Download - eeg and sexual abuse

Transcript
Page 1: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --1

CHAPTER FOUR

Brain Function Assessment and Neurotherapy for Sexual Abuse

David A Kaiser, Ph.D., & Andrea Meckley, MA

Introduction

Childhood makes us who we are. Our childhood is longer than any species on Earth

with decades of unparalleled vulnerability. Our vulnerability stems from our large

brain, the most expensive organ in nature, which takes years to mature and many more

years to work effectively. Our brain is expensive because it comprises a few percent of

our body while consuming a disproportionate amount of energy for its size and it takes

years of familial and community sacrifice and support before we have any return on

our investment, three or four decades before it can produce more energy than it

consumes, and all the while it is susceptible to toxins, predation, and environmental

hazards which may limit our ability to learn and function.

When the flow of learning is slowed – through abuse, fear, neglect – the consequence is

devastating. As Harlow (1963) observed, "Learning to love, like learning to walk or talk,

can't be put off too long without crippling effects.” Love and play are the key

ingredients of cerebral growth, and loss of love slows us down considerably. Love is not

a property of the cosmos but of our own dimensions, the mammalian response to the

forces of nature. Our brain is a great experiment in complexity and freedom, developing

new circuitry and cells every day of our life, an ongoing attempt to displace the

amorality of physics and nature with human and divine principles of communication

and preservation. Abuse stands in opposition to this process – and as healers and

educators our efforts are to restore the flow of learning.

Abuse scars the brain, which inclues loss of neurons, myelin, and capillaries, as well as

overactive, underactive, or unpredictable brain function (Shin et al., 1999; Chugani et

al., 2001). Childhood sexual abuse damages the limbic system in particular, which is

critical to attachment, affiliation, sexual and social behaviors, as well as attention and

learning. It impairs our stress response, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, or

limbic-HPA axis (De Bellis et al., 1994) and can shift us from cultural categorical-based

representations and thought processes to ancient atavistic function based on fears,

impulses, and unshared associations (Teicher, Glod, Surrey, & Swett, 1993; Teicher,

2000; Bremner, 2003; Andersen et al, 2008; Ito, Teicher, Glod, & Ackerman, 1998).

Abused children often exhibit elevated synchronization of the left hemisphere,

indicating a smaller range of available responses to challenges (Cook, Ciorciari, Varker,

& Devily, 2009). Excessive left-brain synchronization indicates a loss of functional

Page 2: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --2

differentiation and explains why children with histories of abuse commonly struggle at

school, unable to incorporate the range of abilities needed for academic success (Cosden

& Cortez-Ison, 1999). It also makes children and adults vulnerable to paranoia and

psychotic ideation when overaroused, locked into a limited set of primitive, egocentric

beliefs and responses (Young, Hartford, Kinder, & Savell, 2007).

In addition to abnormal mental processing, sexual violation and molestation produces a

range of compensatory behaviors. Some who experience sexual victimization act out,

others withdraw, and others create dangerous and harmful habits to test the boundaries

of safety (Schulenberg & Soundy, 2000). All of these unhealthy responses are associated

with abnormal brainwaves (Solomon, Jasper, & Braley, 1937; Fairchild, et al., 2011). The

brainwaves of children with impulsivity, aggression and anti-social traits resemble

those with seizure disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other pathologies. For instance,

children with severe attention problems present abnormal brainwave patterns at three

times the rate of healthy children (Capute, Niedermeyer, & Richardson, 1968, Millichap,

Millichap, & Stack, 2011), as do their parents and siblings (Kennard, 1949; Hale et al.,

2010). Compensatory mechanisms are woven throughout our brain activity and high-

functioning adults with a history of sexual abuse show different patterns of connectivity

compared to those with worse outcomes (Black, Hudspeth, Townsend, & Bodenhamer-

Davis, 2008). EEG abnormalities are a complex mixture of pathology and

compensation, which is why an expert is needed to interpret the signal (Nuwer, 1988;

Kaiser & Meckley, in press).

The Electroencephalogram

Neurons communicate with each other by means of electromagnetic fields/charged

particles. We measure the electromagnetic waves generated by the cortex (neo-, meso-

and archicortex) when they pass out of the skull with sensors on the scalp. Each sensor

detects neuroelectromagnetism associated with a billion cortical neurons, and this

signal is smeared and distorted by the insulating layers (skin, skull, dura, blood, spinal

fluid, pia) between the generating brains cells (neurons, glia) and each sensor. Positive

and negative potentials cancel each other out and what remains is a fraction of the total

activity generated by the cortex in its internal communications, but this fraction

provides a wealth of information and allows us to eavesdrop on the workings within in

real-time and with relative success (see Figure 1).

