Biofeedback Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
This paper describes a five-visit heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback protocol we have used both clinically and in research. This protocol was refined in a study of biofeedback therapy for treating asthma. Similar, longer methods... more
This paper describes a five-visit heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback protocol we have used both clinically and in research. This protocol was refined in a study of biofeedback therapy for treating asthma. Similar, longer methods have been used for treating various conditions involving pain, anxiety, depression, and other psychophysiological disorders.
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- Psychology, Resonance, Biofeedback
The human body evolved while living in direct electrical contact (electrically grounded) with the earth. The question that arises is: Does loss of electrical contact with the earth affect human physiology? This double-blind study was... more
The human body evolved while living in direct electrical contact (electrically grounded) with the earth. The question that arises is: Does loss of electrical contact with the earth affect human physiology? This double-blind study was designed to address this question by measuring several electrophysiological parameters of the body. Subjects were assigned to an experimental group that was grounded to the earth after a 28-minute baseline recording. Grounding the body (earthing) was achieved by placing electrode patches on the soles of the feet and connecting them to a conductive cable that was attached to a metal rod planted in the earth. The total recording time was 56 minutes. The control group was not grounded but "sham grounded." Part 1 of this study presented results from measurements taken with clinical biofeedback equipment. This paper presents results obtained on Jing-Well points using the SSVP (Single Square Voltage Pulse) method. With the SSVP method we were able to corroborate results presented in our first paper with the biofeedback system. The SSVP method results are that grounding the body produces a reduction in tension (relaxation) of the internal organs and a reduction in inflammation. We also postulated that the body was developed to take advantage of the contact with the earth through the feet by developing a system of distribution of electrons through the kidney meridian at K11. The present findings are consistent with the results of our previous study which concluded that grounded subjects experienced a reduction in stress and a normalization of the functioning of the autonomic nervous system after earthing. 6
Neurofeedback is emerging as a promising technique that enables self-regulation of ongoing brain oscillations. However, despite a rise in empirical evidence attesting to its clinical benefits, a solid theoretical basis is still lacking on... more
Neurofeedback is emerging as a promising technique that enables self-regulation of ongoing brain oscillations. However, despite a rise in empirical evidence attesting to its clinical benefits, a solid theoretical basis is still lacking on the manner in which neurofeedback is able to achieve these outcomes. The present work attempts to bring together various concepts from neurobiology, engineering, and dynamical systems so as to propose a contemporary theoretical framework for the mechanistic effects of neurofeedback. The objective is to provide a firmly neurophysiological account of neurofeedback, which goes beyond traditional behaviorist interpretations that attempt to explain psychological processes solely from a descriptive standpoint whilst treating the brain as a ‘black box’. To this end, we interlink evidence from experimental findings that encompass a broad range of intrinsic brain phenomena: starting from ‘bottom-up’ mechanisms of neural synchronization, followed by ‘top-down’ regulation of internal brain states, moving to dynamical systems plus control-theoretic principles, and concluding with activity-dependent as well as homeostatic forms of brain plasticity. In support of our framework, we examine the effects of neurofeedback in several brain disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The central thesis put forward is that neurofeedback tunes brain oscillations toward a homeostatic set-point which maintains optimal network flexibility and stability (i.e. self-organized criticality).
- by Bernard J Baars and +1
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- Neuroscience, Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Psychology
Media attention has highlighted the critical problem of concussion injuries in sport and the challenge of treating and rehabilitating individuals with traumatic brain injury. The authors present a framework for the treatment of traumatic... more
Media attention has highlighted the critical problem of concussion injuries in sport and the challenge of treating and rehabilitating individuals with traumatic brain injury. The authors present a framework for the treatment of traumatic brain injury, using low-resolution electromagnetic tomography Z-score based neurofeedback and heart rate–variability biofeedback. The article advocates a comprehensive assessment process including the use of a 19-channel quantitative electroencephalogram, a heart rate variability baseline, and symptom severity questionnaires for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, and anxiety. The initial medical assessment, neuropsychological assessment, and evoked potential studies also have potential for a more precise assessment of deficits in brain activation patterns, which assists the targeting of neurofeedback training.
