Accelerated Summer Treatment Program for ADHD and Autism, with remote treatment options for CA patients. To learn more,
click here >>Accelerated Summer Treatment Program for ADHD and Autism, with remote treatment options for CA patients. To learn more,
click here >>Brain scans are commonly used to evaluate neurological conditions and assess brain injuries. In recent years, they have also become important tools for assessing, and treating ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Brain scans are not used as the sole diagnostic tool, rather they provide valuable insights into brain function that can be used to plan treatment and monitor improvements in brain functioning.
Several types of brain scans are used in clinical settings. qEEG, fMRI and SPECT scans have all been used in research and assessing ADHD.
For more than 30 years, The Drake Institute has successfully used qEEG (Quantitative Electroencephalogram) scans for brain mapping. Brain mapping provides us with necessary information in evaluating patients for treatment of ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and other anxiety disorders.
In this article we compare fMRI scans and qEEG scans to help you better understand how they work and their applicability for treatment.
For more information or to schedule a free consultation, contact The Drake institute today at 800-700-4233 or fill out the consultation form.
A quantitative electroencephalography scan, or qEEG, is an advanced scan that analyzes and measures electrical activity in the brain and identifies patterns related to symptoms. The procedure for a qEEG scan is painless and noninvasive. During the scan, sensors are applied to the surface of the head and electrical brainwave activity is recorded under relaxed conditions.
qEEG data creates a visual map of the electrical brain activity, highlighting overactive or underactive areas, as compared to an FDA registered normative database. Clinicians can use these maps to link symptoms to dysregulated areas of the brain that can be improved through treatment.
qEEG scans also help measure functional connectivity between areas of the brain that are necessary for normal cognitive and emotional processing.
Patients with neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and anxiety disorders have different brain wave activity that deviates from normal in processing through the normative database.
By recording and monitoring electrical activity in the brain, clinicians can identify areas of dysfunction or dysregulation. For example, patients with ADHD frequently display higher levels of frontocentral theta activity while at rest, indicating “decreased cortical activity that may be associated with underarousal.”
By identifying areas of the brain with abnormal activity linked to symptoms, clinicians can create treatment protocols that increase the chances of improvement.
qEEG scans are painless and non-invasive. Much like how a cardiologist uses sensors on the chest to monitor heart activity, patients undergoing qEEG testing either wear a cap with sensors or have individual sensors placed directly on the scalp. Each sensor records brain activity in the specific area it’s placed.
During the scan, the patient's brainwave activity is recorded under resting conditions. The sensors, or electrodes, record brainwave activity which then undergoes a computerized analysis. The brainwave recordings are compared to an FDA-approved normative database of brainwave activity to identify any deviations from normal in terms of brainwave frequency and connectivity. Neurofeedback treatment protocols are then developed from the brain map information linked to symptoms.
No advanced preparation is required for qEEG scans, although we suggest getting a good night’s sleep the night before your scan, and avoiding caffeine, sugar, and nicotine. During qEEG scans the brain is not stimulated nor performing any task. qEEGs record brainwave activity just like thermometers record temperature. There is no intervention or treatment happening, and we’re not doing anything to brain functioning, we’re only recording its activity.
A functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan (fMRI) is a specialized form of MRI that uses the same machine, but for a different purpose. Standard MRIs capture images of the structure of the organ and are used for examining different areas of the body. In contrast, fMRIs look at blood flow and blood oxygenation utilization.
Data collected during fMRI scans will show increased blood flow in the brain regions with higher levels of activity. Clinicians can also see which areas of the brain are functioning during certain tasks and activities. An fMRI scan is used by neurosurgeons to identify critical areas of the brain, such as those involved in language and motor control so they can better avoid those areas during surgery.
Because it is expensive, and generally not widely used in clinical practice, fMRI is typically not used in diagnosing and treating ADHD. However, as mentioned, fMRI can be very helpful with planning neurosurgery. fMRI is also used in research applications to localize brain functions during specific tasks.
Patients with ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions typically have different brain activity patterns. Increased or decreased blood flow in different regions of the brain can also be identified.
ADHD studies conducted over the last twenty years provide important insights into the function of brains displaying symptoms of this condition. For example, “A meta-analysis of 21 whole-brain fMRI studies of cognitive and motor inhibition, including seven adult and 14 pediatric studies, showed that 287 ADHD patients relative to 320 healthy controls had consistently reduced activation in key regions of motor response inhibition.”
A typical fMRI scan of the brain takes about one hour. It is a noninvasive test, but on rare occasions, an injection of gadolinium (for contrast) may be recommended for better visibility. The machine is noisy, and the small space makes some patients feel claustrophobic, but there are few associated risks. A head coil, similar to a helmet, is worn to help produce clearer images, and the patient may wear sound-canceling headphones.
