Application of Neurofeedback in Treating Epilepsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: To investigate the evidence related to the effectiveness of neurofeedback (NF) treatment in patients suffering from epilepsy, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials‎ (RCTs) for people suffering from epilepsy was conducted in different research sources. Methods: This research was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA) guidelines and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines. Original research studies that were published in valid electronic sources from March 1975 to March 2022 were included in the study; 15 original studies (including 330 patients) were finally analyzed. To achieve this objective, the primary outcome measure was the ratings of epilepsy symptoms in subjects based on assessments of patients. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Second Edition (WISC-II), and the Attention Span Test were regarded as primary outcomes. The required data from the desired studies were putted in the Review Manager Software to perform a systematic analysis of trial characteristics. Results: The findings showed that the mean level had significantly dropped by about 4.064 units in the intervention group (MD = -0.4.064; 95% CI = [-4.909, -3.22]; P < 0.001). However, the mean difference was not statistically significant within the subgroups. No significant heterogeneity or publication bias was detected. Conclusion: The results of the meta-analysis offer preliminary evidence that, based on the assessment of patients, NF is a beneficial clinical method for epilepsy. However, more RTCs are required to compare standard treatments such as medication, and neurological and behavioral interventions.

Keywords

• epilepsy
• neurofeedback
• eeg biofeedback
• slow cortical potentials
• sensory motor rhythm
• meta-analysis