What is a Biofeedback Instrument?

 

A biofeedback instrument is a device that uses sensors to measure a signal from the body related to your nervous system that then shows you the information as it is being measured.  It is different than getting your blood pressure checked or taking your pulse and getting one reading for one moment in time.  The measurement and feedback of information are continuous.

This information can be used for monitoring and might not even be shown to the person that it is being measured from.  This is sometimes done in research.  Let’s say a researcher wants to find out how a person’s body reacts to watching a scary movie or counting backward by 7’s. They could attach sensors to a subject and monitor signals like heart rate or sweat activity to acquire a measurement related to the physiological reaction of the stimulus.  When used in this way it would be more accurate to refer to the process as physiological monitoring instead of biofeedback.

Biofeedback instruments are also used in certain types of therapy for things like pain and stress management or to improve attention or performance.  When they are used for these applications the person from who the sensors are measuring needs to be able to get visual or auditory feedback indicating the changes that are happening.  If the signal goes higher or lower the person gets a visual signal on the instrument or a computer that it may be connected to and or a sound that indicates the change.  With this information and some coaching from a therapist, the person can learn to change the signal.  They can learn to increase or decrease it using their mind.

What kind of signals can be measured from the body?

Surface EMG (Electromyography) – Action potentials produced when muscles contract.

Skin Temperature – Temperature increases when blood vessels dilate with relaxation and decreases when blood vessels constrict in response to stress.

Skin Conductance – Increases when sweat increases on the hands in response to emotional reaction.

Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability – Changes with changes in the autonomic nervous system.  It is related to vagal tone and can be affected by emotional state and breathing as well as physical activity

Respiration – Measures depth and rate of breathing.

Capnometer – Measures the amount of CO2 in the air that is exhaled through the nostrils into two tubes connected to an instrument.

EEG (Electroencephalograph) – Measures action potentials produced when neurons in the brain fire as part of their communication and function.

These are the most common signals that are measured with biofeedback instruments.  There are various manufacturers and models.  Some are self-contained, some interface with personal computers, and some work with smartphones and tablets.  Some are intended for professional use in a licensed health care office and others are designed to be used at home by non-professionals.

I hope that you now have a basic understanding of what a biofeedback instrument is and what it is used for.  Feel free to comment or ask questions.

Harry L. Campbell

914-762-4646 – Harry@biofeedbackinternational.com

Author of What Stress Can Do, Available on Amazon.com

Biofeedback Resources International Corp.

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Can Increasing the Daily Amount of Neurofeedback Training Improve the Clinical Outcome and Other Case Histories?

 R. Adam Crane BCIA, ACN, NRNP

The following case histories may have useful implications for neurofeedback because they imply possible clinical effectiveness with immune disorders, anorexia, and obsessive, compulsive disorders. In addition the neurofeedback timing strategies used suggest that the length, frequency and total number of sessions may be as important in achieving best neurotherapy results as titration is in the administration of medications.

 

A Dangerous Obsession

He had reached an advanced stage of anorexia. As a 54 year old construction worker, he was normally 6′ and a well muscled 155 lbs. At the beginning of therapy he was 118 lbs., eyes sunken, somewhat manic, claiming his diet of mostly lettuce was making him high and filling him with energy. He was almost completely isolated as his behavior had destroyed his marriage and alienated him from his friends. He had not worked for five years at his trade as he was on disability. He was almost broke even though he earned between sixty and one hundred thousand per year when he was working. He was obsessed with a well known cult which had counseled him to distance himself from his family, and against seeking therapeutic help. He had invested over $200,000.00, virtually his life savings, in the cults system of “therapy and enlightenment.”

He discussed the possibility of suicide on several occasions in the beginning and was experiencing many stress related disorders including sleeplessness, irritability, hyperactivity, intense loneliness, and much obsessive/compulsive symptomology including going over and over often unimportant details. He fluctuated between overtly aggressive, hyper behavior as he tried to convert people to his ideas, and passively aggressive behavior when individuals attempted to establish relationship with him. A strong concern at the beginning of therapy was that irreversible organ damage might have already occurred because of his complexion, gaunt, haunted appearance and the obviously massive loss of muscle tissue, even though he continued to exercise vigorously (as is the case with many anorexics). Biofeedback therapy was for him a desperate last resort.

Within three weeks of beginning neurofeedback training (adjunctive to counseling) his demeanor had changed remarkably, he had begun to gain weight and he entered enthusiastically into the life rebuilding process. He began sleeping better, felt much calmer and more optimistic, less lonely and isolated. He began to form new relationships and he was opening up and talking to people in ways that were impossible before. He wanted to report on his “Love Stories”. An interesting example follows: He would go to playgrounds and sit and watch children play. This made him feel so happy at times that he would weep. This appears to be healthy abreactive phenomena happening hours or days after actual neurofeedback training. People he met or had known before seemed to be easier to be with. He saw that he had changed and was giving others the chance to be affectionate and not blocking them with his rigidity, restlessness and passive aggression. He began to eat a more balanced diet and gained weight reaching 150 lbs. within the first year.

