Can Neurofeedback Help With Memory Loss?

In fact, yes, it can.

If you’re a person over 60 years old living in Denver, CO, memory loss might be something you’re concerned about (or possibly suffering already). You’re not alone. About 40% of Americans over 65 have some type of memory impairment, which equates to about 16 million people. Indeed, 1 in 9 adults in the United States over 45 years old have reported some type of memory issue, which is concerning to be sure. The good news is that neurofeedback has been shown to help with memory loss. In this article, we’re going to look at some of the different types of memory loss and how neurofeedback can help them. If you’re concerned about you or a loved one’s memory loss, keep reading to find out more.

What Are the Different Types of Memory Conditions or Disorders?

One thing to keep in mind about memory disorders or conditions is that, whether mild or severe, almost all of them result from neurological damage to the brain. This damage interrupts the storage, retention, and/or recollection of memories. Some memory problems are immediate, including those that are the result of a traumatic head injury like an automobile accident or concussion. Others are progressive, including those brought on by Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. The single most significant causative factor of memory loss, however, is aging. Unfortunately, as our bodies get older, so do our brains, and this causes neurodegeneration or degeneration of the brain. The older you are, in most cases, the more degeneration your brain will have suffered, and the worse your memory will be. The good news is that, like training your muscles, neurofeedback can help train your brain and make it stronger.

What is Neurofeedback?

Neurofeedback, at its most basic, is a way to train your brain’s activity. Think of it as a learning activity that helps your brain to improve its performance, just like practicing the violin would allow you to become a better violin player. The way neurofeedback works is by tracking your brain’s activity through a special monitor. Specific frequencies are filtered out and then sent back to you on a screen, sort of like a video game. As you “play” the game, you can learn to alter your brain’s activity. Learning to do this can help to improve your cognitive performance (i.e., improve your memory). If you would like to find out more about what neurofeedback is, check out this article- What Is Neurofeedback.

What Do the Studies Say about Neurofeedback and Memory?

Several studies have been performed over the years to find out if neurofeedback does influence and help to improve memory. The good news is that the vast majority of them agreed that it does. A number of those studies and their results are below.

Imperial College Of Science, Technology And Medicine / 2003

In this study of 45 volunteers, it was found that neurofeedback helped to increase the subjects’ memory recall from 70.6% up to 81.6%.

Wang and Hsieh Study / 2013

This study compared elderly and young volunteers and found that there was an improvement in attention and working memory in both of the groups after neurofeedback.

Laboratory of Neuroscience and Behavior Combined Study / 2018

This was a very large, combined study performed by colleagues in three different universities in Brazil. Its goal was to evaluate the effects of neurofeedback on memory performance in a healthy but aging population. The results showed that there was a definite increase in performance in visual working memory.

An Alpha and Theta Intensive and Short Neurofeedback Protocol for Healthy Aging Working-Memory Training / 2016

This study found that neurofeedback enhanced an individual’s performance on working memory tests in comparison to other types of cognitive training. The healthy elder population in this study performed brain intensive tasks better.

There are quite a few other studies and research projects that have shown similar results. That is to say; they found that neurofeedback did indeed improve memory. The best part; neurofeedback therapy is safe, non-invasive, and also quite pleasant.

Dody Chiropractic Offers Neurofeedback for Memory Issues

At Dody Chiropractic Center for Wholeness, we’ve been serving the Denver and Littleton, CO communities since 2003. Our wholeness center is unique and different from most, and we’re very proud of that fact. Our goal is to help you and your family live healthy and happy lives. We do this in 3 ways: gentle chiropractic adjustments, neurofeedback therapy, and functional medicine based nutrition. If you’re concerned with memory loss for yourself or a loved one, we offer a no-cost, in-office neurofeedback evaluation with our highly trained doctor. Please contact us today or leave your contact information below and one of our friendly staff members will get back to you within 24 hours.