Latest news with #neurofeedback
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Matter Neuroscience announces collaboration with Stanford Medicine combining Matter protocol with real-time fMRI neurofeedback to support emotion-based interventions in depression
This collaboration sets out to explore whether using the Matter Neuroscience protocol combined with real-time neurofeedback can influence emotional brain networks relevant to depression. PALO ALTO, Calif., June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Matter Neuroscience is pleased to announce a collaboration with Stanford Medicine's Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department. The controlled, multi-arm study will enroll at least 210 depressed patients with the objective to significantly reduce clinical endpoints using real-time 7T fMRI neurofeedback in combination with the Matter protocol selectively activating key brain areas hosting distinct positive emotions. The clinical endpoints are paralleled with several molecular, emotional and behavioral biomarkers. If successful, the findings can be integrated into a full-scale clinical trial with the potential to inform future non-pharmaceutical curative therapies for depression. Professor Nolan Williams, M.D. an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab will serve as the Principal Investigator on the study. 'This study allows us to investigate how targeted emotion training, guided by real-time fMRI, may influence mood-related brain circuits,' said Dr. Williams. 'What makes this particularly interesting is the opportunity to evaluate both the neural mechanisms involved in emotion regulation and the feasibility of translating this approach into a deliverable treatment in the clinic or home one day.' Matter CEO Axel Bouchon shares, 'After we have seen positive effects in emotional wellbeing of healthy individuals in our studies in the past 4-5 years, it is just one of the most exciting studies I have witnessed in my career. Ultimately, we try to use the latest advancements in MRI technology and the patients' good memories as a personalized medicine to reduce, maybe permanently cure, their depressive symptoms.' About Matter Matter Neuroscience was founded in 2019 by Axel Bouchon and Ben Goldhirsh. Matter's mission is to use neuroscience to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives. Matter Neuroscience runs a consumer technology business ( ) and a medical business addressing healthy individuals and patients, respectively. Matter is led by CEO Axel Bouchon (Moderna, Bayer, ARCH Venture Partners.) Ben Goldhirsh (GOOD Worldwide and the Goldhirsh Foundation) serves as Matter's Chairman and Head of Product. Visit to learn more about Matter. Download the Matter app, named 'App of the Day' on Apple's App Store. Follow Matter on Instagram and Tiktok for education and inspiration for living a happier life. About the Matter Protocol Matter Neuroscience and its academic partners in Maastricht and Copenhagen have conducted several research studies successfully identifying a human map for distinct positive emotions in the brain. Using this map as a directional biomarker, a team led by Professor Rainer Goebel at the Maastricht Brain Imaging Center in the Netherlands developed a protocol that allows for training and intensifying distinct human emotions using real-time fMRI neurofeedback with autobiographical memories. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Matter Neuroscience
Gizmodo
6 days ago
- Health
- Gizmodo
Scientists Taught People to Change Their Own Brainwaves to Feel Less Pain
In an initial trial, patients who suffer from chronic nerve pain got relief from an interactive game that trained them to alter their own brainwaves. The promising results could lead to a new generation of drug-free treatments, according to the study. A research team led by psychologists from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia developed PainWaive—a training system that teaches users to regulate abnormal brain activity that underlies nerve pain—as a potential in-home, non-invasive alternative to opioids. The results, published in The Journal of Pain in April, showed that three out of four participants saw significant reductions in pain five weeks after the last treatment. The PainWaive system consists of an electroencephalogram (EEG) headset that records brain activity paired with an app that instructs patients on how to control their brainwaves through neurofeedback games, according to a UNSW statement. Four participants who suffer from corneal neuropathic pain—a condition that causes painful hypersensitivity of the eyes, face, or head—underwent 20 PainWaive sessions over the course of four weeks. Doctors aren't sure exactly what causes corneal neuropathic pain, and this condition rarely responds to current treatments, according to the researchers. But they hypothesized that altering brainwaves generally associated with nerve pain could provide relief. 'The brainwaves of people with neuropathic pain show a distinct pattern: more slow theta waves, fewer alpha waves, and more fast, high beta waves,' co-lead author Sylvia Gustin, a clinical psychologist and UNSW professor, said in the statement. Her research has investigated changes in the thalamus—a central brain structure that relays sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex—associated with nerve pain. 'We believe these changes interfere with how the thalamus talks to other parts of the brain, especially the sensory motor cortex, which registers pain,' she said. 