Born in 1964, Pierre Jolivet aka Paciic 231 is a French artist living in Ireland. He has been composing music for a long time, has released a huge number of pieces and recordings and adopted a wide, ever-changing and evolving range of... more
Born in 1964, Pierre Jolivet aka Paciic 231 is a French artist living in Ireland. He has been composing music for a long time, has released a huge number of pieces and recordings and adopted a wide, ever-changing and evolving range of sub-genres. He found the roots of his early works in noise and industrial sounds, never leaving a certain inspiration in noise structures. A few years ago, he began to make more experiments with sound generators and field recordings of various kinds as well as sensor technology. Discovering the magic of abstract arrangements, self-generated processed art and electronic sound collages also led him to co-operate with other artists such as Lieutenant Caramel, Vox Populi! or Rapoon. He’s also a performer and presented his multimedia artwork in MACBA (Barcelona) or the Beirut Art Center (Lebanon).
Many robotic systems have been developed for assisting rehabilitating stroke patients. Their failure lies on the system design’s inability to motivate the patients to voluntarily conduct different activities that could stretch the... more
Many robotic systems have been developed for assisting rehabilitating stroke patients. Their failure lies on the system design’s inability to motivate the patients to voluntarily conduct different activities that could stretch the impaired arm to its limit and help improve its condition. This paper presents the development of a robotic arm which allows the stroke patients’ active involvement in their rehabilitation through real-time biofeedback. It also evaluates the condition of the patients based on their performance and sends this feedback so therapists or doctors can monitor patients’ improvements. This project espoused a recommended strategy on patient motivation, that is, to embed therapy within the framework that provides patients with monitoring and interaction with therapists. Initiated for the needs of Filipino stroke patients, this paper presents its acceptability in the light of Filipino values.
This paper reviews the published work of me along with my students and close colleagues on the topic of heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB). It includes early research by Vaschillo documenting resonance characteristics of the... more
This paper reviews the published work of me along with my students and close colleagues on the topic of heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB). It includes early research by Vaschillo documenting resonance characteristics of the baroreflex system that causes large oscillations in heart rate when breathing at resonance frequency, research on heart rate variability as a marker of parasympathetic stress response in asthma, and HRVB as a treatment for asthma and depression. Many questions about HRVB remain unresolved, and important questions for future research are listed.
This paper describes a five-visit heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback protocol we have used both clinically and in research. This protocol was refined in a study of biofeedback therapy for treating asthma. Similar, longer methods... more
This paper describes a five-visit heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback protocol we have used both clinically and in research. This protocol was refined in a study of biofeedback therapy for treating asthma. Similar, longer methods have been used for treating various conditions involving pain, anxiety, depression, and other psychophysiological disorders.
Enhancing the embodiment of artificial limbs—the individuals' feeling that a virtual or robotic limb is integrated in their own body scheme—is an impactful strategy for improving prosthetic technology acceptance and human-machine... more
Enhancing the embodiment of artificial limbs—the individuals' feeling that a virtual or robotic limb is integrated in their own body scheme—is an impactful strategy for improving prosthetic technology acceptance and human-machine interaction. Most studies so far focused on visuo-tactile strategies to empower the embodiment processes. However, novel approaches could emerge from self-regulation techniques able to change the psychophysiological conditions of an individual. Accordingly, this pilot study investigates the effects of a self-regulated breathing exercise on the processes of body ownership underlying the embodiment of a virtual right hand within a Spatially Augmented Respiratory Biofeedback (SARB) setting. This investigation also aims at evaluating the feasibility of the breathing exercise enabled by a low-cost SARB implementation designed for upcoming remote studies (a need emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic). Twenty-two subjects without impairments, and two transradial prosthesis users for a preparatory test, were asked (in each condition of a within-group design) to maintain a normal (about 14 breaths/min) or slow (about 6 breaths/min) respiratory rate to keep a static virtual right hand “visible” on a screen. Meanwhile, a computer-generated sphere moved from left to right toward the virtual hand during each trial (1 min) of 16. If the participant's breathing rate was within the target (slow or normal) range, a visuo-tactile event was triggered by the sphere passing under the virtual hand (the subjects observed it shaking while they perceived a vibratory feedback generated by a smartphone). Our results—mainly based on questionnaire scores and proprioceptive drift—highlight that the slow breathing condition induced higher embodiment than the normal one. This preliminary study reveals the feasibility and potential of a novel psychophysiological training strategy to enhance the embodiment of artificial limbs. Future studies are needed to further investigate mechanisms, efficacy and generalizability of the SARB techniques in training a bionic limb embodiment.
