The Value Of Neurofeedback
Letter to the Editor:
The recent article by Professor Bengi Semerci questioning
the value of neurofeedback was very misguided. Research since the
1990's has found that almost 80% of children receiving
neurofeedback for the treatment of ADD/ADHD show significant
improvements. A review article on this may be found in the January
2005 issue of Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North
America. Neurofeedback training for ADD/ADHD usually reduces
impulsiveness/hyperactivity, stabilizes moods, improves sleep,
increases concentration, and improves school performance. Every
ADD/ADHD or learning disability study that has evaluated IQ before
and after treatment treatment has found IQ increases
following
neurofeedback training. These IQ improvements have ranged from an
average of 9 IQ points improvement to up to 23 IQ points in another
study. Neuroscience research has even documented the positive
changes in the brain with functional MRI neuroimaging.
In comparison to neurofeedback, a meta-analysis of
randomized controlled studies of drug treatment for ADD/ADHD
concluded that the studies were of poor quality, had a strong
publication bias (meaning that drug company funded studies which
failed to support the effectiveness of their product tended to
never be submitted for publication), and often produced side
effects. They concluded that long-term effects (beyond placebo
effects) for longer than a 4 week follow-up period were not
demonstrated. A recent comprehensive review of drug treatment for
ADD/ADHD concluded that there was no evidence on the long-term
safety of the medications used in ADD/ADHD treatment and that good
quality evidence is lacking that drug treatment improves academic
performance or risky behaviors on a long term basis, or in
adolescents or adults. One of the latest studies, published in the
journal Cancer letters in 2005, concluded that the lack of research
on long-term effects of methylphenidate (Ritalin) warrants great
concern because they discovered that after only 3 months on
Ritalin, 100% of children experienced chromosomal aberrations which
could increase cancer risk, not unlike the genetic damage that has
been found in adult methamphetamine users.
In light of these research findings, I believe that parents
will find that neurofeedback provides an important, non-invasive,
and relatively side effect free alternative to drug treatment for
ADD/ADHD. Research has also shown that in the long run it is also
cost effective.
Dr. D. Corydon Hammond, Professor,