Brinson, Helen. 2012. The EEG Profile of Hemispatial Neglect and Neurofeedback as an Intervention. Doctoral thesis, Goldsmiths, University of London [Thesis]

Preview

Text (The EEG Profile of Hemispatial Neglect and Neurofeedback as an Intervention ) PSY_thesis_Brinson_2012.pdf Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract or Description

There is evidence to suggest that interventions targeting alertness could be effective in the rehabilitation of hemispatial neglect. Alertness correlates in the EEG with decreased theta and increased beta activity and training up beta/theta ratios using EEG neurofeedback has resulted in particularly beneficial results in children with ADHD with recognised deficits of alertness. Experiment I showed that neglect patients had significantly reduced beta activity compared to age-matched controls, consistent with an alertness deficit underpinning neglect and suggesting that the symptoms of neglect could be ameliorated by the same neurofeedback training protocol applied in ADHD.

The effectiveness of EEG neurofeedback training of beta power with a theta inhibit has not been investigated in older adults or stroke patients. Therefore, Experiment II used EEG neurofeedback training to enhance beta in older adults. Compared to controls, the neurofeedback group showed significantly increased beta activity in the post-assessment quantitative EEG, demonstrating that older adults can modulate their EEG through neurofeedback training and laying the foundations for extending training to neglect patients.

Experiment III employed the same training protocol in seven neglect patients. EEG activity was monitored in regular training sessions conducted over a six-week period and it was found that normalization of baseline EEG activity was associated with a remediation of impairments across several outcome assessments. Detailed analysis of across- and within-session EEG data found that a sub-group of patients showed evidence of spontaneous increases in beta activity that were related to additional improvements in outcome measures. However, there was no evidence that EEG modulation was due to the neurofeedback training.

In sum, this thesis reports two novel findings. Firstly, neglect is associated with an EEG profile that is consistent with an alertness deficit. Secondly, recovery in severely impaired neglect patients is associated with enhanced beta activity.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Departments, Centres and Research Units:	Psychology
Date:	September 2012
Item ID:	8892
Date Deposited:	26 Sep 2013 12:34
Last Modified:	08 Sep 2022 08:42
URI:	https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/8892

View statistics for this item...

Edit Record (login required)