Although he had studied “meditation” extensively, he almost never did it because he felt it was boring and a waste of time. It was suggested that he forget about meditation as he knew it and just do the EEG work. After the first week he had learned enough to do his version of the “EEG work” without hooking up. He said that now instead of forcing himself to meditate he looks for opportunities to sit and simply make his alpha. He reports surprising benefits like those he had hoped to receive from meditation are flowing from these alpha sessions. He realizes now that what he had thought was meditation was not, because he was merely sitting still and straining to concentrate, which is why it was boring, unpleasant and flat.

He has since obtained his own EEG home trainer and continues a remarkable transformation of life style. Interestingly, at first he didn’t realize how important the EEG work was. Like many clients he discounted the neurotherapy and looked for other things to attribute his improvement to. This is common and frustrating for NFB practitioners. During the neurofeedback training he constantly wanted to talk. Instead, he was encouraged to train first and discuss later. The results spoke for themselves.

About nineteen months after he began neurofeedback therapy, he looked quite fit for his 56 years, his complexion was good and his personality, even his voice seemed remarkably changed. He was working full time and furthering his education pursuant to changing his profession. A follow up revealed that at age 60 he was continuing to work (maybe too hard) and he reports that he has solved his economic problems; and the combination of his working and investing will generate a considerable net worth within a relatively short time. He is engaged and intends to marry this year. He continues in the construction business and is unusually fit for his age. He believes neurofeedback and the counseling that accompanied it is responsible for saving and assisting him in transforming the quality of his life.

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Adding The Intelligence of the Heart in Performance Enhancement Training

R. Adam Crane BCIA Senior Fellow, BCIAEEG, NRNP Diplomate

Science of The Heart: The Role of the Heart in Human Performance

Introduction

For centuries the heart has been considered the source of emotion, courage and wisdom. Neurocardiology is the relatively new science of exploring the physiological mechanisms by which the heart communicates with the brain; thereby influencing information processing, perceptions, emotions and health. Neurocardiology asks questions such as: Why do people experience the feeling or sensation of love and other positive emotional states in the area of the heart, and what are the physiological ramifications of these emotions? How do stress and different emotional states affect the autonomic nervous system, the hormonal and immune systems, the heart and brain? Over the years scientists have experimented with different psychological and physiological measures, but consistently heart rate variability, or heart rhythms, stands out as one of the most dynamic and reflective measures of inner emotional states and stress.

It is clear that negative emotions lead to increased disorder in the heart’s rhythms and in the autonomic nervous system, thereby adversely affecting the rest of the body. In contrast, positive emotions create increased harmony and coherence in heart rhythms, and improve balance in the nervous system. The health implications are easy to understand. Disharmony in the nervous system leads to inefficiency and increased stress on the heart and other organs, while harmonious rhythms are more efficient and less stressful to the body’s systems.

More intriguing are the dramatic positive changes that occur when techniques are applied that increase coherence in rhythmic patterns of heart rate variability. These include shifts in perception and the ability to reduce stress, and deal more effectively with difficult situations. Apparently, the heart is acting as though it has a mind of its own, and is profoundly influencing the way we perceive and respond to the world. In essence, the heart is affecting intelligence and awareness.

There is now a scientific basis to explain how and why the heart affects mental clarity, creativity, emotional balance and personal effectiveness. Research indicates that the heart is far more than a simple pump. The heart is, in fact, a highly complex, self-organized information processing center with its own functional “brain” that communicates with and influences the cranial brain via the nervous system, hormonal system and other pathways. These influences profoundly affect brain function and most of the body’s major organs, and ultimately determine the quality of life.

Biofeedback researchers and practitioners are enthusiastic about the emergence of this new Biofeedback tool. Like Neurofeedback, Heart Rate Variability’s (HRV) simple technical name belies its power and importance in the rapidly evolving field of life, performance enhancement and longevity. However, its effectiveness is amplified even more when combined with Neurofeedback training Miami. Heart rate variability is a measure of the naturally occurring beat-to-beat changes in heart rate, a powerful, noninvasive measure of autonomic nervous system function and an indicator of neurocardiac fitness. The heart and brain maintain a continuous two-way dialogue, with each influencing the other’s functioning. It is now known that the signals the heart sends the brain can influence perception, emotional processing, and higher cognitive functions. Let’s start with a simplified discussion before we dig deeper into the hard science and technical jargon.

Throughout history philosophers have asserted that “when the heart enters the brain wisdom emerges”. Now, neurocardiology has demonstrated that there are physiological correlation’s for this ancient concept. Furthermore, these discoveries have been translated into a fascinating and enjoyable form of Biofeedback with enormous potential. Part of the reason for this potential is that people are attracted to the simple, common sense notion that there is something that can be done to assure that their thinking will be positively influenced by their hearts. Of course, heart represents one’s humanity, compassion, wisdom etc., but most people are keenly aware that feelings in the heart profoundly affects health.

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