Project Summary

John J.B. Allen, Ph.D. (Independent Investigator 2001) of University of Arizona, based on his prior NARSAD work, has demonstrated that manipulation of frontal brain activity can alter nondepressed people's response to an emotional event.  He is now proposing to expand on this idea, and will work with 40 depressed patients (20 will receive the treatment) to use biofeedback in the form of a high or low tone that will signify to the subject whether his or her brain activity has moved sufficiently in the desired direction.  This biofeedback, designed to manipulate frontal electroencephalographic asymmetry in a therapeutic manner, has been previously used in several simple case studies of depression.  Depression severity will be assessed throughout treatment and results will indicate whether a larger study is indicated.

Program Area: MOOD DISORDERS\Depression (Unipolar)\Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Search Again