Electroencephalography (EEG) has been a basic tool of medicine for nearly a century,

with more than 120,000 peer-reviewed publications and five million online publications

and documentations. Our brainwave activity contains a myriad of telltale signs,

indicators of arousal, attention, pain, perception, as well as stages of sleep and

signatures of disease, trauma, and disorder (Berger, 1929; Hughes & John, 1999). Science

Page 3: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --3

has shown for 75 years that abnormalities existed in the EEG of children with

behavioral disorders (Solomon, Jasper, & Braley, 1937). However, detection did not lend

itself to a direct treatment until the invention of personal computers and powerful

algorithms permitted real-time EEG operant conditioning and other forms of

neurotherapy (Cooley & Tukey, 1965; Sterman & Friar, 1972). With frequency analysis

and inferential statistics, we evaluate functional and structural integrity of cortical areas

based on Brodmann histological divisions contributing to the EEG, and with statistical

confidence (Sterman & Kaiser, 1999). Shared activity between brain areas is particularly

revealing as it provides indicators of functional as well as structural disconnections,

which are common to epilepsy, anxiety, autism, learning disabilities, and brain injury

(Eluvathingal et al., 2006). In developmental trauma and abuse, for instance, we often

find reduced coordination or functional connectivity of the posterior cingulate cortices

(PCC) with adjacent areas (Kaiser, 2009) and a goal of neurotherapy in such cases is to

reconnect the PCC to posterior cortices as well as the anterior cingulate and to improve

relaxing or self-calming abilities of the child or adult (Meckley, Hamlin, & Kaiser, 2011).

Figure 1. Six seconds of EEG data recorded minutes apart from the same young child at

19 electrodes.

EEG Abnormalities in Abuse

The impact of deprivation, abuse, and neglect on a child’s brain development is

profound and readily observed in his or her brainwave activity. Three-quarters of

Page 4: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --4

children who suffer incest exhibit excessive slowing, paroxysms, epileptic seizures, or

other abnormal brainwaves (Davies, 1979). Children with a history of abuse are three

times more likely to exhibit EEG abnormalities than other children (Ito, et al., 1993).

Our experience with children of neglect and abuse in a private psychiatric practice

confirms these estimates. Of the last 100 children with histories of abuse or neglect

referred to our clinic (Center for the Advancement of Human Potential) between the

ages 6 and 17, 50% presented with EEG abnormalities that could be visually identified.

These abnormalities included paroxysms (10%), which are bursts of activity that have

an abrupt start and stop, and are greater than the background activity. Localized

slowing, slower frequency activity that is isolated to a region, accounted for 16% of the

abnormalities and as noted in other abused populations (Ito, et al., 1993), the majority of

these abnormalities resided in the left temporal and frontal regions. Diffuse slowing,

where slower frequency activity is found to be distributed throughout the brain, was

observed in 20% and a dominant frequency that was considered to be slower than

typical for the child’s age was found in 28% (see Figure 2). A slow dominant frequency

in this population may be an indication of a maturational lag as a result of early neglect

and abuse and possibly why many of these children appear younger than their

chronological age in terms of cognitive and behavioral styles. The greatest number of

EEG abnormalities in this sample is due to epileptiform activity (38%). Epileptiform

activity includes spikes, sharp waves, and spike-wave complexes and is generally

regarded as the hallmark feature in epilepsy. However, it has been observed that

epileptiform activity also frequently occurs in psychiatric and behavioral disorders. In

this population this pattern is viewed as subclinical, indicating an underlying

dysregulation without a vulnerability to seizures (Shelley, Trimble, & Boutros, 2008).

Although few of these children have experienced seizures, nor are they likely to in the

future, it is considered an important feature as these subclinical epileptiform discharges

have been associated with transitory cognitive impairment (Binnie et al,, 2003). These

discharges can result in brief disruptions in cognitive functioning having a negative

impact on reaction time, short-term memory, and school performance (Trenite, 1995)

and a likely contributing factor to their behavioral and cognitive challenges.

Page 5: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --5

Figure 2. Example of paroxysmal EEG, a sudden burst of slow activity against a normal

background mixture of rhythms (left), and local slowing in right posterior sites (right).