- by Giacinto Barresi and +2
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- Embodiment, Augmented Reality, Prosthetics, Biofeedback
Purpose: Misarticulation of /r/ is among the most challenging developmental speech errors to remediate. Case studies suggest that visual biofeedback therapy can establish perceptually accurate /r/ in clients who have not responded to... more
Purpose: Misarticulation of /r/ is among the most challenging developmental speech errors to remediate. Case studies suggest that visual biofeedback therapy can establish perceptually accurate /r/ in clients who have not responded to traditional therapies. This investigation studied the response of children with persistent /r/ misarticulation to a course of traditional therapy and a course of biofeedback therapy.
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) can be represented in video games through appropriate use of sound and computer graphics. Our research seeks to establish systematic methods for simulating ASC using computer sound and graphics, to... more
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) can be represented in video games through appropriate use of sound and computer graphics. Our research seeks to establish systematic methods for simulating ASC using computer sound and graphics, to improve the realism of ASC representations in video game engines. Quake Delirium is a prototype ‘ASC Simulation’ that we have created by modifying the video game Quake. Through automation of various graphical parameters that represent the conscious state of the game character, hallucinatory ASC are represented. While the initial version of Quake Delirium utilised a pre-determined automation path to produce these changes, we propose that immersion may be improved by providing the user with a ‘passive’ method of control, using a brain-computer interface (BCI). In this initial trial, we explore the use of a consumer-grade electroencephalograph (EEG) headset for this purpose. Keywords—Altered States of Consciousness; Video Games; Brain-Computer Interface ...
Feel the Vibe visceral channel of communication iv v
Objective: To introduce and discuss the '5 F's concept as an innovative concept for pelvic floor muscle training in women with pelvic floor dysfunctions. Material and methods: Introduction of and explanation about the concept of the '5... more
Objective: To introduce and discuss the '5 F's concept as an innovative concept for pelvic floor muscle training in women with pelvic floor dysfunctions. Material and methods: Introduction of and explanation about the concept of the '5 F's, i.e., 'Find-Feel-Force-Follow-through-Functional' training of pelvic floor muscles. Alignment with evidence-based physiotherapy assessment. Discussion of how biofeedback is an important assessment instrument, especially for identification of the key-element pre-contraction of the pelvic floor muscles during any increase of intra-abdominal pressure rise. Results: Based on adequate physiotherapeutic diagnostics including biofeedback a proper patient selection who will benefit most of innovative PFMT with or without biofeedback is possible. Conclusions: Innovative and conceptual pelvic floor muscle training is an important and valuable first-line treatment option in the management of women with pelvic floor dysfunctions.
- by Fortune Journals and +1
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- Biofeedback
Synkinetic movements comprise abnormal involuntary contractions of one or more facial muscle groups which follow the desired contraction of another facial muscle group. They are frequently encountered in patients with long standing facial... more
Synkinetic movements comprise abnormal involuntary contractions of one or more facial muscle groups which follow the desired contraction of another facial muscle group. They are frequently encountered in patients with long standing facial paralysis and seriously affect their psychological status due to the impairment of their facial appearance, function and emotional expressivity. Patients and methods: Eleven pediatric patients (2 male and 9 female) presenting with postfacial paralysis synkinesis were included in the study. Mean age was 10.3 AE 4 years and mean denervation time 72.5 months. Results: Patients underwent the following types of treatment:
Background: Performance disaster in athletes stem from multifaceted areas of crises, which may range from physical musculoskeletal problems to physiological, psychomotor, and psychobiological deficiencies as well. Bulk of experimental... more
Background: Performance disaster in athletes stem from multifaceted areas of crises, which may range from physical musculoskeletal problems to physiological, psychomotor, and psychobiological deficiencies as well. Bulk of experimental studies emphasized on introduction of biofeedback intervention as effective psychological skill training. Aim: This present review intended to systematically review published research literatures to (i) provide some authentic information on impacts of biofeedback or neurofeedback intervention training on performance enhancement in some specific athletic skills, (ii) identify etiological issues associated with disastrous performance evident among athletes and (iii) investigate on the biofeedback training regimes, and to identify the salient features of the regimes, which had relative contribution on athletic performance enhancement. This article also intended to examine the prevalent and existing theoretical constructs and to recommend future course of research experimentation in this domain of interest. Method: Several databases such as-PubMed, WOS, SCOPUS, SportDiscus, PsychINFO, PsycARTICLES, ProQuest, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, and NDL (National Digital Library) databases were methodically searched for articles on effectiveness of Biofeedback intervention training on skilful athletic performance, published between 2010 and 2020. Results: Findings of this systematic review work, based on available literatures, however, claimed the possible beneficial impact of composite introduction of biofeedback intervention in different modalities, on athletic performance. The overall effect size was evident as 1.11, with a confidence interval of 0.76, 1.45. Conclusions: Numerous studies were on biofeedback intervention were conducted, but majority of those were evident to lack in authenticity and methodological transparency. Authentic RCT studies on biofeedback intervention, however, confirmed efficacy of biofeedback interventions on athletic performance.
Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback (BFB) is a relatively new approach for helping athletes to regulate competitive stress. To investigate this phenomenon further, a qualitative case study examined the impact of HRV BFB on the mood,... more
Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback (BFB) is a relatively new approach for helping athletes to regulate competitive stress. To investigate this phenomenon further, a qualitative case study examined the impact of HRV BFB on the mood, physiology, and sport performance of a 14-year-old golfer. The golfer met once per week at a university lab for 10 consecutive sessions of HRV BFB training that included breathing at a frequency of 0.1 Hz. The format and duration of sessions followed the HRV BFB protocol outlined previously by Lehrer, Vaschillo, and Vaschillo. Acute increases in total HRV, low-frequency HRV, and amplitude of oscillation at 0.1 Hz were observed during biofeedback practice. This effect became stronger across sessions, suggesting increases in baroreflex gain. Following HRV BFB, the golfer achieved his personal record score for 18 holes of golf, and his mean golf score (total number of shots per 18 holes of golf) was 15 shots lower than in his previous golf season. The golfer received no golf instructions during HRV BFB training. The results of this case study suggest that HRV BFB training may help the athlete cope with the stress of competition and/or improve neuromuscular function.
Explorative play affects the root of our being, as it is generative. Often experienced as a thrill, explorative play gradually lures its players beyond their mental or physical limits. While doing so, it affects players well before they... more
Explorative play affects the root of our being, as it is generative. Often experienced as a thrill, explorative play gradually lures its players beyond their mental or physical limits. While doing so, it affects players well before they can perform intentional actions. To understand explorative play therefore means to understand what happens before intention sets in. But this is problematic: by the time this becomes experienceable it is already clouded by habit and memory. However, thought processes outlined in Deleuze’s philosophy of difference reveal important clues as to how habitual thinking patterns may be exceeded, and why explorative play might cause thrilling and vertiginous experiences: when our awareness of the present is intensified, the potential to disturb habitual patterns arises; within this there is a chance to arrive at an ‘intuitive understanding’ of events where intensities express themselves as non-intentional movement or poetic language. This notion was investigated through generative art practice. An experimental setting was prepared that allowed for explorative play with a complex system – a biofeedback instrument that sonified its wearer’s physiological data in real-time. This instrument was explored in performances as well as participative action research sessions. The insight emerging from the performances was that introspection and stillness can enhance practice. The connections to Eastern practices this suggests were followed up and, by investigating the role of stillness in performance practices like Butoh, methods that may radicalise a biofeedback performance came to light. Extending these to biofeedback composition then made listening a central focus of this research and consequently, listeners’ responses to sonified biofeedback, the disruption of habitual musical expectations and increased immersed listening became paramount aspects of the practice. Conversely, the insight emerging from the participative sessions was that explorative playing with a complex system can allow for a more intuitive understanding of the generative because the emerging play experiences can be internally transformative; producing new ideas and forms, for instance poetic language or improvised movement. Thus overall, the research underlined the benefits of a greater propagation of explorative play.
