An alternative treatment for depression using EEG biofeedback to alter frontal alpha asymmetry and improve mood

Abstract

The relationship between frontal EEG asymmetry and emotional reactivity is well established in the literature and there is some evidence of a causal link between the two variables (e.g., Allen et al., 2001). EEG biofeedback has been shown to improve depressive symptoms in clinical populations (e.g., Baehr et al., 1997 and Earnest 1999), however concurrent participation in other forms of treatment limits their conclusions. The present study was a double-blind clinical trial of a noninvasive alternative treatment for depression using EEG biofeedback of frontal alpha asymmetry and, of the 19 right-handed participants who were randomly assigned to receive contingent or noncontingent biofeedback, only seven completed three sessions per week for 12 weeks. Since only one participant in the noncontingent group completed all 36 sessions, group comparisons were not conducted. Although self-reported depression as determined by HRSD and BDI scores improved over time, this was independent of biofeedback training, because EEG biofeedback did not produce significant changes in frontal alpha asymmetry. In addition, there were no significant within-subjects correlations between asymmetry and BDI score or target value and BDI score.