Nearly all psychiatric and neurological disorders exhibit abnormal patterns of

brainwave activity (Hughes & John, 1999). This is the premise and payoff of

neurotherapy. We reduce abnormal patterns of neuroelectrical communication and

reward more normal ones using operant conditioning, magnetic or sensory

entrainment, and other forms of therapy and educational practices including talk and

behavioral techniques. With EEG operant conditioning, individuals learn healthier

brain rhythms through reward-based training: whenever a healthy brainwave pattern

occurs, we reward the individual with video game-play or positive sounds such as bells

or chimes, but when unhealthy brainwave activity occurs, game-play and sounds cease.

In this manner bad brain habits are extinguished and good behaviors promoted

through basic Skinnerian learning techniques, with the wrinkle being that these

behaviors are inside the skull, imperceptible without electrical amplification (Ferster &

Skinner, 1957; Sterman, 1996). This transformation of the invisible to the visible allows

anyone to watch his or her brain behave at a fundamental level. Typical brain habits

targeted by neurotherapy for extinction include frontal lobe slowing, temporal bursts, a

slow or absent posterior dominant rhythm (PDR), and excessive fast frequencies. By

exercising healthy brainwaves and not rewarding undesirable ones, with time healthy

rhythms accumulate until they become prominent in an individual’s brain-behavior

repertoire. Neurotherapy exercises the brain towards healthy, normative goals, which is

Page 6: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --6

why it is known as physical therapy for the brain, or computerized meditation, guided

mindfulness, and various other labels across our discipline.

Normative EEG and Neurotherapy for Sexual Abuse

We evaluated eight childhood sexual abuse cases and found functional disconnection of

bilateral anterior cingulate cortices in all cases (BA 24) and disconnection of primary

auditory cortex in most individuals (see Figure 3). Of the three rape-murderers we

evaluated, all showed disconnection of the left auditory cortex and two showed

bilateral cingulate activity indicative of immaturity hyper unity (see Figure 4).

Furthermore, all three showed disconnection of BA 9 (2 right, 1 left sided), an area

involved in empathy and emotional self-regulation (Farrow et al., 2001; Levesque et al.,

2004).

Page 7: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --7

Figure 3. Statistical evaluation of shared EEG activity among brain regions revealed a

functional disconnection of the left auditory cortex (labeled “Aud”) and dysfunction of

bilateral cingulate and occipital cortices in a childhood sexual-abuse victim (SA). The

cingulate is involved in monitoring, adjustment, and updating mechanisms by which

we learn the value of actions (Ridderinkhof, van der Wildenberg, Segalowitz, & Carter,

2004; Rushworth and Behrens, 2008).

Figure 4. Statistical evaluation of shared EEG activity among brain regions revealed a

functional disconnection of the left auditory cortex (“Aud”) and dysfunction of bilateral

cingulate and occipital cortices in a sexual offense perpetrator (SP).

Page 8: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --8

The following two case studies illustrate how EEG analysis and normative comparisons

provide a thorough understanding of brain functioning beyond any diagnostic label,

how this information can be used to guide neurotherapy, and the impact neurotherapy

had on abnormal patterns of neuroelectrical activity and self-regulation.

Case 1: TC

TC had a very chaotic start to life. His mother was involved with prostitution and abused

substances and his father has never been present in his life. Little is known about his

birth history but by 3 months of age he began having seizures and these continued until

the age of 7. As an infant and toddler he was noted to just sit and stare. During his

childhood he was also the victim of violent sexual abuse by two male family members

and at the age of seven his mother was murdered. Around eleven years of age TC began

experiencing “blackouts” and by the time he was referred to our clinic at the age of 15

these were becoming quite significant. He typically experienced several blackouts per

day that would last anywhere from a few minutes to hours. They were having a

significant impact on his life and for the past several years he was only attending school

for 4 hours a day. Over the years, he had been assessed by numerous medical

professionals and had received numerous forms of outpatient and intensive in-home

therapies yet his functioning was not improving. TC had been given several diagnoses

including: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Fetal Alcohol

Syndrome, Depression with Psychosis, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, NOS,

and Psychotic Disorder, NOS. And unfortunately each diagnosis resulted in a different

medication. When we began seeing TC he was taking Adderall, Lexapro, Seroquel,

Topomax, Abilify, and Benztopine.