It's often believed snakes cannot hear. This presumption, fed by the fact snakes lack an outer ear (and that scientific evidence of snakes responding to conventional sound is scarce). Snakes do, however, possess an inner ear with a... more
- by Randy Eady
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- Metaphysics, Snakes, Biofeedback, Healing
This paper introduces manual biofeedback, a hands-on neuromuscular therapy that incorporates numerous clinical features of other physical assessment and treatment protocols, including EMG-type biofeedback and manual muscle testing. The... more
This paper introduces manual biofeedback, a hands-on neuromuscular therapy that incorporates numerous clinical features of other physical assessment and treatment protocols, including EMG-type biofeedback and manual muscle testing. The clinical and scientific rationale for the use of manual biofeedback is reviewed, including the assessment and treatment of a wide range of neuromuscular dysfunction caused by brain, spinal cord and local injury. This includes the full spectrum of so-called muscle "weakness" (abnormal muscle inhibition), including those with no detectable contraction. Manual biofeedback incorporates active (versus passive) patient participation throughout the rehabilitation process that enlists many of the neurological mechanisms between the muscle and brain, and brain and muscle (including the spinal cord). Instead of using mechanical sensors common in most biofeedback computerized devices, manual biofeedback integrates the practitioner's sensory system as the primary sensor, much like traditional manual muscle testing procedures used to assess physical disability, and those employed during common neurological evaluations. Manual biofeedback is a clinical hands-on neuromuscular therapy that expands the scope and simplifies many traditional biofeedback-type therapies. It is a safe and inexpensive procedure that addresses the full range of neuromuscular problems, including common muscle imbalance, and muscle dysfunction associated with brain and spinal cord injuries.
BIOFEEDBACK O termo biofeedback foi criado em 1969 para o processo único descrito neste panfleto. O termo “treinamento em biofeedback” entrou em uso quando o biofeedback demonstrou ser uma ferramenta útil no ensino e aprendizado de... more
BIOFEEDBACK
O termo biofeedback foi criado em 1969 para o processo único
descrito neste panfleto. O termo “treinamento em biofeedback” entrou em
uso quando o biofeedback demonstrou ser uma ferramenta útil no ensino e
aprendizado de processos de auto-regulação que envolvem treinamento.
Gradualmente o treinamento em biofeedback desenvolveu-se em um
poderoso procedimento terapêutico e, quando incorporado a um ambiente
clínico o termo terapia de biofeedback é freqüentemente usado.
Em ambientes educacionais e empresariais, o treinamento em
biofeedback é uma ferramenta para o desenvolvimento de relaxamento
profundo e gerenciamento do estresse, processos que são importantes na
prevenção das doenças relacionadas ao estresse. Em ambientes clínicos esses
e outros processos de auto regulação adquiridos através do treinamento em
biofeedback podem ser usados para reduzir ou eliminar sintomas de
desordens orgânicas ou relacionadas ao estresse, para recuperar funções
musculares e reduzir a dor resultante de um ferimento ou doença. Na
clínica, o treinamento em biofeedback pode ser a modalidade terapêutica
principal ou pode ser usado com outras intervenções terapêuticas tais como,
aconselhamento de estilo de vida, treinamento em dessensibilização,
reestruturação cognitiva ou psicoterapia. Em todas as aplicações a meta do
treinamento em biofeedback é a auto-regulação - aprendendo como controlar
tanto os processos físicos quanto mentais para um funcionamento melhor e
mais saudável.
Through her versatile use of video technology, Nina Sobell explores nonverbal means of communication that interfere with normative modes of behavior and closely regulated interpersonal relationships. Deeply informed by the pursuit of... more
Through her versatile use of video technology, Nina Sobell explores nonverbal means of communication that interfere with normative modes of behavior and closely regulated interpersonal relationships. Deeply informed by the pursuit of intimate connections, her practice fosters reflection on how we modulate our sense of selfhood through interactions with others. This article examines Sobell’s video performances with chicken carcasses, instantiating the ambiguities of mother- infant relationships, in connection with her Brainwave Drawings, a series of installations based on biofeedback that unveils reciprocal influences between art participants’ psychic states. Even though these sets of works were developed during the same time frame (1974–82) and are equally concerned with bodily communication, they are almost never interpreted as conceptually related. Underscoring their mutual affiliation with a feminist agenda, this article argues that these works are deeply intertwined at the level of their interrogation of socially sanctioned forms of interaction. Embracing the dynamics of open systems, Sobell cultivates fluid forms of communication and exposes the invisible threads that connect us to others. She relies on technological mediation in order to advance a more complex understanding of the biological and social underpinnings of selfhood. Sobell’s works invite viewers to consider interpersonal exchanges that surpass linguistic forms of communication and reveal the porous thresholds between body and mind, self and other, nature and culture.
