Biofeedback and Locked In Syndrome
-- in ALS ( Amyotrphic Lateral Sclerosis ) or Lou Gherig's Disease
Over the year's we've been repeatedly contacted by
friends and family members of people in various stages of ALS. They are
seeking the help of biofeedback to stay connected with their loved ones as
the muscles stop working.
There have been a number of studies and reports, using
different approaches to biofeedback or applied psychophysiology to enable
'locked in' patients to communicate. The basic idea is that physiological
sensors can detect changes in physiology that the patient voluntarily and
intentionally makes-- as means of communicating, just as giving a thumb up
or down is a signal. The articles and links below are provided as a service
to help pull together some of the information. We also have a
DVD of a workshop
presented on the use of brain biofeedback to address this problem, presented
by Niels Birbaumer, to our knowledge, the inventor of this approach.
Futurehealth does offer biofeedback technology for
sale. We make no promises that these technologies will enable you and your
loved ones to communicate. Some people have purchased this equipment in an
effort to try, to experiment with the technology. Please be clear that this
is an expensive, unproven approach, though there is some research.
One thing is clear, the early a patient gets started
with this, before the 'locked in' situation is reached, the better the
potential results.
Oddball
Science Helps "Locked In" People Communicate
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