Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33732101›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in neuroscience2020

Using EEG Alpha States to Understand Learning During Alpha Neurofeedback Training for Chronic Pain.

Kajal Patel, James Henshaw, Heather Sutherland, Jason R Taylor, Alexander J Casson, Karen Lopez-Diaz, Christopher A Brown, Anthony K P Jones, Manoj Sivan, Nelson J Trujillo-Barreto

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in neuroscience, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. A home-based EEG neurofeedback treatment for chronic neuropathic pain-a pilot study.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2025
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Kajal PatelSchool of Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
James HenshawDivision of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Heather SutherlandDivision of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Jason R TaylorDivision of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Alexander J CassonDepartment of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Karen Lopez-DiazDivision of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Christopher A BrownDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Anthony K P JonesDivision of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Manoj SivanDivision of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Nelson J Trujillo-BarretoDivision of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
University of Manchester · GBUniversity of Leeds · GBUniversity of Liverpool · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council MC_PC_16053The Dunhill Medical Trust R521/1116
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAlpha-neurofeedback (α-NFB) is a novel therapy which trains individuals to volitionally increase their alpha power to improve pain. Learning during NFB is commonly measured using static parameters such as mean alpha power. Considering the biphasic nature of alpha rhythm (high and low alpha), dynamic parameters describing the time spent by individuals in high alpha state and the pattern of transitioning between states might be more useful. Here, we quantify the changes during α-NFB for chronic pain in terms of dynamic changes in alpha states.

methodsFour chronic pain and four healthy participants received five NFB sessions designed to increase frontal alpha power. Changes in pain resilience were measured using visual analogue scale (VAS) during repeated cold-pressor tests (CPT). Changes in alpha state static and dynamic parameters such as fractional occupancy (time in high alpha state), dwell time (length of high alpha state) and transition probability (probability of moving from low to high alpha state) were analyzed using Friedman's Test and correlated with changes in pain scores using Pearson's correlation.

resultsThere was no significant change in mean frontal alpha power during NFB. There was a trend of an increase in fractional occupancy, mean dwell duration and transition probability of high alpha state over the five sessions in chronic pain patients only. Significant correlations were observed between change in pain scores and fractional occupancy (

conclusionThere is a differential effect between patients and healthy participants in terms of correlation between change in pain scores and alpha state parameters. Parameters providing a more precise description of the alpha power dynamics than the mean may help understand the therapeutic effect of neurofeedback on chronic pain.

Indexed as

alpha rhythmalpha stateschronic painEEG biofeedbackneurofeedback

Identifiers

PMID33732101
PMCPMC7958977
OpenAlexW3133447182

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.