HEG - Hemoencephalography Sensor
HEG (Hemoencephalography) neurofeedback is an effective and drugless
training method useful for many conditions that respond to the
activation of the brain’s surface (cortex). The frontal lobes are
uniquely addressed by HEG. HEG gives proper importance to their
contribution to decision making and brain control. They control much of
the brain’s effectiveness in the exigencies of life. HEG is direct
measure of metabolic changes, simplicity, clear interpretation and ease
of use make it a significant contribution to clinical practice. What is
more, HEG is easily understood by clients. Training is accomplished by
controlling computer generated and displayed dynamic cartoons or movies.
HEG is being used increasingly by professionals tired of being burdened
by the variety of instrumental difficulties and complex treatment
protocols inherent in the EEG concept.
HEG is ideally suited for biofeedback practices and learning centers
that work to improve behavior, mood, and attention disorders that are
related to inadequate brain cortex functioning:
Attention and concentration difficulties
ADD/ADHD,
Distractibility,
Sleep disorders,
Recall
Aging memory loss,
Working memory
Anger,
Anxiety
Depression
Autism
Asperger’s syndrome
Medical treatment practices
Improve conditions associated with frontal cortex hypoperfusion:
Migraine headache
Epilepsy
Schizophrenia
Senile dementia
Please note: You must purchase the NX-AANSLUIT along with the HEG Sensor to use the with the NeXus system.
What is HEG?
When a specific area of the brain is activated to perform a task related
to that particular region, perfusion of blood to that area increases in
order to supply oxygen, glucose and other basic ingredients to develop
the energy needed to sustain the task performance.
Local brain activation is always accompanied by an increase in the cell
metabolism. The increase is required to make from those nutrients the
energy needed by the cells involved. These changes can be indirectly
measured in various ways: For instance: One can measure the emission of
infrared radiation into the environment from brain tissue below the
skull. Radiation can be in the form of light or heat. The passive far
infrared (pIRHEG) measures heat. The near infrared (nIRHEG) measures the
effect of oxygen on the color of light reflected from cerebral capillary
blood when illuminated by red and near infrared light shown through the
skull.
What is HEG Biofeedback?
HEG biofeedback is a neurofeedback system based on the intentional
control of the brain hemodynamic and metabolic responses through
biofeedback principles.
Both types of HEG, nIR and pIR, offer practical and effortless ways of
measuring brain activation in a totally new noninvasive fashion. These
techniques involve the use of radiation sensitive biosensors. Unlike
EEG-based neurofeedback, HEG needs no electrodes. Electrode preparation
is eliminated. Electromagnetic or muscle noise, the bane of EEG, play no
role. HEG is thus very simple to use.
How did HEG Biofeedback come about?
(nIR) HEG was developed in 1994 by Dr. Hershel Toomim. He
discovered in 1994 that he could measure and teach others to control the
amount of oxygenated blood flowing in selected brain regions using near
infrared (nIR) spectroscopy technologies. Oxygen is one of the two basic
fuels (oxygen and glucose) used by brain metabolism. HEG is thus
fundamental to brain operation. Oxygen is the same blood element used by
fMRI, the gold standard for brain research. HT found that individuals
could learn the skill to self-regulate brain blood flow by applying
biofeedback principles and hence called this technology
{Hemo-(blood)-Encephalography (HEG)}. Dr. Toomim’s Electronics and
biophysics background aided his conceptualization and development of
this concept as well as the required equipment. Since then he has been
applying this technology for the treatment of various conditions
involving regional cerebral hypoperfusion. He has made available these
basic underlying skills and methods by teaching, reporting and
publishing technical and clinical results using the HEG approach.
(pIR) HEG was developed in response to this information by Dr. Jeffrey
Carmen in 1988. He is considered the second father of HEG
biofeedback. A fast friendship developed between these two as Dr. Carmen
developed his far infrared optical pIRHEG instruments based on the heat
developed in the metabolic process. He focused his R&D and clinical
practice on developing an effective way to train his patients in frontal
lobe activation. He has been using his method with patients suffering
from various conditions related to inadequate frontal lobe activity.
Jeff has shown that training a person suffering from migraines to
increase frontal lobe emissions with his equipment and methodology
inhibits migraine pain. He has recently published a broad clinical
study presenting the fruit of many years of clinical work documenting
the high degree of success using HEG biofeedback for various types of
migraine.