The MRI machine is a large tube-shaped magnet, so it is important that patients not have anything magnetic such as jewelry, hearing aids, hair accessories, or zippers. People with pacemakers, cochlear implants, stents, or other medical devices or implants should consult with the doctor.
During the fMRI brain scan, patients lie on a table inside the machine for imaging. Patients are recorded both at rest, and while completing a selection of tasks as directed by the clinician to capture changes in blood flow.
fMRI scans are generally reliable, but they are at a disadvantage in regard to costs and they are an indirect measurement of neuron activity, whereas the EEG is an instantaneous measurement in milliseconds. Furthermore, fMRI is measuring a secondary response to the neurons firing, which is a delayed measurement of brain activity, thus the qEEG is a superior imaging tool for neurofeedback applications.
qEEG is more widely utilized and much more cost effective in assessing neurodevelopmental conditions, providing clear and clinically valuable data. It is also more patient-friendly, requiring no confinement to machines, no injections, and no concern regarding metal or medical implants.
Although both fMRI and qEEG scans display visual representations of brain activity, qEEG is considered a more effective scan in clinical settings for treating neurodevelopmental disorders with neurofeedback.
Over the last 40 years, the Drake Institute has clinically pioneered the use of advanced treatment technologies to treat ADHD and other brain-based medical disorders. Using a combination of brain map-guided neurofeedback and sometimes neurostimulation, we develop customized treatment protocols to address each patient's needs.
Drugs are never administered during ADHD treatment at Drake and we do not perform invasive procedures. Instead, the patient improves their own brain function, guided by visual and auditory feedback.
Individualized treatment plans are developed by first completing a qEEG brain map analysis for each patient. This non-invasive test uses sensors placed on the scalp to identify specific regions or networks of the brain that are dysregulated and linked to symptoms.
During neurofeedback sessions, sensors are again placed on the scalp to record and display instantaneous brainwave activity in real-time. The activity is visually displayed on a computer screen with simultaneous auditory feedback.
During neurofeedback therapy, the patient can see how their brain is working and learn to improve their brainwave activity by guiding it toward healthier, more functional brainwave patterns.
As an adjunct to neurofeedback, we sometimes use neurostimulation guided by qEEG brain map findings to gently stimulate the brain into healthier functional patterns. It is our experience that some patients benefit even more from neurofeedback when combined with neurostimulation. We find this to be particularly helpful for lower-functioning children on the Autism Spectrum.
For the last forty years, the Drake Institute has helped thousands of patients with ADHD and other brain-based disorders such as autism, PTSD, anxiety, panic disorder, and depression. Our patients reduce or resolve their symptoms and achieve a better quality of life. Call us at 1-800-700-4233 or fill out the free consultation form to get more information or to schedule a free consultation.
If you or a family member need help, please fill out our confidential online form
Interview with Dr. David Velkoff
Seth's Story
Interview with Dr. David Velkoff
Spanish News Feature
“David F. Velkoff, M.D., our Medical Director and co-founder, supervises all evaluation procedures and treatment programs. He is recognized as a physician pioneer in using biofeedback, qEEG brain mapping, neurofeedback, and neuromodulation in the treatment of ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and stress related illnesses including anxiety, depression, insomnia, and high blood pressure. Dr. David Velkoff earned his Master’s degree in Psychology from the California State University at Los Angeles in 1975, and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta in 1976. This was followed by Dr. Velkoff completing his internship in Obstetrics and Gynecology with an elective in Neurology at the University of California Medical Center in Irvine. He then shifted his specialty to Neurophysical Medicine and received his initial training in biofeedback/neurofeedback in Neurophysical Medicine from the leading doctors in the world in biofeedback at the renown Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas. In 1980, he co-founded the Drake Institute of Neurophysical Medicine. Seeking to better understand the link between illness and the mind, Dr. Velkoff served as the clinical director of an international research study on psychoneuroimmunology with the UCLA School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Pasteur Institute in Paris. This was a follow-up study to an earlier clinical collaborative effort with UCLA School of Medicine demonstrating how the Drake Institute's stress treatment resulted in improved immune functioning of natural killer cell activity. Dr. Velkoff served as one of the founding associate editors of the scientific publication, Journal of Neurotherapy. He has been an invited guest lecturer at Los Angeles Children's Hospital, UCLA, Cedars Sinai Medical Center-Thalians Mental Health Center, St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, and CHADD. He has been a medical consultant in Neurophysical Medicine to CNN, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, Univision, and PBS.”
