Clinical Applications of Neurofeedback Treatment for Insomnia

Suh, Ho Suk; Park, Hyung Bae

Abstract

Since the pharmacological treatment of insomnia has the potential risk for dependence and various side effects, nonpharmacological intervention for insomnia is very important in clinical practice. The neurophysiological characteristics and recent researches using quantitative EEG of insomnia suggest the insomnia as a state of CNS(central nervous system) hyperarousal. Insomnia should not be restricted to subjective sleep complaints alone because it appears to be a 24-hour disorder including daytime fatigue and decreased quality of life. The neurofeedback treatment is a self-regulation method based on the paradigm of operant conditioning. The goal of this treatment modality is to normalize the functioning of the brain by inhibiting and/or reinforcing specific frequency bands of brain waves. Therefore, the neurofeedback treatment on the basis of thalamocortical mechanisms which play an important role in sleep and arousal might be a useful treatment modality for the insomnia in the future. In this paper the authors suggest the clinical applications of neurofeedback for the treatment of insomnia and further clinical researches about its therapeutic effects in insomnia.