Given TC’s complicated history it was important for us to evaluate his EEG clinically and

quantitatively prior to beginning Neurotherapy and as a result several significant features

were observed. First, his EEG was found to be dominated by very slow frequency

activity and judged by a neurologist to be clinically abnormal due to “…prominent

diffuse persistent theta slowing with intermixed delta.” Additionally, his dominant

frequency was found to be at 5-7 Hz. This is considerably slower than would be expected

for a 15 year-old. In a typically developing, healthy child the dominant frequency should

be approaching 10 Hz by this age (Petersén & Eeg-Olofsson, 1971). When compared to the

normative database a pattern of elevated slow frequency activity was also observed. Due

to the lower voltage nature of the record, this was found to be more accurately identified

in relative measures where a significant increase in 2-8 Hz and decreased activity in the 9-

12 Hz range with eyes closed, as well as the beta frequencies with eyes open, was noted.

It should be mentioned that this pattern of elevated slow frequency activity was likely

influenced by medication effect as several of the medications he was taking at the time

are known to result in slowing of the EEG. Numerous disruptions in connectivity were

Page 9: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --9

also identified. One pattern of particular interest was asymmetries in the theta

frequencies between the right posterior cingulate and other posterior Brodmann regions,

indicating a functional disconnect between these regions. Other imaging techniques have

indentified abnormalities in the right posterior cingulate in individuals who have

experienced psychological trauma (Lanius et al., 2004; Bluhm et al., 2011), and given TC’s

history this was viewed as an important feature. Additionally, a mild hypocoherence in

the alpha frequencies was found between Brodmann regions in the left and right

hemispheres suggesting a decrease in the strength and number of connections between

the associated regions.

Based on these findings, his history of seizures, and his current episodes of blacking out

neurotherapy began by rewarding SMR activity (12-15 Hz) over the sensory-motor strip

(C4 and C3-C4) while inhibiting the slow frequency activity (2-7 Hz). Once some degree

of stabilization had occurred and his black outs began to decrease other protocols were

introduced including rewarding 9-11 Hz activity at Pz and 4 channel z-score training. TC

completed a total of 106 training sessions in the course of 16 months. He continued to

participate in psychotherapy and as his blacks out began to decrease his medications

were slowly reduced. At the time of the second evaluation he was taking Seroquel,

Lamictal, and Abilify with the goal of gradually reducing these as well.

A follow up quantitative EEG evaluation revealed significant changes in neuroelectrical

activity and communication (see Figures 3-6). The slower frequency activity that once

dominated the background of his EEG was found to have decreased. This was visually

identifiable in the EEG as well as through quantitative analysis. An increase in the speed

of his dominant frequency was also noted and now found to be in the 7-9 Hz range and

more rhythmic sinusoidal activity was visible in the EEG tracing. Although there

continues to be greater slow frequency activity than typical for someone his age and the

dominant frequency is still slow, these changes indicate significant maturation of the

central nervous system. Patterns of connectivity were also found to be changing with

improved functional connectivity with the right posterior cingulate and normalization of

the hypocoherence of the alpha frequencies. These changes in connectivity are found to

be of particular interest as evidence suggests childhood trauma may result in enduring

changes in neuronal connectivity impacting victims into adulthood (Cook et. al, 2009).

Cognitive testing also demonstrated an improvement in TC’s cognitive functioning with

a 17 point increase in his full scale IQ as measured by the WISC-IV. Despite this increase

his IQ still remains in the extremely low range at 65: however, as his blackouts

substantially decreased he began attending school for a full day during the past academic

year. It is hoped that as he is better able to take part in the academic environment his

cognitive functioning will continue to improve.

Page 10: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --10

As a result of adding neurotherapy to TC’s treatment program he made fairly substantial

changes in a somewhat short period of time, but nevertheless he still has a long road

ahead of him to overcome the impact created by early neglect and abuse. The question

that still lingers is what if Neurotherapy was more widely accepted and available and TC

(and other children like him) had access to this modality at a much younger age?

Figure 5. Representative samples of EEG voltages recorded from 19 scalp electrodes for

10 seconds using conventional electrode positions. EEG signals are organized front to

back, left to right, so that the foremost left anterior site (FP1) is on top and the most

posterior site on the right side is the last channel (O2). Slow rhythms dominate this pre-

training recording (top chart) but were largely extinguished with training (bottom chart).

Page 11: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --11

Figure 6. Nine frequencies of a single Hz interval (e.g., 5-6 Hz) are shown for 19 electrode

sites ranging from 5 to 13 Hz. The amount of spectral magnitude is shown with color,

with oranges and reds indicating high values (12 microvolts) and blue low values (0

microvolts). Magnitudes are displayed from the perspective of looking down on a head,

with the nose in front and the ears to either side -- a triangle and half circles, respectively.

