How neurofeedback is helping trauma patients
- Madhav Bhardwaj settles into a chair at the EEG Neuro Feedback lab in the National Institute of Mental Health and NeuroScience (Nimhans). He has to play a car racing game with two goals: keep the car on the track and reach the finish line. Except, there are no gadgets or commands that he can use. He has to use his mind, literally. He is expected to control or modulate his brain activity, which leads to changes in cognition, emotion, and behaviour.
- The electrodes on the scalp relay his brain activities to doctors who are monitoring the session. This is part of his journey towards recovery after a car accident on May 11, 2018 in Delhi. He was in coma for two weeks, and the right side of his body was paralysed. He underwent three surgeries, and with the help of physiotherapy, his physical movement improved gradually in a few months.
- “The alpha wave, which is indicative of relaxation, is supposed to be between 8 to 12 hertz. If the patient’s readings are not on par with this, then he is asked to relax in the next session.
- Since 2007, the lab has helped 3,000 patients like Madhav who are recovering from brain trauma. The lab has been funded by the Department of Science and Technology as well as the Department of Biotechnology.
- They have recently started treating several international patients from the United States of America, UAE and Sri Lanka who chose to come to the lab as the treatment is relatively cheaper. The treatment costs ₹5,000 for 20 sessions, which takes place alternative days. Each session lasts about 40 minutes.
- The department has a visual analog scale where they ask the patients and the caregivers to rate their behaviour, tasks they can do and their state of mind. These include their memory, concentration, ability to work, anger. tolerance and headache.