- by Fred Shaffer and +1
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- History, Research Methodology, Biofeedback
This study utilized a single qualitative case study to examine the psychophysiological transformations that occurred in a 54 year old disabled veteran who has engaged in the DDP yoga system for 6 years. Stanley had experienced depression,... more
This study utilized a single qualitative case study to examine the psychophysiological transformations that occurred in a 54 year old disabled veteran who has engaged in the DDP yoga system for 6 years. Stanley had experienced depression, extreme loss of mobility, chronic severe pain and general loss in the quality of life as a result of combat injuries. Two in depth semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted with the participant. The first interview was conducted to collect raw data, and the second interview was conducted to validate the data collected. Eight first order themes were established in the first interview which consisted of a) injuries (physical and psychological), b) weight loss, c) pain management, d) previous yoga experience and experience with DDP yoga (benefits of practice), e) vocational implications, f) experience with teaching yoga, g) pivotal points that led to feelings of hopelessness and h) increases in mobility. A general interpretive case method was used to discover the tacit dimensions and group meaning units. As a result of engaging regularly in the DDP yoga system, the participant reported a miraculous improvement in pain management as well as significant improvements in mood, weight loss, decision making ability and mobility
Various tests have been conducted using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and it has provided adequate evidence to measure anxiety in research and clinical settings. This paper proposes a re-test to evaluate STAI among engineering... more
Various tests have been conducted using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and it has provided adequate evidence to measure anxiety in research and clinical settings. This paper proposes a re-test to evaluate STAI among engineering students in Malaysia. A total 253 engineering students participated in this study. The re-test was presented for reliability, construct validity, and coefficient correlation of State and Trait. The reliability coefficients were computed using Cronbach alpha. In order to determine the validity of the instrument used factor analysis and coefficient correlation were used. Results: The STAI was established with the reliability at .850. In addition, the construct validity of the STAI, as measured by factor analysis were found, the correlation between items (KMO) score .824 (>.30) and p=.000. Where, the State shows KMO=.818, p=.000, and Cronbach alpha found .797. Meanwhile, Trait proved KMO=.783, p=.000, and Cronbach alpha found .781. The results show that the reliability and validity of State Trait Anxiety Inventory was suitable and acceptable. Consistently, strong correlations between State and Trait scale scores provided supportive evidence for the instrument. The results are evident and it can be recommended as an instrument to measure anxiety level for similar studies.
In the guide you will find comprehensive information on how to analyse and interpret works of art using devices that follow and register eye movements. The publication is addressed to artists, art theorists and enthusiasts who would like... more
In the guide you will find comprehensive information on how to analyse and interpret works of art using devices that follow and register eye movements. The publication is addressed to artists, art theorists and enthusiasts who would like to design eye-tracking experiments connected with perceiving all kinds of artistic activity. Although the tradition of conducting this type of research dates back over nearly one hundred years, so far no coherent study discussing technology, methodology, and analysis of eye-tracking experiment results with reference to art, has ever been provided.
Neurofeedback draws on multiple techniques that propel both healthy and patient populations to self-regulate neural activity. Since the 1970s, numerous accounts have promoted electroencephalography-neurofeedback as a viable treatment for... more
Neurofeedback draws on multiple techniques that propel
both healthy and patient populations to self-regulate neural activity. Since the 1970s, numerous accounts have promoted electroencephalography-neurofeedback as a viable
treatment for a host of mental disorders. Today, while the
number of health care providers referring patients to neurofeedback practitioners increases steadily, substantial methodological and conceptual caveats continue to pervade empirical reports. And yet, nascent imaging technologies (e.g., real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging) and increasingly rigorous protocols are paving the road towards
more effective applications and a better scientific understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Here, we outline common neurofeedback methods, illuminate the tenuous state of the evidence, and sketch out future directions to further unravel the potential merits of this contentious therapeutic prospect.