Prior to neurotherapy, TC exhibits a posterior dominant rhythm (PDR) from 5-8 Hz,

which is evidence of cortical immaturity. After training TC exhibits a faster PDF of 7-9

Hz, which is closer to the typical adult PDR.

Page 12: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --12

Figure 7. Spectral entropy (relative activity) is shown for 39 integer frequencies (1-2 Hz,

2-3 Hz, to 39-40 Hz) for 19 electrode sites as in Figure X. Prior to neurotherapy, TC

exhibits excessive low frequency at all or most electrode sites with diminished middle

frequencies. A training TC exhibits significantly less slow activity, especially 2-4 Hz, and

more normalization middle frequencies with room for further normalization.

Page 13: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --13

Figure 8. Shared activity in alpha coherence is shown statistically for 19 brain regions

using an inverse solution known as the Brodmann montage. Each circle represents an

area’s alpha coherence value to all other areas presented statistically in relation to healthy

norms. Prior to neurotherapy, TC exhibits hypo coherence of medial regions in the alpha

band, as evidenced by blue shading in the center two columns of head. Deep blue

shading indicates 2 or more standard deviations below the mean on this measure of

shared phase information between brain areas. After training TC shows normalization of

Page 14: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --14

coherence for all regions but right occipital cortex.

Case 2: AH

AH also experienced a very chaotic start to life. Her birth mother was only a teenager

and in foster care when she became pregnant. It is suspected she abused drugs and

alcohol while pregnant, but the extent of her use was unknown. She was removed from

her mother’s care at an early age due to severe neglect, and placed into foster care.

Unfortunately, these settings were less than ideal as she experienced physical and sexual

abuse until the age of 9 when she was placed in a children’s group home. AH was

adopted and had been in a much more stable environment for about a year and a half

when she was referred to our clinic at the age of 11. Her adoptive mother reported noting

considerable improvement in her behavior in the time AH had been in her care, yet she

still struggled with regulating her emotions. She could become physically aggressive at

times, was impulsive in her actions, and had great difficulty relating to her peers and

making friends. The primary complaint, and what was considered to underlie these

behaviors, was significant and pervasive anxiety with extreme hyper vigilance. AH

reportedly would bolt upright in bed if her bedroom door was opened to check on her

after she had fallen asleep and enuresis was still an almost nightly occurrence.

The initial quantitative analysis of her EEG revealed several important features.

Dysregulation was noted in the parietal regions with elevated activity in the 9-13 Hz

range as well as in the beta and gamma frequencies. The parietal regions are important

for sensory integration, bodily awareness and aspects of attention. Significant

asymmetries were also noted with the right auditory cortex in the theta frequencies. We

have hypothesized that this pattern may have developed in response to her early abusive

environment. The right hemisphere is much more adapt at processing the emotional

content to language (tone, infection, sarcasm) and very often this emotional content

conveys more meaning than the actual words themselves. Differences in functional

connectivity with this region may have been an adaptive mechanism as paying attention

to these subtleties of communication may have allowed her to avoid abusive situations.

Based on these findings, and the primary complaint of anxiety and hypervigilance, we

began Neurotherapy by training in the right posterior region using a bipolar placement

(T4-P4 rewarding 5-7 Hz and inhibiting 9-11 Hz and 22-36 Hz). Our clinical experience

(also known as trial and error learning) has been that training in the right posterior

quadrant helps to calm and stabilize the individual. Once her anxiety and hypervigilance

began to decrease, we incorporated other training protocols including SMR enhancement

along the motor strip (C3-C4) and four-channel z-score training. All combined AH

completed 56 training sessions over 14 months. A follow up quantitative EEG evaluation

revealed significant improvement in regulation of the posterior regions with more

normalized patterns of activation. However, relative comparisons continued to show an

Page 15: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --15

imbalance in the distribution of activity with excessive 9-11 Hz particularly in the left

frontotemporal regions and generalized decreases in 5-7 Hz activity. Although her

anxiety level and hyper vigilance had significantly decreased during this time she still

struggled with mood regulation, anxiety, and memory issues. Therefore, we felt

continued training to address the regulation in the temporal regions would be beneficial

as excess 9-11 Hz activity in the temporal region could be contributing to these issues.

