Coherence Training Coherence just means the relationship is stable. It could be in phase (zero phase angle), 180 degrees out of phase (peak lined up with trough or anywhere in between. Coherence speaks to stability of the relationship. Phase speaks to the timing. Synchrony is when the timing relationship between two signals is consistently the same and the firing and recharge periods line up. Generally, we expect to see low coherences in faster brainwaves and higher coherences in slower brainwaves. […]

Feedback Delays for best effect I try to keep the feedback latency to below 250 mS.  Feedback latency is the delay between the moment something happens in the brain and the time the brain receives feedback regarding that event.  Obviously the shorter the delay, the better the brain can learn from the feedback. There are four elements in the main feedback channel where delay can enter:  Source, bandpass filter, threshold and feedback device. As a general rule, the largest delay […]

Default Mode Network (DMN) The DMN (CON: Phase Sync) protocol trains to increase synchrony in Theta, Alpha and Gamma between sites in the front and back of the brain–especially related to the so-called default-mode network (what your brain is doing when it’s not doing anything), and it is related to self-awareness and knowledge of oneself–some say to empathy as well. It’s not necessarily a peak state protocol, though a solid default mode network may be a precursor to the peak […]

About Filters – Speed vs Accuracy If you look at the filter graphs in your training software, compare an IIR filter, like an Elliptic, and an FIR filter.  You’ll see that the IIR filter tends to focus on producing a stable response across the whole frequency band of the filter, but the time response changes throughout the filter band. FIR Magnitude & Delay Look at an FIR filter, and you’ll see that the delay graph is a straight line at […]

Baseline setting The QWIZ shows you when the baseline is ready. The yellow HEG light stops blinking when the baseline has been selected. If it stops blinking before you are ready to start training, press the link button beneath the green electrode plug on the front of the Wiz. That will restart the baseline calculation. One trick I use before starting to climb or dive Is to get myself into the opposite state first. While I’m waiting for the yellow […]

Re-attaching Instruments Windows to the main program If you will bring the Instruments2 window to the front by clicking on it, you’ll see that it has a small instruments menu in the upper left corner. Re-attach is one of the options on that menu.

Media Files for feedback You may have to “hook up” the beeps, clicks and mp3 files the first time you use a design. If you don’t hear beeps or clicks when you should, go to the Score object and verify that Enable is checked. Then click the … to the right of the Sound field and navigate to the appropriate sound in YOUR media folder. When using Alpha Theta, which uses MP3 sounds, select each of the Audio Players in […]

Squash and Squish The Brain-Trainer Squash designation uses 2-38 Hz, so you train down the whole band. If the brain is dominated by 23-38, for example, that frequency is most likely be be affected by the Squash, but the Squash also protects against other frequencies surging up as the high-beta goes down. The Squish is a mini-Squash. It combines 2 channels of signal at a selected frequency (23-38 is one option) and trains down the total. When we use a […]

Sum Difference (Sum Diff) In simplest terms, I use Sum Difference when there is a strong differential in a group of frequencies between homologous sites and there are one or more frequency bands that show excessive activation. Training down the sum trains down the activity in both channels, training down difference reduces the asymmetry. You can also use a bipolar montage to achieve the same effect. The sum difference designs allow you to choose the bands that are most asymmetrical […]

Calming It is typical to see activation go up across the board when you focus on training up and go down across the board when you focus on training down. Since, for a great majority of clients, the EEG is overly active and noisy, reductions in activation generally precede clinical improvement. Usually if you can train down slow activity wherever it is excessive, even as it comes down and fast activity also comes down, the ratio improves. This protocol was […]