By Martin Brink, Board-Certified in Neurotherapy and QEEG:
Many of our clients with Depression are frustrated by the feeling that medication had been prescribed as a “slap-on band-aid” that ignores the underlying physiological causes of their low mood and fatigue.
So, the question remains ‘What is a better therapy for Depression?’ Apart from never-ending prescription drugs with risks and adverse side effects or counselling sessions, is there something else? A drug-free therapy that can do more than temporarily manage symptoms?
In order to look for a reasonable answer, it’s a good idea to examine the function of the affected organ: The Brain.
Real client’s LoRETA loop: Red = faulty, excessive activity
Based in Neuroscience, QEEG Brain Mapping can identify the dysfunctional patterns of Depression in Brain activity, and Neurotherapy offers a drug-free pathway to real and lasting change; because Depression is — without a doubt — a Functional Brain Disorder.
But what exactly does that mean?
All our Abilities, Behaviours and Experiences arise from the electrical activity in our Brains.
Electroencephalography (EEG) records electrical Brain activity from the scalp with very little fuss:
Quantitative EEG (QEEG) analyses the Brain’s electrical activity: Green = normal levels.
If our Brain’s electrical activity is out of order, it affects our Abilities, Behaviours and Experiences.
When Brain activity isn’t normal, it shows up in the EEG. See for yourself (psychiatric client):
QEEG maps: Yellow = a bit too much, Orange = clearly too much, Red = crazy too much activity.
Depression is not just “low mood” and certainly NOT a “chemical imbalance”. Instead, research with EEG and QEEG has revealed multiple distinctive patterns of abnormal Brain activity, in people suffering from Depression.
Understanding these electro-physiological signatures is crucial for targeted Neurotherapy with Neurofeedback to help restore normal Brain function by addressing the physiological root cause of the symptoms that lead to the diagnosis.
Below you’ll see some of the abnormal patterns that are consistent with Depression, according to research and clinical experience.
Frontal Alpha Asymmetry
Simply put: The left front of the Brain is for “positivity” (approach behaviours); the right front is for “negativity” (avoidance behaviours).
In Depression, one very well-established finding in QEEG-research and clinical assessments is an excess of “lazy” Alpha brainwaves in the left front — compared to the right front of the Brain. This pattern is linked to reduced drive, low initiative, a lack of joy and emotional withdrawal.
Right frontal Dominance
Elevated fast-wave activity (Beta/HiBeta) indicates “hyperactivity”. Therefore, if the “negative” right front of the Brain is plagued by excess Beta/HiBeta power, the likely consequences are worrying, rumination, self-criticism and/or an overall grumpiness; not a pleasant state of Mind.
Slower Alpha Speed
Depressed clients often show a slower Alpha Peak Frequency, meaning their Brain’s resting rhythm is slower than normal. The Brain’s default pace is sluggish. This slower alpha rhythm can correspond to symptoms like slowed thinking, low energy and cognitive fog, as the brain isn’t humming along at its normal speed. Unsurprisingly, this pattern can also be found in Post-Concussion Syndrome.
Stuck Network Connections
Clients with Depression often show Hypercoherence (= rigidity) in the Beta and Theta bands, particularly within the Default Mode Network (= self-focussed thinking). Clinically, this “locked” Brain state reflects feeling stuck, difficulty shifting attention, and persistent negative internal voices. Such a pattern is also not uncommon in Complex PTSD and Adult ADHD.
Depression Treatment Neurofeedback - Selected Scientific References
