Is theta/beta Neurofeedback effective for gambling disorder treatment? Insights from a case report

Several studies showed the effectiveness of theta/beta Neurofeedback (NF) training (i.e., decrease theta power and simultaneously increase beta power) in treating different psychiatric conditions characterized by impaired cognitive control. However, investigations concerning Gambling Disorder (GD) have not yet been conducted. Thus, the main aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of 11 theta/beta NF sessions in the treatment of a patient with GD. A psychological and neuropsychological assessment was performed before and after NF. A general improvement in symptoms severity (i.e., general psychopathology, dissociative symptoms, and impulsivity) as well as in cognitive performance (i.e., executive functioning) was observed after NF. Moreover, a decrease of theta/beta ratio (i.e., a marker of executive control and cognitive processing capacity) was mainly detected in the mid-frontal cortex at the end of NF training. Taken together our results provide preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of theta/beta NF in enhancing top-down cognitive control in patients with GD.