Nicholson and colleagues · 2023
Restoring resting alpha activity
Double-blind, sham-controlled trial · 38 participants
What the study found
Thirty-eight participants with PTSD were randomized to active or sham EEG neurofeedback over 20 sessions. Before training, resting EEG showed reduced alpha activity compared with healthy controls. After training, only the active group showed significant alpha resynchronization in regions with low baseline alpha, alongside reduced PTSD symptom severity.
Why it matters
This trial links neurofeedback with measurable changes in resting brain activity. Although training reduced alpha during sessions, resting alpha increased afterward, a pattern the researchers describe as a homeostatic rebound.
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