders. Actualise Clinical, based in Dublin City University, are the first group to bring this revolutionary science to Ireland. The Clinic is under the direction of Dr. Michael Keane, a Neuroscientist, former Lecturer in Psychology at DCU, and Ireland’ s only certified NFT provider. He has studied brain function for over 15 years, particularly linking brain function to behaviour.
Dean is 13 years old. He received a diagnosis of ADHD four years ago, and has long since struggled in school and at home. His mum describes their home life:“ We always knew there was something a little different about Dean. Getting him out to school was always trouble. We’ d send him upstairs to put on his shoes, and ten minutes later he would have one sock on and be playing with lego. It always ended up with a shouting match every morning, and it really affected me, him and the rest of the family. Homework time was a disaster, a constant source of stress”. His teacher describes Dean in school:“ Dean had difficulty in paying attention in class – you could see his mind wandering. When he could focus, he could never wait his turn, he would always blurt out an answer without being asked. He became very difficult to manage, and was isolated from his peers. He couldn’ t wait his turn with his mates, he was very impulsive with a short fuse, and often found himself in trouble”.
With the diagnosis of ADHD came a prescription for medication, but Dean’ s parents were reluctant. NFT was mentioned to them by their Psychologist, and they looked into it as a way to help Dean.“ Initially we were sceptical” explained his Mum.“ We had never heard of it, and were worried about someone messing with Dean’ s brain!” They made an appointment with Actualise at DCU, and went for an assessment.“ The staff were very friendly and professional, and you could see that they had plenty of experience in working with kids like Dean. The whole process was explained to us and him very well.”
What kind of cases do Actualise work with?
NFT works with ADHD and related disorders, as well as with anxiety, panic disorder and depression. More cases at the Actualise Clinic, however, are children and adolescents with ADHD and related disorders, and anxiety. A typical case is Dean, who came to the clinic in 2015.
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Image 1- Áine Maher from Actualise measuring brain function at the clinic using an EEG cap. Measuring EEG is entirely painless and non-invasive – it is the passive measurement of the brain’ s electrical function.