Neurofeedback vs Biofeedback 

Neurofeedback and Biofeedback may sound similar, but there are some key differences between the two that are important to consider. Understanding the difference between Neurofeedback and Biofeedback is the first step in deciding which of these two techniques may be right for you. 

What is Biofeedback? 

Biofeedback is a technique that measures activity occurring within your body. This involves placing sensors on your skin to measure many bodily functions, such as breathing rate, heart rate, muscle tension, blood pressure, and skin temperature, to name a few. Some examples of Biofeedback include electromyogram (EMG) biofeedback which measures muscles tension, thermal biofeedback which measures skin temperature, electrodermal biofeedback which measures sweating or skin conductance, and heart-rate variability (HRV) biofeedback which measure heart rate. This information provides feedback about how your body is functioning, and it can help you make changes to your health, including improvements in chronic pain, high blood pressure, or athletic performance. 

What is Neurofeedback? 

Neurofeedback, on the other hand, measures activity occurring within your brain. Your brain is part of your central nervous system (CNS) so this makes Neurofeedback technically a type of or subdivision of Biofeedback. Neurofeedback is also sometimes referred to as electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback as well. Neurofeedback is a safe, non-invasive way of helping to train the brain and improve regulation. Neurofeedback involves placing special types of sensors, called electrodes, on your scalp to record the electrical activity within your brain. This information provides feedback about how your brain is functioning. For example, if the electrodes detect that you are in a calm, relaxed and focused state, the computer software will interpret this data and you will be rewarded with feedback, through video and sound. As soon as the client loses focus or becomes anxious, the video and sound stop playing. The client practices how to be more focused, calm, and relaxed during the sessions. Neurofeedback can be used to help support a variety of conditions that can affect brain activity, such as ADHD, Anxiety, ASD, Concussion, Depression, Learning Disabilities, PTSD, and Stress & Burnout. At Neuropotential Clinics, you can expect to receive Neurofeedback training to improve your brain health and performance. 

We offer traditional Neurofeedback or single-channel training where one electrode is used to complete the brain training. We also offer more advanced forms of Neurofeedback training such as sLORETA z-score Neurofeedback training where 19 electrodes are used to train multiples areas of the brain. This is commonly used for more complex cases and has the advantage of dry-electrode technology. 

Neuropotential Clinics is located across the street from Sheppard West Station and minutes off the 401. We are also the highest-rated Neurofeedback clinic in Canada (according to Google Reviews). If you would like more information regarding any of our Neurofeedback services, click here to book your free consultation. 



References: 

Malik K, Dua A. Biofeedback. 2021 Apr 19. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan–. PMID: 31971716. 

Hammond DC. What is neurofeedback?. Journal of neurotherapy. 2007 Mar 29;10(4):25-36.