Proceedings of the 2016 ISNR Conference: Plenary Presentations

Abstract

Participants will learn about diagnosis and intervention. Diagnosis will cover both a brief overview of DSM-5 criteria for both Inattentive and Combined presentations of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and also mention of comorbidities. An explication of how adding additional measures from single-channel EEG data collection and administration of continuous performance tests supports the diagnosis. The salient areas to be covered during the clinical interview will also be covered; namely, the person's strengths, family matters (with mention of Judith Lubar's use of genograms), social functioning, school and/or work performance, medical factors (allergies, sleep apnea, head injuries, etc.), and extracurricular interests. Data from questionnaires and, for more objective test data, continuous performance tests (Test of Variables of Attention [T.O.V.A.] and Integrated Auditory and Visual Continuous Performance Test [IVA]) will be shown. The various patterns found on single-channel (Cz) EEG assessment will be discussed in the light of the published norms for theta/beta power ratios. EEG patterns (excess theta, excess alpha, spindling beta, all seen with single channel assessment) will be shown. Recent updates on the utility of theta/beta as a marker for ADHD will be shared. Patients who have a diagnosis of ADHD symptoms can vary from children with a relatively simple difficulty with attention span to patients who have a complex array of other difficulties and comorbidities that involve other networks, such as learning disabilities, Asperger's syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, affect disorders, and movement disorders, including Tourette syndrome. This will be acknowledged but not expanded upon in this presentation. Finally, intervention will be discussed with mention of diet, sleep, and exercise but with the main focus being on how to do effective neurofeedback intervention combined with biofeedback with this population. Finally, there will be mention of research that addresses the question of whether neurofeedback can be considered an efficacious treatment for ADHD. References