Interestingly, the theta asymmetries with the auditory cortex were found to be more

statistically significant than prior to training. This illustrates an important issue in

quantitative analysis. Often in the course of Neurotherapy, particularly in measures of

connectivity, greater deviations from the norm will occur. This may be the result of

reorganization that will normalize with more training, or the changes could be a

compensatory mechanism. Statistical deviations must always be viewed in light of an

individual’s symptoms and complaints. In this particular case, given the significant

behavioral changes that were being reported, we did not view this as a negative finding

but felt it may be related to the other dysregulation noted in the temporal regions and

may improve with continued training. AH completed another 18 training sessions using

a bipolar (T3-T4) placement rewarding 5-7 Hz activity while inhibiting 9-11 Hz and 22-36

Hz. This training showed very specific frequency effects with a generalized

normalization of the 5-7 Hz activity as well as decreased asymmetries of the theta

frequencies with the auditory cortex (see Figure 7-8). More importantly her anxiety was

found to decrease even further and her mood improved. Aspects of her memory were

also found to be improving and this was very beneficial for her academically. She was

able to pass her end of grade tests without having to retake any portions, a significant

accomplishment for her. AH also began therapy to specifically address issues related to

the sexual abuse, something she had not been able to do previously due to her anxiety

level.

Page 16: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --16

Figure 9. Relative spectral magnitude (spectral entropy) is shown in 2- Hz bands from 1-

41 Hz for all 19 sites. Prior to neurotherapy, AH exhibits deficient theta (5-7 Hz) and

excessive gamma (37-39 Hz) activity at nearly all sites. After training, her rhythms have

largely normalized.

Page 17: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --17

Figure 10. Prior to neurotherapy, AH exhibits a functional disconnection of the right

auditory cortex, which is partly normalized with training. Theta unity is a measure of

similar or dissimilar desynchronization between brain areas across time.

Page 18: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --18

Many questions remain as how best to apply neurotherapy in this very difficult

population. These two cases highlight how neurotherapy can address brain

dysregulation associated with abuse. Although a powerful and promising modality, by

itself neurotherapy cannot completely undo the impact caused by neglect and abuse.

Sexual abuse is often wrapped in a milieu of prenatal drug exposure, neglect, and

physical abuse which often delays or hinders brain development. It does not magically

undo the past nor is it a quick fix. Decreased arousal and improved behavior do not

happen overnight. Neurotherapy is more akin to physical exercise than it is to

treatment, as exercise strengthens muscles by repeated practice so we routinize

healthier brain patterns with repeated practice. A strength of this technique is how we

transcend words and consciousness and provide a way to interact directly with the

brain through its communication and metabolic patterns, allowing us to circumvent

defenses that consciousness-based therapies constantly face in this population.

Our experience has been that by improving brain organization and self-regulation along

with decreasing arousal these individuals are more capable in participating in and

benefiting from traditional forms of therapy. As illustrated with TC, therapy was

challenging as broaching emotional topics often caused him to black out. Once he

gained greater central nervous system stability he was less likely to fade and better able

to handle emotional topics. The same is true for AH who prior to neurotherapy could

not address the memories of sexual abuse due to her hyper vigilance and arousal. She

needed to feel safe before she could explore and integrate her past.

Metaphorically, a normative EEG evaluates the village we call our brain and determines

where the village is missing elders, or overpopulated by them and unable to change,

where the parents and children are working together and where they are not, where the

individual is alone and where they are surrounded by the past. Using real-time EEG

operant conditioning as well as other forms of neuromodulation, counseling, and other

therapies, we attempt to restore or re-establish the village, improve healthy behaviors

physiologically and in so doing provide the framework for healthy thoughts and

behavioral habits and restore the flow of learning.

Further descriptions of neurotherapy and normative EEG are provided at:

http://sababrainanalysis.org/ScientificPrinciples.htm

References

Andersen S.L., Tomada A., Vincow E.S., Valente E., Polcari A., & Teicher M.H. (2008).

Preliminary evidence for sensitive periods in the effect of childhood sexual abuse

on regional brain development. Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical

Page 19: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --19

Neuroscience, 20, 292-301.

Berger, H. (1929). On the electroencephalogram of man. Journal fur Psychologie und

Neurologie, 40, 160-179.

Binnie, C., Cooper, R., Mauguièr, F., Osselton, J.W., Prior, P.F., & Tedman, B.M. (2003).

Clinical Neurophysiology, Vol. 2: EEG, Paediatric Neurophysiology, Special Techniques

and Applications. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Black, L.M., Hudspeth, W.J., Townsend, A.L., & Bodenhamer-Davis, E. (2008). EEG

connectivity patterns in childhood sexual abuse: A multivariate application

considering curvature of brain space. Journal of Neurotherapy, 12, 141-160.

