WHAT IS FEEDBACK?
To sustain life, the human body protects itself through a set of regulatory mechanisms. One of the fundamental mechanisms it uses to maintain balance is “feedback control
.” The brain, much like a central control center, regulates all the functions that ensure human survival.
For the brain to perform its function and control a physical response or behavior, there must be “information transmission” to the brain regarding that behavior. This information reaches the brain through one or more sensory pathways
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To give a simple example: in order for him to reach out and pick up a glass, information such as visual sensations and the distance between the glass and his hand must be transmitted via nerve signals. This process is called the feedback loop.
The feedback method is an effective treatment approach.
WHAT IS BIOFEEDBACK?
Biofeedback is a process through which a person gains information about his own biological state. People are generally unaware of their physiological functions—especially those controlled by the autonomic nervous system, such as heart rate, vasodilation and vasoconstriction, and skin electrical resistance related to sweat gland activity
.
Biofeedback devices allow a person to monitor moment-to-moment changes in his physiological state. To use an analogy, biofeedback can be thought of as a psychophysiological mirror.
Just as we need the image in a mirror to adjust our appearance, we also need feedback on what is happening in our inner life and physiology in order to correct these processes.
Instantaneous changes in a person’s biological processes are transmitted to a computer via a set of sensors, and with the help of visual and auditory signals, it becomes possible to gain insight into these changes—which would otherwise go unnoticed under normal conditions.
What is the purpose of this information?
Thanks to this feedback regarding biological processes, he recognizes the connection between the changes he perceives in his inner experience and the physiological responses in his body, and gains the opportunity to take control of these functions through various trial-and-error strategies.
Use in stress management:
The most common areas where biofeedback is used are relaxation and stress management. During stress, the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system becomes activated. The body is in a state of physiological arousal.
Symptoms arising from stress—such as palpitations, shortness of breath, muscle tension, and, in later stages, forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating—can reach a level that disrupts his life, especially when they are very severe. Unawareness that these symptoms have psychological origins may lead him to seek unnecessary tests and treatments. The disappearance of these symptoms is only possible through the control of stress.
Biofeedback is a technique that helps individuals gain awareness of the physical symptoms of stress, enabling them to control these symptoms and, in a sense, learn to relax and unwind psychologically. Momentary changes in heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, body temperature, skin conductance, muscle tone, or brain waves are measured and transmitted to a computer. The computer displays this data on a screen using visual and auditory signals. Through the biofeedback method, he learns to monitor these real-time changes on the screen, adjust them to the desired level, and bring himself into a state of relaxation.
Biofeedback is used not only for psychological issues and stress management but also for conditions such as hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, migraines, Raynaud’s syndrome, acid reflux, incontinence (fecal incontinence), and vaginismus.
The Use of NeuroBioFeedback in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Video)
WHAT IS NEUROFEEDBACK/NEUROTHERAPY?
The brain’s stress level can be measured. After significant budgets were allocated to brain research in the United States, new methods began to emerge. According to an article published in the journal *Nature Neuroscience*, it has been proven that chronic stress shrinks the parts of the brain associated with learning. This conclusion was reached in a study conducted by experts at McGill University in Montreal, which followed 50 people aged 70 for 5 years. Consequently, researchers began exploring ways to reduce the effects of stress on the brain. There are programs specifically designed for children. In these game-based programs, children can use their brain power to fly an airplane or drive a race car. This method, which has also begun to be implemented in Turkey, is recognized as one of the innovations in medical technology. It is successfully applied particularly in individuals who struggle to overcome stress and depression, as well as in children exhibiting learning difficulties, attention deficit, and hyperactivity.
Neurofeedback/Neurotherapy is a type of biofeedback method.
Thanks to rapid technological advancements, it is now possible to take detailed measurements of the brain’s bioelectrical activity using computer technology. In neurofeedback training, information about the brain waves from the individual’s current EEG is conveyed to him via visual and/or auditory signals, and he is asked to control specific aspects of this activity. Depending on the individual’s specific problem or need, a treatment protocol is designed to increase or decrease brain waves of a specific frequency in the appropriate brain region, thereby creating a learning environment. The individual observes the connection between his current thoughts and brain waves and learns to control them in the desired direction.
The brain’s basic bioelectrical activity consists of alpha, beta, theta, and delta waves. Slow delta waves primarily occur during stages 3 and 4 of deep sleep. The theta wave is generally associated with daydreaming. Alpha activity, on the other hand, is observed in a state of wakefulness, attentiveness, and relaxation. Beta waves are present during visual and auditory focus—that is, during fully awake, focused thinking. When alpha waves dominate the mix of brain waves, a state of calm wakefulness is experienced. When teaching anxiety control, alpha waves are monitored using a feedback device and communicated to the individual through visual and auditory signals. This allows the individual to objectively observe the fluctuations in alpha levels and their relationship to the anxiety he is experiencing. Through such training, he can learn to control his anxiety and generate more alpha waves.
In clinical practice, the neurofeedback method is widely used not only for anxiety control but also to enhance mental performance and, in particular, to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yielding effective results.
Use in Children:
Neurotherapy / Neuro-Biofeedback is also used in children, particularly in the treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with the aim of helping the child develop the ability to focus and sustain attention. This technique helps children with ADHD become aware of their impulsive, impatient, and inattentive behaviors and enables them to exercise self-control over these behaviors.
Being able to visualize the brain’s waves on a computer screen and intervene by focusing one’s attention (programs featuring goals such as flying an airplane or racing are used for this purpose in children) boosts the child’s self-confidence.
This technique is significant as a medication-free method for helping individuals develop the ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
Since no electrical or other signals are transmitted to the body, there are no side effects.
