Dementia and Alzheimer symptoms

Neurofeedback  isn’t a “cure” and it cannot reverse structural damage or deterioration in the brain, such as that occurring with Alzheimer’s disease, where brain cells are lost. However, with Neurofeedback training the function of the healthy parts of the brain can be maximised, physiological self-regulation can be maintained and the onset of some symptoms can be delayed.

It should be noted though, that with Dementia, Neurofeedback has to be applied frequently and maybe even indefinitely to sustain improvement and prevent relapse. It is very likely that Neurofeedback will become a regular part of elderly care in the future, to fight against the decline of mental faculties and prolonging healthy brains in humans.

This recent thesis describes a study in which 10 patients with Alzheimer’s Disease were treated with neurofeedback, and  concluded that “neurofeedback has a positive effect on the cognitive performance of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease”:Luijmes, R. E. The Effectiveness of Neurofeedback on Cognitive Functioning in Patients with Alzheimer s Disease.

This 2008 study describes how Neurofeedback was used with elderly people judged at risk of developing Dementia, which improved their verbal comprehension and associated brainwave patterns:Fernandez, T., Becerra, J., Roca, M., Espino, M., Bahlke, M. Y., Harmony, T., … & Diaz-Comas, L. (2008). Neurofeedback in healthy elderly humans with electroencephalographic risk of cognitive impairment. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

This 2009 study found that the memory of Dementia patients was “significantly improved” following Neurofeedback training, and observed that it was more effective for patients at an early stage of dementia:Efficacy Of Neurofeedback For Executive And Memory Function In Dementia Marvin H. Berman, Jon A. Frederick  Alzheimer’s & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer’s Association 1 July 2009 (volume 5 issue 4 Page e8 DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2009.07.046).

To learn more about Neurofeedback for Dementia, visit: www.braintrainuk.com