'I wondered, can we develop a treatment that directly targets and normalizes these abnormal waves?' This curiosity ultimately led to the development and first clinical trial of PainWaive. For this study, Gustin and her colleagues provided four participants with kits that included an EEG headset and a tablet pre-loaded with the game app. Participants also received guidance on mental strategies that can help them shift their brainwaves from an abnormal to a normal state, such as relaxation techniques. The researchers assessed the participants' corneal neuropathic pain symptoms immediately after using PainWaive and five weeks post-treatment. During these follow-ups, participants were encouraged to continue using the brainwave-altering strategies they learned through the training. The results suggest that three of the four participants experienced pain relief comparable to or greater than that offered by opioids, according to UNSW. While these early results are promising, further clinical trials will need to confirm the safety and efficacy of PainWaive. 'Restrictions in the study's size, design and duration limit our ability to generalize the findings or rule out placebo effects,' co-lead author Negin Hesam-Shariati, a researcher at UNSW's NeuroRecovery Research Hub, said in the statement. 'But the results we've seen are exciting and give us confidence to move to the next stage and our larger trial.' Now, she and her colleagues are recruiting participants for two upcoming trials that will investigate PainWaive's potential to reduce chronic spinal pain and chronic nerve pain in people with spinal cord injuries. The development of drug-free pain treatments plays a critical role in combatting the opioid crisis. In the U.S., opioid-related deaths have turned a corner in recent years, with provisional data pointing to a 24% decline between 2023 and 2024. But there is still a need for more non-opioid pain management options. Hesam-Shariati, Gustin, and their colleagues hope that as PainWaive progresses through clinical trials, it will tick all of those boxes. 'Owning the technology offers us the potential to one day offer PainWaive as a truly affordable, accessible solution for at-home pain management, especially for those with limited access to traditional treatments,' Gustin said.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Biofeedback Federation of Europe Announces 24th Annual Meeting in Szczecin, Poland
LONDON, May 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Biofeedback Federation of Europe (BFE) is pleased to announce its 24th Meeting, set to take place March 23-28, 2026, in the vibrant city of Szczecin, Poland. This 6-day event will bring together researchers, clinicians, and professionals from around the world to share innovations, advancements, and practical applications in biofeedback and neurofeedback. This annual meeting serves as a vital platform for collaboration, education, and professional growth within the biofeedback community, offering attendees valuable opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange. The meeting is structured to offer five full days of workshops (selected based on the participants areas of interest) that provide hands-on experience in addition to didactic learning. Also on the agenda is a Scientific Program that provides a full day of lectures and poster presentations on the latest research and applications in the field. The BFE is now accepting submissions for workshops, oral presentations, and poster presentations. Experts and practitioners are invited to contribute to this leading conference by sharing their research, case studies, and methodologies that push the boundaries of biofeedback science and practice. For more information about the submission process, visit the BFE's dedicated meeting website. More details about the program will be added as they become available. Submissions DeadlinesWorkshops: September 30, 2025Symposia & Oral Presentations: December 15, 2025Posters: January 30, 2026 Asked about the meeting location, Dr. Erik Peper, BFE Advisory Board President commented, "It is truly exciting to return to Poland for the Biofeedback Federation of Europe's 24th Meeting. Our last gathering there in 2012 was a remarkable experience, filled with insightful discussions, innovation, and collaboration. Many attendees who had never visited Poland before were pleasantly surprised by the country's rich culture, and the kindness and hospitality of its people. Szczecin, with its welcoming atmosphere and vibrant academic community, is the perfect backdrop for another outstanding conference. We look forward to reconnecting with colleagues, exchanging knowledge, and advancing the field of biofeedback in this dynamic setting." About the Biofeedback Federation of EuropeThe Biofeedback Federation CIC is a UK-based community interest company committed to fostering healthier communities through the transformative power of biofeedback. By collaborating with leading experts in the field, BFE provides education and training in best practices for biofeedback and neurofeedback, equipping professionals with the tools and knowledge to share the benefits of biofeedback with the populations they serve. The BFE is funded through revenues from its online shop, as well as sponsorships and donations. Contact:Carol Meyersgeneralmanager@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Biofeedback Federation of Europe
