Page 57 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

24 n BIOFeeDBAck

displayed through a computerized device. Diamond et al. stimulated brain growth in
Through the feedback training, individuals older rats by enriching the environment.
B learn techniques to consciously regulate invol- From this study were derived the studies
untary bodily functions such as balancing by Budzynski (1996) and Budzynski and
the autonomic nervous system. Psychological Budzynski (2000) to improve cognitive func-
responses often co-occur with the change tioning of elderly humans by enhancing the
of physiological and emotional states. With brain with neurofeedback and light–sound
repeated practices, individuals often become stimulation. results of studies on cellular res-
mindful about the self- regulation technique toration of nerve tissue together with reports
and may achieve the desired physiological of improvement of body functioning through
and psychological states without the assis- neurofeedback suggested that changes in
tance of external devices. bodily functioning can be reached through
The goal of biofeedback is to enable the the brain.
process of self-regulation for health promo- By managing appropriate change in
tion and peak performance (Association for the eeG or the brain’s electrical activity,
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, the body not only can rid itself of chronic
2008). symptoms but also can heal itself. In addi-
Although in the past biofeedback for tion to augmenting neurological function,
chronic symptom patterns has been thought the technique of self-regulation has also been
to be simply training muscles and body exploited to promote cardiovascular health.
functioning through operant condition- The most easily accessed method of change
ing, now it is more common to consider is the use of selected sounds to alter both
the brain and the central nervous sys- brain and cardiovascular function. Studies
tem as the central focus of treatment. It is, have shown that brainwave entrainment
after all, the electrical- biochemical systems using audio-guided relaxation training effec-
through which all bodily activity is finally tively reduced the blood pressures in groups
determined. To focus on the brain–neural of elderly (Tang, Harms, Speck, vezeau,
pathway, it acknowledges the mind–body & Jesurum, 2009; Tang, Harms, & vezeau,
interface and the centrality of the brain in 2008). These new directions for intervention
the disease process. are reaching consumers of health care.
The use of biofeedback and its accompa- There are three major organizations for
nying belief in helping individuals master biofeedback professionals: the Association for
self-regulation of body function and optimum Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback,
states has been greatly impacted by the cellu- the Biofeedback certification Institution
lar research in the recent years. Some groups of America, and the International Society
of neuroscientists have explored the progress for Neurofeedback and research. There
of using stem cells as a way of repairing are more than 100 nurse professionals in
organs. Other movements in research have the Biofeedback certification Institution of
realized exciting possibilities in tracing evi- America, the certifying body for biofeed-
dence of the capability of the body to perform back or neurofeedback. Untold other nurses
repair by means of neurogenesis and neuro- are practicing without current certification.
plasticity (eriksson et al., 1998; kempermann Many of these practitioners are performing
& Gage, 1999; kempermann, kuhn, & Gage, exciting biofeedback or neurofeedback work
1997; Magavi, leavitt, & Macklis, 2000). with target chronic problems, such as lack
early evidence of the possibility of gener- of urinary control, attention deficit disorder,
ating growth or regrowth in neural tissue epilepsy, stroke, mild head injury, migraines,
was reported by Diamond, Johnson, Protti, and other symptom patterns. However, they
Ott, and kajisa (1985). In these early studies, practice outside the mainstream of nursing’s