Case Studies

Case Histories From Intensive Trainings In Alpha And Beta Feedback

James V. Hardt, Ph.D.

Six different trainings reveal the wide range of effectiveness of the Biocybernaut Institute Neurofeedback training programs. All trainings involved simultaneous integrated amplitude feedback on 4 different cortical sites [O1, O2, C3, C4], and were conducted using individual or group EEG feedback systems from Biocybernaut Institute. Four trainings were Individual trainings and two were Group trainings.

Both Situational and Chronic Anxiety Are Reduced by Learned Increases in Alpha Brain Wave Activity

James V. Hardt, Ph.D.
MindCenter Corporation, August 20, 1991

Summary of Two Alpha Anxiety Studies

Two studies were run to test the hypothesis that low anxiety subjects would excel over high anxiety subjects in the task of learning how to increase electroencephalographic (EEG) alpha brain waves through alpha brain wave feedback. The two studies were run in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at Carnegie-Mellon University, and in San Francisco, California at Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute (UCSF). In each study at least 100 college age males were screened with the first factor of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) to select the highest and lowest anxiety subjects. To enable the data to also serve other purposes, two pre- and one post-feedback MMPIs were collected to permit later analysis of any personality changes in relationship to any EEG alpha changes.

Depression and Bereavement in An Elderly Widow

When this woman came to us for treatment, she was 73 years old. Her husband had died the year before, and she found herself filled with grief and completely lost, since she had been a full time housewife and mother, She was mourning the loss of her husband and the loss of companionship. She had become addicted to Valium, and had just completed a drug detoxification program. However, she was still diagnosed as clinically depressed, with extreme loneliness and isolation.

Panic Attacks, Stress, And Anxiety

Summary
This 29 year old woman was a victim of repeated panic attacks. She decided to try alpha brain wave training after the discouraging and ineffective experiences she had while seeking treatment for her condition through the modes of traditional medicine, which included medical doctors, therapists, even hypnotists.

She presented herself to us as a young mother who had experienced a fairly normal, traditional lifestyle, and an uneventful childhood. She married and stayed married to the first wonderful man who entered her life, with whom she had two children. She felt happy and well adjusted, experiencing no emotional problems when suddenly her life became a nightmare because of the inexplicable panic attacks.

Paranoia, Hostility, Schizophrenia, Unemployable

This 30 year old man had clinically significant levels of paranoia and schizophrenia. He was so hostile and paranoid, that he was unable to keep a job or maintain a living situation. He quite literally could not get along with people. When he started the brain energy training program, he had just been involved in a fight with a total stranger at a bus stop. As a result of the fight his whole body was bruised and he had 20 stitches over his left eye. Because of the stitches we were unable to place EMG electrodes on his forehead. He seemed likely to be a difficult person to train since he bristled with hostility and ill will. It was easy to see that he was a magnet for physical attacks because of his extremely disagreeable nature. The lab assistants had a major argument over who would have work with “that one”, as his bad energy spilled over into our lab personnel.