Here at NorCal Brain Center, we have seen the great benefit that biofeedback in general, and neurofeedback in particular can have for our patients. Neurofeedback, a form of biofeedback that allows for the self-regulation of brain function, is a form of therapy that doctors can use to help patients train their brains through stimulation and mental strategies.
The benefits of neurofeedback are well accepted across medicine and psychology and are used to treat a wide array of conditions. In neurofeedback, we look for the cause of dysfunction, for what specific brain pathways are dysregulated or are over or under-activated.
Once we’ve identified which parts of a patient’s brain aren’t firing efficiently, we can design a therapeutic system that will help the patient retrain their brain to work more effectively, using the right equipment and giving them feedback to show them when they are making progress. Often, neurofeedback consists of patients playing games or concentrating on certain images.
At NorCal, we offer neurofeedback for such conditions as ADHD, migraines, epilepsy and chronic pain- and we’ve seen patients receive both relief and make great recovery and progress using the therapies.
This is why we are very excited to announce that we have added a new piece of neurofeedback equipment that is specifically designed to help with therapy for our neurodivergent patients living with autism disorder. This new technology is called Mente Tech.
What is Mente Tech?
Mente Tech is a type of neurofeedback therapy that uses closed-loop EEG training. Closed-loop training means that the system continually reads the brain waves of the patient and adjusts the training, using the continuous input of the patient’s EEG (or brainwaves). This has been shown to be the most effective way to retrain erratic or inefficient brain activity.
What the system does, then, is provide a unique therapeutic program for each patient, based on each patient’s own EEG, providing the input each individual patient needs to help bring their brainwaves into more efficient and effective patterns.
How Does it Work?
The patient only needs to wear a comfortable headband, which contains electrodes that read the patient’s brainwaves, and a pair of headphones, that will play sounds for the patient to hear.
The electrodes read the patient’s brainwaves, and the Mente Tech software monitors and decodes the brainwaves to determine the best sound patterns to play to help bring the brainwaves back into efficient functioning. The software then plays sounds for the patient through the headphones.
As the sounds play, the electrodes continue to monitor the patient’s brainwaves and note whether the sounds are effective, making continuous changes to bring the brainwaves into the desired configuration.
Why is Mente Tech Particularly Recommended for the Autism Spectrum?
Unlike other neurofeedback equipment, Mente’s closed loop feedback works without requiring the user’s attention or engagement. This means that it is perfect for those patients who may have trouble following instructions or trouble concentrating.
