Neurofeedback training improves anxiety trait and depressive symptom in GAD

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of alpha activity neurofeedback training over the parietal lobe in GAD patients. METHODS: Twenty‐six female patients who had been diagnosed as GAD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition, DSM‐V) criteria were included in this study. Patients were randomized into two groups: the left parietal lobe training group (LPL group, n = 13) and the right parietal lobe training group (RPL group, n = 13), and then received ten 40‐minute alpha training sessions in the relevant area. Evaluations included severity of anxiety (by State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI) and depression (by Beck Depression Inventory, BDI‐II) after the fifth training session and the last training session. RESULTS: The scores of STAI‐S decreased significantly two weeks after the fifth training session in both groups (LPL group: from 47.15 ± 10.65 to 38.69 ± 8.78, p<.05; RPL group: from 44.92 ± 12.37 to 37.31 ± 6.41, p < .05) and decreased further at the four weeks’ time point after the last training session (LPL group: 35.15 ± 9.24; RPL group: 29.85 ± 6.18). Compared with baseline, the scores of STAI‐T, BDI‐II and ISI decrease at two weeks, no significant difference found between LPL group and RPL group. The scores of STAI‐T, BDI‐II and ISI decreased at four weeks when compared with two weeks, and no significant difference found between LPL group and RPL group. CONCLUSION: Neurofeedback training of alpha activity over the parietal lobe is effective in GAD patients, especially the anxiety trait and depressive symptoms.