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Neurofeedback in Three Patients in the State of Unresponsive Wakefulness

Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback volume 40, pages 349–356 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Some severely brain injured patients remain unresponsive, only showing reflex movements without any response to command. This syndrome has been named unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS). The objective of the present study was to determine whether UWS patients are able to alter their brain activity using neurofeedback (NFB) technique. A small sample of three patients received a daily session of NFB for 3 weeks. We applied the ratio of theta and beta amplitudes as a feedback variable. Using an automatic threshold function, patients heard their favourite music whenever their theta/beta ratio dropped below the threshold. Changes in awareness were assessed weekly with the JFK Coma Recovery Scale-Revised for each treatment week, as well as 3 weeks before and after NFB. Two patients showed a decrease in their theta/beta ratio and theta-amplitudes during this period. The third patient showed no systematic changes in his EEG activity. The results of our study provide the first evidence that NFB can be used in patients in a state of unresponsive wakefulness.

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Affiliations

  1. Schoen Klinik Bad Aibling, Kolbermoorer Strasse 72, 83043, Bad Aibling, Germany

    Ingo Keller

  2. Clinical Neuropsychology Unit and Outpatient Service, Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany

    Ruta Garbacenkaite

Authors
  1. Ingo Keller
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  2. Ruta Garbacenkaite
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Correspondence to Ingo Keller.

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Keller, I., Garbacenkaite, R. Neurofeedback in Three Patients in the State of Unresponsive Wakefulness. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 40, 349–356 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-015-9296-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-015-9296-7

Keywords

  • Unresponsive wakefulness syndrome
  • Treatment
  • Neurofeedback
  • Music perception