If you say "choral practice" to an experienced language teacher, you will get a mixture of a frown and an embarrassed laughter in return. "We left that decades ago", some will say. However, several neurophysiological and... more
If you say "choral practice" to an experienced language teacher, you will get a mixture of a frown and an embarrassed laughter in return. "We left that decades ago", some will say. However, several neurophysiological and neuropsychological processes in the central auditory mechanism indicate that in fact choral practice should be very effective. Extensive classroom experience underpins this view. Therefore, this paper will put forth ten good arguments for choral practice based on a synthesis of neuroscientific research, speech acquisition research, and 30+ years of teaching experience. It will also proffer a detailed, well-tried methodology for the secondlanguage classroom, viz. the present author's personal approach. This approach, in a nutshell, involves listening and speaking exercises with a great multitude of chorus repetitions of whole phrases with a constant focus on prosody and with immediate, uncritically praising but constructive feedback by the teacher after each repetition. It is hoped that more colleagues will try choral practice, and that some of you will have the time and other resources to perform scientific classroom research. If, as the present author believes, this centuries-old method can be proven effective also with "hard" data, it should no longer be withheld from the millions of second language learners worldwide. Also see companion article "Five Cornerstones for Second-Language Acquisition" in this issue.
Attention deficit disorders are among the most prevalent and widely studied of all psychiatric disorders. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that 9.0% of children (12.3% of boys and 5.5% of girls) between ages 5 to 17 have... more
Attention deficit disorders are among the most prevalent and widely studied of all psychiatric disorders. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that 9.0% of children (12.3% of boys and 5.5% of girls) between ages 5 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD. Research consistently demonstrates that attention deficits have a deleterious effect on academic achievement with symptoms often appearing in early childhood and persisting throughout life. Impairments in attention, and not hyperactivity/impulsivity, are associated with learning difficulties and academic problems. To date, most studies have focused on addressing symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity with relatively little research being conducted on efficacious interventions to address the needs of students with ADHD, inattentive subtype. A growing body of literature now supports EEG operant conditioning (neurofeedback) as an evidence-based practice for improving attention. This study is the first to examine the use of neurofeedback as an intervention to improve reading achievement in a public school setting. A multiple-baseline-across-participants single-case model was used to assess five fourth grade students who received 40 daily sessions of neurofeedback. Following the intervention, quantitative electroenchalographic (qEEG) assessments revealed positive changes in most participants’ EEGs. Improvements were observed on measures of attention; on the IVA+Plus, a continuous performance test, and/or on the CNS-VS Shifting Attention Test. While results on tests of reading fluency, the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) test of Oral Reading Fluency (ORF), and the Gray Oral Reading Tests - Fifth Edition (GORT-5), revealed little change, all participants expressed gains on the GORT-5 measure of reading comprehension. These results suggest that neurofeedback may have helped participants to become more accurately engaged with the text (thus reading speed was not increased) and yet they read with more focused attention to content. Furthermore, four of the five participants continued to express gains and one participant maintained observed growth on the GORT-5 during follow-up (conducted approximately five and a half months subsequent to posttest assessments). Similarly, four of the five participants also expressed gains, and one maintained previous performance on the IVA+Plus. These findings indicate that neurofeedback may be a viable option to assist children with attention deficits as an intervention strategy for improving both attention and reading achievement.
This study investigated The Journey to Wild Divine as a biofeedback management tool teaching breathing and relaxation skills to children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). The children played the game by manipulating... more
This study investigated The Journey to Wild Divine as a biofeedback management tool teaching breathing and relaxation skills to children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). The children played the game by manipulating their heart rate using breathing techniques taught in the game, measured through three finger sensors. Parents completed questionnaires to measure behavioural and emotional changes. In the experimental group, children with AD/HD (n= 24) demonstrated significant reductions in the AD/HD Questionnaire, F(1,34)= 44.30, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, F(1,34)= 19.90, compared to a control group (n= 12). The Wild Divine has shown potential in teaching breathing and relaxation techniques to reduce disruptive behaviours in children with AD/HD.
