Positive Technology Journal

Controlled evaluation of a neurofeedback training of slow cortical potentials in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Behav Brain Funct. 2007 Jul 26;3(1):35

Authors: Drechsler R, Straub M, Doehnert M, Heinrich H, Steinhausen HC, Brandeis D

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Although several promising studies on neurofeedback training in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have been performed in recent years, the specificity of positive treatment effects continues to be challenged. METHODS: To evaluate the specificity of a neurofeedback training of slow cortical potentials, a twofold strategy was pursued: First, the efficacy of neurofeedback training was compared to a group training program for children with ADHD. Secondly, the extent of improvements observed in the neurofeedback group in relation to successful regulation of cortical activation was examined. Parents and teachers rated children's behaviour and executive functions before and after treatment. In addition, children underwent neuropsychological testing before and after training. RESULTS: According to parents' and teachers' ratings, children of the neurofeedback training group improved more than children who had participated in a group therapy program, particularly in attention and cognition related domains. On neuropsychological measures children of both groups showed similar improvements. However, only about half of the neurofeedback group learned to regulate cortical activation during a transfer condition without direct feedback. Behavioural improvements of this subgroup were moderately related to neurofeedback training performance, whereas effective parental support accounted better for some advantages of neurofeedback training compared to group therapy according to parents' and teachers' ratings. CONCLUSIONS: There is a specific training effect of neurofeedback of slow cortical potentials due to enhanced cortical control. However, non-specific factors, such as parental support, may also contribute to the positive behavioural effects induced by the neurofeedback training.

Via Medgadget

Lomak International Limited was awarded the Gold Prize in the Computer Equipment category in IDSA's 2007 Awards.

Company explains its technology:

Lomak (light operated mouse and keyboard) is designed for people that have difficulty with, or are unable to use, a standard computer keyboard and mouse. A hand or head pointer controls a beam of light that highlights then confirms the key or mouse functions on the keyboard. By confirming each key, only the correct selection is entered, which reduces errors and increases input speed.

In addition to speed and accuracy, Lomak offers a number of advantages over other access methods including;

 

• versatility and ease of use and training (people can be up and running with it almost immediately)
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• it requires no calibration and can operate in any ambient conditions
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• it does not require software (i.e. no dedicated computers are required for users with disabilities; converselyusers can log into their own PCs without assistance)
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• it does not require any screen area (no on-screen keyboard or mouse menu is required)
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• it can be used with any application (e.g. proprietary software such as accounting/payroll applications and other business software)

• Lomak is ideal for a work environment as it is easy to install, use and manage. It requires little or no technical support as from a systems perspective it is recognised as simply a USB keyboard and mouse.

   

LomaK

2007 IDEA Winners: Computer Equipment

Re-blogged from Networked Performance

By jo on calls + opps

NanoArt 2007 INTERNATIONAL ONLINE COMPETITION :: Deadline: December 31, 2007 :: Open to all artists and scientists.

NanoArt is a new art form where micro or nanosculptures created by artists or scientists through chemical or/and physical processes are visualized with powerful research tools like Scanning Electron Microscopes. The monochromatic electron microscope scans are processed further using different artistic techniques to create pieces of art that can be showcased for the general public. Nanoart21.org, founded by artists / scientist Cris Orfescu, will provide 3 high resolution monochromatic electron scans as seed images for artists to choose from. The participating artists will have to alter these images in any artistic way to finish the artistic-scientific process and create a NanoArt work. The artists or / and scientists are encouraged to participate with their own images as long as these visualize micro or nanostructures.

The worldwide competition NanoArt 2007 is open to all artists 18 years and older. Online voting will open January 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008. Judging is via the Internet and decided by our site visitors. Winners will be notified and published online around April 15, 2008.

For more details please visit: http://nanoart21.org/html/nanoart_2007.html

Age effects on gray matter volume and attentional performance in Zen meditation.

Neurobiol Aging. 2007 Jul 24;

Authors: Pagnoni G, Cekic M

Zen meditation, a Buddhist practice centered on attentional and postural self-regulation, has been speculated to bring about beneficial long-term effects for the individual, ranging from stress reduction to improvement of cognitive function. In this study, we examined how the regular practice of meditation may affect the normal age-related decline of cerebral gray matter volume and attentional performance observed in healthy individuals. Voxel-based morphometry for MRI anatomical brain images and a computerized sustained attention task were employed in 13 regular practitioners of Zen meditation and 13 matched controls. While control subjects displayed the expected negative correlation of both gray matter volume and attentional performance with age, meditators did not show a significant correlation of either measure with age. The effect of meditation on gray matter volume was most prominent in the putamen, a structure strongly implicated in attentional processing. These findings suggest that the regular practice of meditation may have neuroprotective effects and reduce the cognitive decline associated with normal aging.

Cortical activation changes induced by visual biofeedback tracking training in chronic stroke patients.

NeuroRehabilitation. 2007;22(2):77-84

Authors: Cho SH, Shin HK, Kwon YH, Lee MY, Lee YH, Lee CH, Yang DS, Jang SH

Objectives: We tried to examine whether visual biofeedback tracking training (VBTT) can improve both the gait performance and cortical activation pattern in chronic stroke patients. Design: We enrolled 10 chronic hemiparetic patients with stroke(mean age 46.3 +/- 5.19 years). The patients were randomly assigned to the training group (5 patients) or the control group (5 patients). VBTT was to follow the PC-generated sine waves with the knee joint electrogoniometer, and the two sine waves should appear as close to overlapping as possible on the PC monitor. The training was performed for 39 minutes/day, 5 days/week, for 4 weeks. Pre-training and post-training accuracy of tracking, functional status of gait, and functional MRI (fMRI) were measured. fMRI was performed at 1.5 T in parallel with timed knee flexion-extension movements at a fixed rate. Results: The accuracy of the tracking performance, walking speed, and motor scale for gait improved in the training group. Primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) cortical activation shifted significantly from the unaffected to the affected hemisphere in the training group. Conclusions: We demonstrated that cortical activation changes occurred with gait function improvement in chronic stroke patients throughout the 4-week VBTT program. It seems that the cortical reorganization was induced by VBTT.