Bluhm, R.L., Frewen, P.A., Coupland, N.C., Densmore ,M., Schore, A.N., & Lanius, R.A.

(2011). Neural correlates of self-reflection in post-traumatic stress disorder. Acta

Psychiatric Scandinavia, Oct 18.

Bremner, J.D. (2003). Long-term effects of childhood abuse on brain and neurobiology.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 12, 271-292.

Capute, A.J., Niedermeyer, E., & Richardson, F. (1968). The electroencephalogram in

children with minimal cerebral dysfunction. Pediatrics, 41, 1104-1114.

Chugani, H.T., Behen, M.E., Muzik, O., Juhász, C., Nagy, F., & Chugani, D.C. (2001).

Local brain functional activity following early deprivation: A study of

postinstitutionalized Romanian orphans. Neuroimage, 14, 1290-1301.

Cook, F., Ciorciari, J., Varker, T., & Devilly, G.J. (2009). Changes in long term neural

connectivity following psychological trauma. Clinical Neurophysiology, 120, 309-

314.

Cooley, J.W., & Tukey, J.W. (1965). An algorithm for the machine calculation of complex

fourier series. Mathematics of Computation, 19, 297-301.

Cosden, M., & Cortez-Ison, E. (1999). Sexual abuse, parental bonding, social support,

and program retention for women in substance abuse treatment. Journal of

Substance Abuse Treatment, 16, 149-155.

Davies, R.K. (1979). Incest and vulnerable children. Science News, 116, 244-245.

Page 20: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --20

De Bellis, M.D., Chrousos, G.P., Dorn, L.D., Burke, L., Helmers, K., Kling, M.A.,

Trickett, P.K., & Putnam, F.W. (1994). Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis

dysregulation in sexually abused girls. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology

Metabolism, 78, 249-255.

Eluvathingal TJ, Chugani HT, Behen ME, Juhász C, Muzik O, Maqbool M, Chugani DC,

& Makki M. (2006). Abnormal brain connectivity in children after early severe

socioemotional deprivation: a diffusion tensor imaging study. Pediatrics, 117,

2093-2100.

Fairchild, G., Passamonti, L., Hurford, G., Hagan, C.C., von dem Hagen, E.A., van

Goozen, S.H., Goodyer, I.M., & Calder, A.J. (2011). Brain structure

abnormalities in early-onset and adolescent-onset conduct disorder. American

Journal of Psychiatry, 168, 624-633.

Farrow, T.F., Zheng, Y., Wilkinson, I.D., Spence, S.A., Deakin, J.F., Tarrier, N., Griffiths,

P.D., & Woodruff, P.W. (2001). Investigating the functional anatomy of

empathy and forgiveness. Neuroreport, 12, 2433-2438.

Ferster, C.B., & Skinner, B.F. (1957). Schedules of Reinforcement. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:

Prentice-Hall.

Hale, T.S., Smalley, S.L., Dang, J., Hanada, G., Macion, J., McCracken, J.T., McGough,

J.J., & Loo, S.K. (2010). ADHD familial loading and abnormal EEG alpha

asymmetry in children with ADHD. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 44, 605-615.

Harlow, H. (1963). The Spokesman-Review, Mar 2, 5.

Hughes, J.R., & John, E.R. (1999). Conventional and quantitative

electroencephalography in psychiatry. Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical

Neuroscience, 11, 190-208.

Ito, Y., Teicher, M.H., Glod, C.A., Harper, D., Magnus, E., & Gelbard, H.A. (1993).

Increased prevalence of electrophysiological abnormalities in children with

psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. Neuropsychiatry and Clinical

Neuroscience, 5, 401-408.

Ito Y, Teicher MH, Glod CA, & Ackerman E (1998). Preliminary evidence for aberrant

cortical development in abused children: a quantitative EEG study. Journal of

Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences,10, 298–307.

Page 21: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --21

Kaiser, D.A. (2009). Therapist-guided neuroplasticity. Presented at 20th Trauma Center,

Jun 4, Boston, MA.

Kaiser, D.A., & Meckley, A. (in press). An introduction to neurotherapy. In L. L'Abate

and D.A. Kaiser (eds), Handbook of Technology in Psychology, Psychiatry, and

Neurology: Theory, Research, and Practice. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science

Publishers.

