Caregivers
Research Papers
Effects of an intensive slow cortical potentials neurofeedback training in female and male adolescents with autism spectrum disorder : Are there sex differences?
BACKGROUND: This study aims to compare the effects of neurofeedback training on male and female adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Furthermore, it examines sex differences regarding improvements in co-occurring psychopathological symptoms, cognitive flexibility and emotion recognition abilities. The study might provide first hints whether there is an influence of sex on treatment outcomes. METHODS: Six female and six male adolescents with ASD were matched according to age, IQ and symptom severity. All participants received 24 sessions of electroencephalography-based neurofeedback training. Before and after the intervention, psychological data for measuring co-occurring psychopathological symptoms as well as behavioral data for measuring cognitive flexibility and emotion recognition abilities were recorded. RESULTS: Caregivers rated statistically significant higher psychopathological problems in female than in male adolescents with ASD at baseline. Apart from that, no statistically significant sex-related differences were revealed in this sample; however, male adolescents tended to report greater improvements of externalizing, internalizing and total symptoms, whereas females experienced smaller improvements of externalizing and total problems, but no improvements of internalizing problems. Regarding caregivers' assessments, more improvement of total problems was reported for females. For males, only improvements of internalizing and total problems were described. CONCLUSION: This study reveals preliminary results that sex-related differences might play a role when evaluating treatment outcomes after neurofeedback training regarding comorbid psychopathological symptoms. Adolescents' self-report and parental assessments, especially concerning psychopathological symptoms, should be combined and considered in future studies to help prevent sex bias in adolescents with ASD.
View Full Paper →Neurofeedback to improve neurocognitive functioning of children treated for a brain tumor: design of a randomized controlled double-blind trial
BACKGROUND: Neurotoxicity caused by treatment for a brain tumor is a major cause of neurocognitive decline in survivors. Studies have shown that neurofeedback may enhance neurocognitive functioning. This paper describes the protocol of the PRISMA study, a randomized controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of neurofeedback to improve neurocognitive functioning in children treated for a brain tumor. METHODS/DESIGN: Efficacy of neurofeedback will be compared to placebo training in a randomized controlled double-blind trial. A total of 70 brain tumor survivors in the age range of 8 to 18 years will be recruited. Inclusion also requires caregiver-reported neurocognitive problems and being off treatment for more than two years. A group of 35 healthy siblings will be included as the control group. On the basis of a qEEG patients will be assigned to one of three treatment protocols. Thereafter patients will be randomized to receive either neurofeedback training (n=35) or placebo training (n=35). Neurocognitive tests, and questionnaires administered to the patient, caregivers, and teacher, will be used to evaluate pre- and post-intervention functioning, as well as at 6-month follow-up. Siblings will be administered the same tests and questionnaires once. DISCUSSION: If neurofeedback proves to be effective for pediatric brain tumor survivors, this can be a valuable addition to the scarce interventions available to improve neurocognitive and psychosocial functioning. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00961922.
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