Neurology and Neuro Surgery

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of individually tailored neurofeedback protocol for the reduction of depression which was diagnosed in the patient with schizophrenia spectrum complicated with TIA. The neuromarkers in Quantitative EEG (QEEG) and Event-related potentials (ERPs) were utilized in the construction of protocol and evaluation.

Case study: A 54-year-old patient, experienced TIA. The patient was treated before for more than 20 years for schizophrenia. However the patient complained low mood, difficulties with sleeping as well as an inability to continue work in his given profession. Specialist tests were to show the presence within him of depression. As a result of which the patient was provided with neurofeedback therapy. The effectiveness of this therapy in the reduction (eradication) of the symptoms of depression were evaluated through the utilization of qantitative EEG (QEEG) and Event related potentials (ERPs).

Results: It was found that in the first examination that ERPs display the most significant deviations from the reference in the two components: (1) the one component is generated within the cingulate cortex. The pattern of its deviation from the norms. In contrast to healthy subjects the component repeats itself twice; (2) the second component is generated in the medial prefrontal cortex. Its pattern (neuromarker) is similar to that found in depresive patients. In the second examination, after neurofeedback training, the ERPs were similar to the norm. The patient returned to work.Conclusions. Chronic depression developed within the patient with schizophrenia spectrum. The application of a method of therapy (neurofeedback) resulted in the withdrawal of the syndrome symptoms. ERPs in a GO/NOGO task can be used to plan neurofeedback and in the assessment of functional brain changes induced by neurotherapeutic programmes.