Neurofeedback for anxiety

He neurofeedback for anxiety is a method that helps us consciously influence brain waves. For this, electroencephalography (EEG) is necessary, which precisely provides information about our brain activity. Its various components are then extracted and sent to subjects via an online feedback loop in the form of audio, video, or their combination.

He neurofeedback It has been used in the treatment of several disorders, including: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia, insomnia, drug addiction, autism and anxiety.

Neurofeedback can reduce the subjective and objective anxiety experienced.

What is neurofeedback?

It is a type of biofeedback focused exclusively on the electrophysiological activity of the brain . The training uses the recording of electroencephalographic (EEG) brain waves as a signal to learn to control brain activity. The sensors used for these purposes are placed on the skull.

When using this technique, the following phases are usually gone through (Collura, 2014):

Production of brain EEG activity. Registration of EEG activity. Conversion of EEG signals into computer signals. Computer processing of signals. Conversion of said signals into sensory signals. Visual, auditory or tactile. Presentation of these last signals to the person. Learning of the subject of the modification of the signals.

The objective of neurofeedback is to ensure that the person learns to identify certain internal events that are associated with brain activity, so that I can intervene on them. That is, it is a learning to change the amplitude and frequency of the electrophysiological components or waves of the brain.

This type of treatments It is non-invasive and allows you to train the brain to improve its function. Thanks to this advanced technique, we can regulate the areas that are responsible for the dysregulation that causes anxiety.

The anxiety

Anxiety is a complex system of cognitive, physiological, behavioral and emotional responses associated with anticipatory preparation for a circumstance perceived as threatening. Its main symptoms are the following:

Agitation.Tension.Feeling tired.Dizziness.Frequent urination.Heart palpitations.Feeling faint.Difficulty breathing.Sweating.

Anxiety in the brain

Anxiety negatively affects attention control and causes changes in brain activity during the development of attentional tasks (Barker et al., 2018). In addition, it is capable of altering the resting state of neural networks.

There is a theory that corroborates these effects: the theory of attentional control. Central to this is the notion that anxiety competes for limited processing resources in anxious individuals, occupying cognitive reserves that would otherwise be allocated to attentional control. This leads to inefficient task processing and impaired ability to inhibit negative thoughts and worry.

This theory predicts an imbalance between different attentional systems such as those guided by the achievement of a goal, those directed at a stimulus and those typical of reactive attention. This imbalance is reflected in a reduced functionality between two areas:

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: which is part of the frontoparietal or executive control network aimed at attentional control used to achieve a goal.Anterior cingulate: member of the cingulate-opercular network responsible for error monitoring.

Anxiety causes changes in brain activity.

Neurofeedback for anxiety

A group of people with high levels of anxiety underwent neurofeedback in a controlled experiment. As a result, a strengthening of the connections between the two neural networks was observed. They were also asked to keep a self-record with their anxiety levels and it was observed that this was lower.

It has also been found that the neurofeedback for anxiety improvement in the ability to pay attention. The regulation of this type of care with neurofeedback can affect the brain activity pattern of patients with anxiety disorder.

In another study, people with high levels of anxiety who were trained to increase their alpha waves through neurofeedback showed substantial improvements in their anxiety. A year later and with a larger sample, these results were replicated by Watson, Woolley-Hart, and Timmons (1979).

In another investigation carried out with patients with a long history of anxiety without response to other psychotherapies or drugs, a increase in alpha waves in just 6 sessions with neurofeedback for anxiety. These waves allow the focus of attention, filtering distractions, thoughts and emotions.

Training to increase theta waves, associated with positive emotional states, also provides benefits. People reported lower rates of subjective and objective anxiety after receiving training to increase both alpha and theta (Vanathy, Sharma & Kumar, 1998). In another study, in patients between 18 and 50 years old with generalized anxiety disorder, training with neurofeedback for anxiety in:

Decrease in anxiety symptoms. Improved social and psychological functioning. Decreased symptoms and increased level of social and psychological functioning.

Finally, note that the effects of neurofeedback have been questioned: some research does not support their effectiveness. However, it is still an alternative or complementary intervention that can help the person train their brain to reduce the maladaptive symptoms of anxiety.

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