Currently, museums go beyond their traditional scientific or recreational functions. In addition to their basic tasks of collecting and protecting works of art as well as making their exhibits available to visitors museums play a... more
Currently, museums go beyond their traditional scientific or recreational functions. In addition to their basic tasks of collecting and protecting works of art as well as making their exhibits available to visitors museums play a significant role in improving our health. According to scientists, museotherapy, which is becoming more and more popular, is an effective tool used to support the treatment of many diseases, both mental and somatic. The co-authors of the monographs, including researchers and artists, shared their findings, experience and knowledge related to this field of knowledge: Małgorzata Bundzewicz – painter, set designer, art therapist, exhibition curator; Dorota Folga-Januszewska – art historian, museologists, critic; Izabela Karlińska – art historian; Łukasz Kędziora – historian, graduate of doctoral studies in art history at the Faculty of History at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń; Robert Kotowski – historian, museologists; Stephen Legari – specialist in art therapy programs at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, art therapist and licensed marriage and family therapist; Małgorzata Minchberg – visual artist, specialist in creativity education; Joanna Waniek – graduate of the Medical University of Silesia; Elżbieta Barbara Zybert – bibliologist and librarian.
- by Ayben Ertem
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- Stress, Biofeedback
The paper outlines the possibilities of a new transdisciplinary praxis for sound art. It focuses on highlighting the key and current technologies that can be used as creative tools for the aforementioned praxis (in the absence of... more
The paper outlines the possibilities of a new transdisciplinary praxis for sound art. It focuses on highlighting the key and current technologies that can be used as creative tools for the aforementioned praxis (in the absence of completeness). It also provides real-life case studies and outlines the areas where further research is possible or desirable. The arrival of inside-out tracking systems, tracking areas as large as the physical environments we are surrounded by, is now a reality. This can set standards and provide flexibility in large stage or gallery-based live music performances. VR combined with an omnidirectional sound environment and a new untethered freedom of movement, allows the replication of a physical surrounding, where sound and visuals can be composed by spatial parameters within volume variables for audience immersion or virtual concerts. An artist could compose using sensors, environmentally specific as well as biofeedback related—through EEG, EKG and even forthcoming haptic suit. In the context of sound spatialisation, all can be controlled with the assets relayed by OSC as 4DSOUND is having the protocol at its core.
In this article I analyse performances, artworks and installations in audiovisual and contemporary art which emphasise tactile and corporeal experiences. This tendency can be observed in technological art, cinema and large visual... more
In this article I analyse performances, artworks and installations in audiovisual and contemporary art which emphasise tactile and corporeal experiences. This tendency can be observed in technological art, cinema and large visual attractions. I aim to demonstrate that due to technical developments and new tools, the possibilities now exist for new aesthetic experiences in which the body's position and its biological reactions play a decisive role.
Mindfulness meditation (MM) and EEG-alpha neurofeedback (NFB) have both been shown to improve attentional performance and increase full 8-12-Hz EEG alpha amplitude, but no studies have compared MM and NFB on their effects for modulating... more
Mindfulness meditation (MM) and EEG-alpha neurofeedback (NFB) have both been shown to improve attentional performance and increase full 8-12-Hz EEG alpha amplitude, but no studies have compared MM and NFB on their effects for modulating EEG alpha or attentional control. Sixty-one university students were randomized to a 15-min single-session MM (n = 24), NFB (n = 17), or sham-NFB (SHAM; n = 20) intervention and were compared on EEG alpha full and sub-band amplitudes during completion of a single 15-min session of either intervention across 5 successive 3-min epochs, as well as during performance of the Stroop test. MM and NFB participants demonstrated higher global full-band alpha amplitude when compared with SHAM participants during the final intervention epoch, whereas no group differences were observed for sub-band amplitudes. In the absence of group differences in behavioral performance, MM participants exhibited a lower ERD of the upper alphaband within frontal cortex 200-400 ms post-stimulus on the Stroop task, an effect that correlated with upper alpha amplitudes demonstrated during the intervention. Future research directions are discussed.