Advances in Biofeedback Instrumentation, Software, and Normative Values, II

Abstract

This special issue continues the focus of the Spring 2019 issue on advances in instrumentation, software, and applications in biofeedback and neurofeedback. Here the articles will focus on the use of normative databases in neurofeedback assessment and treatment and the use of dynamic muscle assessment. In addition, Arnon Rolnick and Yossi Ehrenreich summarize issues in the infant's acquisition of self-knowledge through interactions with the mother.Thomas Collura provides a review of the basic principles of the QEEG, the mathematical tools utilized to analyze cortical activation patterns, and the clinical value of well-informed use of QEEG. He reviews the emergence of normative databases, which allow real-time comparison of EEG values with a reference database of normal EEGs. This enables the evaluation of whether specific measures are normal range, abnormal, and even how abnormal. He introduces the concept of a z-score, which establishes a statistical framework for the interpretation of all aspects of the QEEG. Collura also reminds the clinician of the importance of reviewing the raw EEG. A QEEG is a statistical transform of the raw EEG and therefore misses many qualitative features evident in the original. Collura also reviews the importance and the meaning of the various measures of connectivity in the QEEG. Coherence, phase, asymmetry, and burst metrics are common forms of connectivity analyzed in the QEEG. Finally, he reviews the importance of artifacting, that is, removing distortions or contaminations of the EEG.In the next article, Gabriel Sella provides a detailed guide for applying the Sella protocol for dynamic muscle assessment. The Sella protocol is a structured assessment protocol, including static muscle assessment and dynamic muscle assessment, that utilizes standardized electrode placements, conditions, and scripted specified movements during assessment. This protocol can serve as a basis for designing biofeedback-assisted rehabilitation of patients with chronic pain and other musculoskeletal problems.Finally, Arnon Rolnick and Yossi Ehrenreich provide a discussion of the role of the mother's facial expression in the child's emotional development. They emphasize the child's use of the mother's facial expressions in developing self-awareness and regulating moods through interactive dyadic processes with the mother. They propose a new type of biofeedback therapy that is based on facial expressions and facial recognition, as well as on physiological indicators.