Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36421865›Full record

ArticleBrain sciences2022

MiniQEEG and Neurofeedback in Diagnosis and Treatment of COVID-19-Related Panic Attacks: A Case Report.

Marta Kopańska, Agnieszka Dejnowicz-Velitchkov, Paulina Bartman, Jacek Szczygielski

Open access · goldAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Brain sciences, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 27% 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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Marta KopańskaDepartment of Pathophysiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszow, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland.ORCID 0000-0003-3936-0698
Agnieszka Dejnowicz-VelitchkovADEA, Ltd., Biofeedback Center, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Paulina BartmanStudents Science Club "Reh-Tech", Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszow, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland.
Jacek SzczygielskiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszow, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland.ORCID 0000-0002-3157-2824
Saarland University · DEUniversity of Rzeszów · PL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBoth the global COVID-19 pandemic situation, as well as the current political situation in Eastern Europe may exacerbate anxiety and contribute to stress-related disorders such as panic disorder. Electroencephalography (EEG)-based neurofeedback provides both assessment of the subject's brainwave activity as well as the possibility of its therapeutic correction. It is possible that it can be implemented as an auxiliary treatment in panic disorders of different origin. The aim of this feasibility study was to demonstrate (both short- and long-term) effectiveness of neurofeedback therapy in a patient with previously diagnosed panic attacks, related to fear of COVID-19 infection.

methodsWe report the case study of a 47-year-old man affected by panic attacks, related to his profound, constant fear of COVID-19 infection and its sequelae. For the initial diagnostic workup, several clinical and research tools were used: 1. Baseline psychological exam; 2. Anxiety-targeted interview performed by miniQEEG therapist; 3. Analysis of previous clinical test results (EEG record/lab blood test); and 4. The miniQEEG exam (central strip recording Cz-C3-C4), The patient was subjected to regular EEG Neurofeedback sessions for two consecutive months. After completing the treatment, follow-up tests, as listed above were repeated immediately after completing the whole treatment program, as well as 1 and 2 years later. MiniQEEG results were compared with healthy control (age-matched male subject not affected with panic attacks) and evaluated over the time that the subject was involved in the study.

resultsInitially, the patient was suffering from severe panic attacks accompanied by vegetative symptoms and from destructive and negative thoughts. After 8 consecutive weeks of treatment encompassing sixteen QEEG neurofeedback training sessions (each lasting 30 min), a subjective improvement of his complaints was reported. More importantly, QEEG records of the patient also improved, approximating the pattern of QEEG recorded in the healthy control.

conclusionIn this single case-based feasibility analysis, we demonstrate that systematic application of QEEG-Neurofeedback may result in manifest and durable therapeutic effect. Of note, use of this treatment may be a valuable option for patients with panic attack/panic disorder, especially if related to the psychological burden of the COVID-19/war era. Future studies on a larger patient population, especially with a longitudinal/prospective design, are warranted.

Indexed as

COVID-19neurofeedbackpanic attacksquantitative electroencephalography

Identifiers

PMID36421865
PMCPMC9688264
OpenAlexW4308971186

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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.