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Neurofeedback for Pain Management: A Systematic Review.
Rubén Roy1, Rocío de la Vega2, Mark P Jensen3
1Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Unit for the Study and Treatment of Pain-ALGOS, Department of Psychology, Research Center for Behavior Assessment (CRAMC), Tarragona, Spain.
Frontiers in Neuroscience
|August 9, 2020
Summary
Neurofeedback (NF) shows potential for chronic pain relief by targeting neurophysiological abnormalities. While studies suggest positive outcomes, more high-quality research is needed to determine the most effective NF protocols for pain management.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pain Management
- Biofeedback
Background:
- Chronic pain affects millions globally, with limited relief from conventional biomedical treatments.
- Neurophysiological abnormalities are linked to chronic pain, suggesting targeted interventions like neurofeedback (NF) may be beneficial.
- This review examines the efficacy of various NF types and protocols for managing chronic pain.
Approach:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major databases (PubMed, Embase, etc.) from inception to September 2019.
- Included studies utilized electroencephalogram- (EEG-) and functional magnetic resonance imaging- (fMRI-) based neurofeedback for pain conditions.
- The review analyzed 24 empirical studies focusing on NF's impact on pain intensity, frequency, and related outcomes.
Key Points:
- Most studies (79%) employed EEG-based NF, with diverse protocols aiming to modulate brain activity associated with pain.
- Research primarily focused on pain intensity, frequency, fatigue, sleep, and depression in adults with headaches and fibromyalgia.
- Included studies were generally of moderate quality, often lacking follow-up assessments.
Conclusions:
- Neurofeedback (NF) demonstrates potential for reducing pain and improving associated symptoms in chronic pain patients.
- Current evidence suggests NF is a promising approach, but definitive conclusions on optimal protocols are lacking.
- Higher-quality research is essential to establish reliable recommendations for NF in pain management.
