Neurofeedback therapy shows success in ADHD children

Longer-term effects of neurofeedback therapy in ADHD

Children with an attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can benefit from long-term neurofeedback therapy. This emerges from a meta-analysis of an international study team. The scientists proved that the positive effects of the therapy last for at least six months. The therapy did not fare worse at follow-up than usual therapies with drugs.

Data from ten controlled trials involving more than 500 children suffering from attention deficit syndrome ADHD were evaluated in the current study. The study team also included researchers from the Child and Youth Department for Mental Health, led by Professor dr. Gunther Moll of the University Hospital Erlangen and the Eberhard Karls University Tübingen as well as other scientists from the Netherlands and the United States. The results of the meta-analysis have now been published in the journal "European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry".

The meta-analysis of an international research team confirms the long-term effects of neurofeedback therapy in children with ADHD. (Image: Dan Race / fotolia.com)

How does neurofeedback therapy work??

Neurofeedback therapy measures children's brain activity (EEG) in real time. The computerized procedure thus provides continuous feedback that can help children to better control and regulate their brain activity. This may result in a decrease in ADHD symptoms. The neurofeedback therapy can be designed, for example, as a computer game for the children. "A goalkeeper, for example, only holds a penalty if the EEG shows a pattern that corresponds to a specific form of concentration", reports Prof. Dr. med. Hartmut Heinrich, one of the authors of the study, in a press release of the University Hospital on the study results.

The study should withstand criticism

In order to prevent a one-sided interpretation of the data, critics of the neurofeedback worked on the study. The researchers want to ensure a balanced assessment. Overall, the results showed that children with ADHD still benefit from therapy even after six months of treatment. The inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity tend to be even further reduced in many subjects.

Neurofeedback is not worse than medication

"In the studies so far, neurofeedback has performed no worse than conventional therapies, including medication, at the follow-up examinations," explains Dr. med. Martijn Arns from the Netherlands, who initiated the meta-analysis.

An effective treatment option

Although other controlled control conditions such as cognitive training were able to achieve a significant effect at the end of treatment, this was no longer detectable in the follow-up examinations. The results of the meta-analysis indicate that neurofeedback therapy is a long-term treatment option for children with ADHD.

About ADHD

According to the International Classification of Diseases, the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is attributed to "behavioral and emotional disorders beginning in childhood and adolescence" and its subgroup to "hyperkinetic disorders". The affected children show a combination of increased impulsivity, lack of attention, concentration problems and excessive motor activity (hyperactivity) in varying severity. The "Versorgungsbericht 2015/2016" of the Scientific Institute of the AOK shows that children under the age of 18 have a prevalence of almost five percent. (Vb)