Open Accesshe effects of neurofeedback on attention and sleep in individuals with and without ADHD or insomnia: a literature review
Author(s) -
Annel Koomen,
Daniel Keeser,
Verhagen Sonja
Publication year - 2021
Language(s) - English
DOI - 10.31739/anamh.2021.1.30
Subject(s) - impulsivity , insomnia , neurofeedback , psychology , sleep onset latency , cognition , clinical psychology , sleep (system call) , psychiatry , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , population , sleep onset , electroencephalography , medicine , environmental health , computer science , operating system
Electroencephalography-Neurofeedbacktraining (E-NFT) is a method to support subjects in learning to self-regulate their own brain activity. Besides that E-NFT may improve cognitive functions in healthy people, it may improve symptoms in different disorders, such as Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and insomnia. The evidence of E-NFT for the treatment of attention problems in ADHD is still under debate just as the suggested efficacy of E-NFT for reducing sleep problems in individuals suffering from insomnia and for improving attention and sleep in the general population. Therefore, this review examines the efficacy of E-NFT on attention and sleep in patients and healthy individuals. The reviewed literature provides evidence that standard E-NFT protocols may have a positive long-lasting effect on the inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms in children with ADHD. In healthy children and young adults, E-NFT has been found to improve different aspects of attention and to reduce impulsivity. In addition, positive effects of E-NFT have been documented on sleep onset latency and on tiredness in healthy individuals. Sleep improvements have also been found in insomnia patients after standard E-NFT, although these subjective sleep improvements may likely depend on unspecific E-NFT training effects.