Transcript Slide 1

Is brain-behavior behavior?
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If so, it can be
conditioned just
like other
behaviors
In 1960s, certain
rhythms could be
“trained”
Led to
Neurotherapy and
Brain-Computer
interfaces (BCI)
History of Biofeedback
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JH Bair, 1901, instrument used to teach ear wiggling
In early 20th century, J.H. Schultz in Germany developed a
technique called Autogenic Training. Verbal instructions are
used to guide a person to a more relaxed and controlled
physiological state.
• The method flourished, and the results were reported upon by
Wolfgang Luthe in 1969 in the United States.
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Increased awareness in Western world of yogic ability to
alter physiology volitionally. E.g., a yogi could survive in a
sealed box by voluntarily reducing his metabolic rate
significantly, surviving hours with a limited supply of
oxygen.
Peripheral biofeedback techniques include
• GSR, thermal, breathing, cardiac
Internal inhibition
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Pavlov conditioning experiments
• Tone for food, buzzer for shock –
• Moved them closer together in time
• confounded dog fell asleep
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Termed “internal inhibition”
Animal can close down own
systems to avoid stress
History of EEG biofeedback
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1934, Adrian watched his EEG in front
of oscillograph and created alpha at will
1958, alpha biofeedback or deep states
• Joe Kamiya at U Chicago
• Subject 1,
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1st trial, 60 tones  60 guesses, half right
2nd, 65 % correct
3rd, 85% correct
4th, after initial mistakes, 400 correct
guesses in a row
1968, 1st congress in Aspen Colorado,
field named biofeedback
“Alpha training” adopted by
counterculture and practitioners
oversold its claims
From Kamiya (1978) Science paper
History of SMR biofeedback
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In 1960s Mercury astronauts
claimed they saw natives
waving at them when they
flew over the Pacific.
• (i.e., they hallucinated)
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In 1967, Gordon Allies,
inventor of amphetamine,
was contracted to test toxicity
of Mercury capsule rocket fuel
with David Fairchild
However Allies tested another
chemical compound on
himself and died before
contract over. Fairchild asked
Sterman to help finish work.
MB Sterman
History of SMR biofeedback
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Then Sterman and Fairchild went on to another study,
testing rocket fuel on 50 cats, 10 from Sterman’s previous
SMR training study.
Inject 100 mg/kg or so of fuel into each cat
• After one hour, all usually go into grand mal
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but not all - 7 delayed, 3 not at all.
• seizure thresholds changed in these 10
• Not explainable by placebo (“i shall please” in Latin) as
cats didn’t know what to expect, and experimenter blind
because effect was entirely unexpected
When monomethyl hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer come in contact,
they ignite automatically( i.e., no spark required) in absence of oxygen
Mono-methyl hydrazine
Sterman was studying EEGbehavioral correlates in cats
If EEG behavior is like any other behavior, it
could be shaped with operant conditioning
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Two prominent rhythms in cat EEG – SMR and PRS
• Couldn’t train PRS, but could train SMR
Operant Conditioning
Increasing probability of rewarded actions
10 cats trained to produce SMR (12-19 Hz over
motor strip) for chicken broth & milk
Classic abundance response at
extinction
History of SMR biofeedback
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Sterman and Fairchild tested NASA’s rocket
fuel on 50 cats, 10 from Sterman’s previous
SMR training study.
Inject same mg/kg of fuel into each cat
• Cats show usual toxic prodrome
After 1 hr, all usually go into grand mal
 Of 50, 7 cats showed prodrome with
delayed seizures and 3 without
seizing.
 Examining his data carefully,
including who made up his sample,
he realized the seizure thresholds
changed in cats who underwent SMR
training
• Not explainable by placebo (“I shall
please” in Latin) as cats didn’t know
what to expect, and experimenter blind
because effect was unexpected
Sterman et al (1967) showing usual toxic
prodrome and resistance to MMHinduced seizures in a subgroup
Time
Avg 2 hours+ for seizures
with EEG trained cats
vs. 1 hour for normal cats
NASA Rocket fuel
History of SMR biofeedback
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Replicated in monkeys
Onto humans at colleagues’
urging.
• n=1, epileptic case in EEG &
Clin Neurophysiology
• n=4, 65% seizure reduction
(Epilepsia 1976)
• n=8, ABA 3-year study,
(Epilepsia 1978)
• NIH-funded study
 Sham control, n=24, 3yrs
 Double yoked
• n=8, n=8 NF, n=8 log
books
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Many went seizure free
who received NF
Reliable increase in sleep
spindle density and
decreased awakenings
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Lantz & Sterman, Epilepsia, 1988;
Sterman & Lantz, JNT, 2001
60% reduction in seizures 12 mo after training
Improved functioning
with SMR training
(C3)
Sterman, MB (2000). Basic Concepts and
Clinical Findings in the Treatment of Seizure
Disorders with EEG Operant Conditioning.
•Clinical EEG, 31(1), 45-55.
Why does SMR training work?
Sterman & Bloomfield, 1976
How does SMR training work?
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Likely enhances
GABA circuitry
involved in motor
regulation,
dampens
excitability to
sensorimotor
stimulation
• May increase
GABAergic receptor
density in
sensorimotor
pathways
Epilepsy  ADHD  Beyond
Lubar and Bahler (1976) trained epileptics to
reduce seizure but noted that a hyperactive
epileptic showed decrease in his overactivity
after SMR enhancement and theta
suppression training
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1967
1973
1975
1976
1977
1978
1978
1980
1995
1995
1996
1997
SMR conditioning in general
Epilepsy
Peak Performance
ADHD
Addiction
Anxiety disorders
Learning disabilities
Sleep Disorders
Brain Injury
Lyme's Disease
CFS
Mood disorders
Neurofeedback Applications by year of 1st publication
Thalamocortical dysrhythmias may underlying a
variety of conditions including depression, dysfunction
associated with TBI, etc