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Valeska Kouzak

University of Brasilia, Brazil

Title: The effects of neurofeedback training in patients with Parkinson disease

Abstract

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the second most common degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system. PD present motor and nonmotor symptoms such as rest tremor, bradykinesia, muscle stiffness, neuropsychiatric distress, anosmia and impairment in executive function and memory. The Neurofeedback (NFB) is a psychophysiological tool whose objective is to provide self-regulation of cerebral activity to individual, using to that, some instruments that offer cerebral information. The present study conducted an EEG NFB over the sensorimotor region to increment the Sensory Motor Rhythm- SMR (12-15hz), once that frequency band is related to motor regulation in hyperactive individuals and attentional improvement. There were 6 participants total (µ age 63.05±5.85, 2♀) distributed in three groups, Neurofeedback training (NF) with 2 participants, and Sham Neurofeedback training (SNF) with 2 participants and No-Neurofeedback training (NNF) with 2 participants. The experimental group complete 10 sessions of NFB, the sham group did a replay session 10 times and the no-NFB were in a waiting list. All subjects performed neuropsychological, emotional and motor screening before and after the NFB training with the objective to check possible motor changes after training. The results indicated that the NFB group had a statistical difference (p>0.05) in their motor symptoms, however there were no difference in cognitive and emotional screening. To conclude, this prospective study might shed light to new tools to improve quality of life in patients with PD.  

Biography

Valeska Kouzak is a clinical neuropsychologist at private practice and PHD research in neuroscience and Behavior at University of Brasília - Brazil. She completed her master degree in neuroscience and behavior at University of Brasília- Brazil. Specialist in human cognition and neuropsychology at University of Edinburgh, Scotland, Specialist in perinatal health and baby development at University of Brasília- Brazil. Major in Psychology at the University Center of Brasília- Brazil.