Epilepsy

Epilepsy was one of the very first therapeutic applications of Neurofeedback in 1972 when Barry Sterman eliminated seizures in a 23 year-old female epileptic, who then came off medication and got a driving licence.

Barry Sterman summarises 18 separate peer-reviewed journal studies on Neurofeedback for epilepsy over a 25 year period, covering 174 patients and an average success rate of 66%: Barry, M.B. (2000). Basic concepts and clinical findings in the treatment of seizure disorders with EEG operant conditioning. Clinical Electroencephalography, 31(1).

With Neurofeedback, specific symptoms of Epilepsy can be targeted, however, every individual is different and to what extent the brain can recover or compensate abnormalities is hard to foresee.

Since abnormal brain activity, also known as instabilities are seen as the main cause of Epilepsy: the most important goal during Neurofeedback training is stabilising the brain. In other words: ‘to train the brain to control its abnormal activity’. Neurofeedback is a treatment option applicable to all types of seizures and helpful in the case of brain damage and brain abnormalities.

Some people might describe Neurofeedback as a ‘cure’ for epilepsy; however we don’t use this term as we don’t regard brain deregulation as a ‘disease’.

To learn more about Neurofeedback and Epilepsy, visit: www.braintrainuk.com