Post by Amtram on Feb 22, 2014 11:24:10 GMT -5
*sigh* Magnetoencephalograpy, or MEG. It's a valid imaging technique, non-invasive and non-magnetic, and it's proven useful in diagnosing and treating epilepsy, but McGill University has been evaluating it as a neurofeedback approach. The American Academy of Pediatrics has approved clinical research on neurofeedback as a treatment for certain disorders, such as ADHD, but it's been prematurely (IMHO) promoted as effective. There have been a number of studies on these neurofeedback techniques that are, unfortunately, buried deep within Google searches. While these approaches show reasonable efficacy in behavior modification (and are much more useful than commercial brain-training packages that are the first dozen or so pages that come up when you search) they have the same drawback as medications and psychological behavior modification in that they're effective only as long as you're using them.
I think this is key when looking at any kind of "training" approach, especially when you're talking about ADHD. We ADHDers are not known for our persistence when it comes to long-term behavioral changes. A technique that works only for as long as you stick to it isn't much of a treatment - especially when it is really expensive and available only in limited geographical areas! I can see this being much more useful as an adjunct to medications (if it were a portable home unit, for example) or perhaps even as a potential diagnostic tool (as it works for epilepsy) but of course it was announced as a new and effective treatment. That's what sticks in my craw. . .
I think this is key when looking at any kind of "training" approach, especially when you're talking about ADHD. We ADHDers are not known for our persistence when it comes to long-term behavioral changes. A technique that works only for as long as you stick to it isn't much of a treatment - especially when it is really expensive and available only in limited geographical areas! I can see this being much more useful as an adjunct to medications (if it were a portable home unit, for example) or perhaps even as a potential diagnostic tool (as it works for epilepsy) but of course it was announced as a new and effective treatment. That's what sticks in my craw. . .