RESEARCH PAPER
Evaluation of the effectiveness of neurofeedback in the reduction of Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a patient following high-voltage electric shock with the use of ERPs
 
More details
Hide details
1
Małopolska Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre, The Rydygier Memorial Hospital, Krakow, Poland
 
2
Chair of Neuropsychology, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, Krakow, Poland
 
3
Center for Cognition and Communication, New York, NY, USA
 
4
Department of Health Sciences, Vincent Pol University Lublin, Poland
 
5
Department of Health Sciences, The Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
 
6
The Institute of the Human Brain, The Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
 
7
The Institute of Psychology, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
 
 
Corresponding author
Maria Pąchalska   

Chair of Neuropsychology, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, Krakow, Poland
 
 
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2015;22(3):556-563
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Background:
The aim of our research was an evaluation of the effectiveness of neurofeedback in reducing the symptoms of Post-trauma stress disorder (PTSD), which had developed as a result of a high-voltage electric burn to the head. Quantitative EEG (QEEG) and Event related potentials (ERPs) were utilised in the evaluation.

Case study:
A 21-year-old patient, experienced 4th degree burns to his head as a result of a high-voltage electric burn. The patient was repeatedly operated on and despite the severity of the injuries was to recover. However the patient complained of flashbacks, difficulties with sleeping as well as an inability to continue work in his given profession. Specialist tests were to show the presence within him of PTSD. As a result of which the patient was provided with neurofeedback therapy. The effectiveness of this therapy in the reduction (eradication) of the symptoms of PTSD were evaluated through the utilisation of qantitative eeg (Qeeg) and event related potentials (ERPs).

Results:
It was found that in the first examination that ERPs display the most significant deviations from the reference in the two components: (1) the one component is generated within the cingulate cortex. The pattern of its deviation from the norms is similar to that found in a group of OCD patients. In contrast to healthy subjects the component repeats itself twice; (2) the second component is generated in the medial prefrontal cortex. Its pattern (neuromarker) is similar to that found in PTSD patients. There is a delay in the late part of the component, which probably reflects the flashbacks. In the second examination, after neurofeedback training, the ERPs were similar to the norm. The patient returned to work.

Conclusions:
Chronic PTSD developed within the patient as a result of a high-voltage electric burn. The application of a method of therapy (neurofeedback) resulted in the withdrawal of the syndrome symptoms. ERPs in a GO/NOGO task can be used to plan neurofeedback and in the assessment of functional brain changes induced by neurotherapeutic programmes. Funds Collection: Private sources.

 
REFERENCES (23)
1.
Kropotov JD. Quantitative EEG, event related potentials and neurotherapy. San Diego: Academic Press, Elsevier, 2009.
 
2.
Kropotov JD. Brain correlates of comparison with memory trace: Independent component analysis of event related potentials, ERPs. Key Note lecture given during 14th International Congress of the Polish Neuropsychological Society. 24–25.10.2011; Kraków.
 
3.
Pąchalska M, Łukowicz M, Kropotov JD, Herman-Sucharska I, Talar J. Evaluation of differentiated neurotherapy programs for a patient after severe TBI and long term coma using event-related potentials. Medical Science Monitor 2011; 17(10): CS 120–128.
 
4.
Pąchalska M, Kropotov JD, Mańko G, Lipowska M, Rasmus A, Łukaszewska B, Bogdanowicz M, Mirski A. Evaluation of a neurotherapy program for a child with ADHD with Benign Partial Epilepsy with Rolandic Spikes (BPERS) using event-related potentials. Medical Science Monitor 2012; 18(11): CS 94–104.
 
5.
Thompson M, Thompson L. The neurofeedback book: An introduction to basic concepts in applied psychophysiology. Wheat Ridge, Colorado: Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 2012.
 
6.
Nussbaum RL, McInnes RR, Willard HF. Thompson and Thompson Genetics Medicine. Philadelphia. Saunders Elsevier, 2007.
 
7.
Sadeghi-Bazargani H, Maghsoudi H,Soudmand-Niri M, Ranjbar F, Mashadi-Abdollahi H. Stress disorder and PTSD after burn injuries: a prospective study of predictors of PTSD at Sina Burn Center, Iran/ Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2011; 7: 425–429.
 
8.
Pąchalska M. Neuropsychologia kliniczna: urazy mózgu. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN; 2007 (in Polish).
 
9.
Strużyna J. Wczesna odpowiedź na uraz oparzeniowy”. In: Wczesne Leczenie Oparzeń, Warszawa, Wydawnictwo Lekarskie PZWL, 2006.p.33–40 (in Polish).
 
10.
Arnold PG, Rangarathnam CS. Multiple-Flap Scalp Reconstruction: Orticochea Revisited. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery 1982; 69(4): 612–613.
 
11.
Pąchalska M, Lipowska M, Rasmus A, Bidzan M. InterakcyjneTesty Komputerowe Mindstreams™: standaryzowana wersja polska. Kraków, Fundacja na rzecz osób z dysfunkcjami mózgu, 2010 (in Polish).
 
12.
Kropotov JD, Mueller A. What can event related potentials contribute to neuropsychology. Acta Neuropsychologica 2009; 7(3): 169–181.
 
13.
Kropotov JD, Mueller A. Neurophysiological Basis of Microgenesis theory: Stages of visual information flow as reflected in functionally defined components of event related potentials is man. Acta Neuropsychologica, 2012: 10(1): 25–33.
 
14.
Makeig S, Bell AJ, Jung TP, Sejnowski TJ. Independent component analysis of electroencephalographic data. Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 1996; 8: 145–151.
 
15.
Kropotov JD, Pronina MV, Murashev PV. In search of new protocols of neurofeedback: Independent components of event-related potentials. Journal of Neurotherapy 2011; 15: 151–159.
 
16.
Saunders N, Downham R, Turman B, Kropotov J, Clark R, Yumash R, Szatmary A. Working memory training with tDCS improves behavioral and neurophysiological symptoms in pilot group with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and with poor working memory. Neurocase 2015; 21(3): 271–278.
 
17.
Chrapusta A, Pąchalska M. Evaluation of differences in health-related quality of life during the treatment of post-burn scars in pre-school and school children. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2014; 21(4): 861–865.
 
18.
Łuria AR. The traumatic aphasia. The Hague, Mouton, 1970.
 
19.
Łuria AR. Podstawy neuropsychologii. Tłum. Danuta Kądzielawa. Warszawa: PZWL, 1976 (in Polish).
 
20.
Pąchalska M, Kaczmarek BLJ, Kropotov JD. Neuropsychologia kliniczna. Od teorii do praktyki. Warszawa, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 2014 (in Polish).
 
21.
Isao T, Masaki F, Nakayama R, et al. Delayed brain atrophy after electrical injury. J Burn Care. 2005; 26: 456–458.
 
22.
Chrapusta A, Pąchalska M: Evaluation of differences in health-related quality of life during the treatment of post-burn scars in pre-school and school children. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2014; 21(4): 861–865.
 
23.
Strużyna J. Postępowanie i zakres leczenia w oddziałach ratunkowych. In: Wczesne Leczenie Oparzeń. Warszawa Wydawnictwo Lekarskie PZWL, 2006.p. 203–205 (in Polish).
 
eISSN:1898-2263
ISSN:1232-1966
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top