Kennard, M.A. (1949). Inheritance of electroencephalogram patterns in children with

behavior disorders. Psychosomatic Medicine, 11, 151-157.

Lanius, R.A., Williamson, P.C., Densmore, M., Boksman, K., Neufeld, R.W., Gati, J.S., &

Menon, R.S. (2004). The nature of traumatic memories: A 4-T FMRI functional

connectivity analysis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161, 36-44.

Lévesque, J., Joanette, Y., Mensour, B., Beaudoin, G., Leroux, J.M., Bourgouin, P., &

Beauregard, M. (2004). Neural basis of emotional self-regulation in childhood.

Neuroscience, 129, 361-369.

Meckley, A., Hamlin, E., & Kaiser, D.A. (2011). Maslow neurotherapy: Introduction to

normative EEG. Presented at 1st Neurojam, Asheville, NC, Dec 9-10.

Millichap, J.G., Millichap, J.J., & Stack, C.V. (2011). Utility of the electroencephalogram

in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Clinical EEG Neuroscience, 42, 180-

184.

Nuwer, M.R. (1988). Quantitative EEG: Techniques and problems of frequency

analysis and topographic mapping. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology, 5, 1-43.

Petersén, I., Eeg-Olofsson, O. (1971). The development of the electroencephalogram in

normal children from the age of 1 through 15 years. Non-paroxysmal activity.

Neuropadiatrie, 2, 247-304.

Ridderinkhof, K.R., van den Wildenberg, W.P., Segalowitz, S.J., & Carter, C.S. (2004).

Neurocognitive mechanisms of cognitive control: The role of prefrontal cortex

in action selection, response inhibition, performance monitoring, and reward-

based learning. Brain and Cognition, 56, 129-140.

Page 22: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --22

Rushworth, M.F., & Behrens,T.E. (2008). Choice, uncertainty and value in prefrontal and

cingulate cortex. Nature Neuroscience, 11, 389-397.

Schulenberg, S.E., & Soundy, T. (2000). Epidemiology of physical and sexual abuse in

young persons diagnosed with conduct disorder: A retrospective chart review.

South Dakota Journal of Medicine,, 53, 29-32.

Shelley, B.P., Trimble, M.R., & Boutros, N.N. (2008). Electroencephalographic cerebral

dysrhythmic abnormalities in the trinity of nonepileptic general population,

neuropsychiatric, and neurobehavioral disorders. Journal of Neuropsychiatry and

Clinical Neuroscience, 20, 7-22.

Shin, L.M., McNally, R.J., Kosslyn, S.M., Thompson, W.L., Rauch, S.L., Alpert, N.M.,

Metzger, L.J., Lasko, N.B., Orr, S.P., & Pitman, R.K. (1999). Regional cerebral

blood flow during script-driven imagery in childhood sexual abuse-related

PTSD: A PET investigation. American Journal of Psychiatry, 156, 575-584.

Sterman, M.B. (1996). Physiological origins and functional correlates of EEG rhythmic

activities: Implications for self-regulation. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 21, 3-

33.

Sterman, M.B. & Friar, L. (1972). Suppression of seizures in epileptic following

sensorimotor EEG feedback training. Electroencephalography and Clinical

Neurophysiology, 33, 89-95.

Sterman, M.B. & Kaiser, D.A. (1999). Topographic analysis of spectral density co-

variation: normative database & clinical assessment. Clinical Neurophysiology,

110 (S1), S80.

Solomon, P., Jasper, H.H., & Braley, C. (1937). Studies in behavior problem children.

American Neurology and Psychiatry, 38, 1350-1351.

Teicher, M.H. (2000). Wounds that time won’t heal: The neurobiology of child abuse.

Cerebrum, 2, 50-67.

Teicher, M.H., Glod, C.A., Surrey, J., & Swett, C. Jr. (1993). Early childhood abuse and

limbic system ratings in adult psychiatric outpatients. Journal of Neuropsychiatry

and Clinical Neuroscience, 5, 301-306.

Trenite , K. (1995). Transient cognitive impairment during subclinical epileptiform

electroencephalographic discharges. Seminars in Pediatric Neurology, 2(4), 246-

Page 23: eeg and sexual abuse

Brain Function and Neurotherapy --23

253

Young, M.S., Harford, K.L., Kinder, B., & Savell, J.K. (2007). The relationship between

childhood sexual abuse and adult mental health among undergraduates: Victim

gender doesn't matter. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 22, 1315-1331.