Conditions Neurofeedback Is Used For, and What the Evidence Supports
Reviewed by Dr. Joseph Shoshana, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Chicago.
Neurofeedback is used for a wide range of concerns, and the evidence behind it is genuinely stronger for some than for others. This page sets out where it stands for each — including the ones where we would tell you to be cautious, and the ones where we would tell you to look elsewhere.
That is a less impressive list than you will find on most clinic websites. It is also the honest one, and if you are researching carefully you probably want the honest one.
How to Read This Page
We have grouped conditions by how much research support exists, not by how well neurofeedback sells. Three things are true of every group:
- Neurofeedback is not a cure for anything on this page. The realistic goal is better regulation and better daily functioning.
- It is not a substitute for medical care. Where a condition needs medication, surgery, antibiotics or emergency treatment, it needs those things. Training the brain does not replace them.
- Assessment comes first. Attention problems, low mood and poor sleep have many possible causes. Training the wrong pattern wastes your time and money.
Where the Evidence Is Strongest
ADHD, ADD and Attention Difficulties
This is the most studied application by a wide margin, and the reason most people find us. In 2012 the American Academy of Pediatrics’ review of psychosocial interventions rated biofeedback and neurofeedback as a Level 1, “best support” intervention for attention and hyperactivity behaviours in children. A frequently cited 2009 randomised trial of 102 children found greater improvement after 36 neurofeedback sessions than after computerised attention training.
The honest counterweight: more recent trials using strict blinding have often shown smaller effects, and researchers continue to debate how much benefit comes from the training itself versus the structure and attention that accompany any sustained programme. Both things are true. It is well-studied and legitimate, and it is not a settled question.
If attention is your concern, the useful first step is usually assessment rather than booking a course of training — because a great many things look like ADHD without being it.
Seizure Disorders
Sensorimotor rhythm training has the longest research history of any neurofeedback protocol, going back to Barry Sterman’s work in the early 1970s, and several controlled studies have reported reduced seizure frequency.
An essential caution. This is only ever an adjunct to neurological care, never a replacement for it. Anticonvulsant medication is not something to adjust because a training programme seems to be going well, and any change belongs with your neurologist. If you have a seizure disorder, your neurologist should know you are considering this.
Commonly Used, With Reasonable Support
For this group there is real research and a long history of clinical use, but the evidence is less developed than for attention. We would describe trying it as reasonable, with clear checkpoints — not as proven.
Anxiety and Chronic Stress
Often the concern people describe as a nervous system that will not switch off. Training targets the regulation side of that — the physical, always-braced dimension rather than the content of the worry. It combines well with therapy, which addresses the thinking.
Depression and Low Mood
Frequently pursued by people who have found medication helpful but incomplete, or who want to explore options alongside it. As above: a legitimate thing to try, not a replacement for treatment that is working, and never a reason to stop an antidepressant without your prescriber.
Sleep Difficulty and Insomnia
Sleep and regulation are closely linked, and this is one of the more common improvements people report. Worth saying plainly: cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia has stronger evidence than neurofeedback for sleep specifically, and undiagnosed sleep apnoea is common. Both are worth ruling out first.
Trauma and PTSD
Dr. Shoshana has worked extensively in this area. Neurofeedback is used to support regulation alongside trauma-focused therapy rather than instead of it.
Concussion Recovery
Used to support recovery from the lingering attention, sleep and irritability difficulties that can follow a head injury. Any suspected concussion needs medical assessment first.
Migraines
Some people report reduced frequency or severity. The research base here is small, and we would frame this as worth trying with a defined review point.
OCD and Tic Disorders
Used as an adjunct. Exposure and response prevention remains the front-line psychological treatment for OCD and has substantially stronger evidence.
Where We Will Be Candid About the Limits
Autism Spectrum
Families sometimes pursue neurofeedback as part of a broader support plan. Where it is used, the sensible targets are regulation, sleep and attention — not autism itself. Autism is a difference in how a brain is wired, not a condition to be trained away, and we would be wary of anyone implying otherwise.
The research here is early and mixed. If you are exploring options for your child, an assessment that clarifies what is actually going on is worth more than any single intervention.
Memory Concerns and Brain Fog
Common reasons people contact us, and frequently the most treatable — because the cause is often something specific and fixable. Sleep problems, stress, thyroid function, medication side effects, depression and hearing loss all affect memory. Assessment first is genuinely the right order here, and the answer is often reassuring.
Chronic Pain and Fatigue
Used to support the sleep and stress-regulation side of living with persistent pain. It does not treat the underlying cause, and any new or unexplained pain needs medical investigation.
Addiction and Substance Use
Used as a support alongside proper addiction treatment, never as a standalone. If substance use is the primary concern, a dedicated programme should be the starting point.
Emotional Regulation and Anger
Often what is actually underneath several of the concerns above, and one of the more commonly reported areas of improvement.
What We Would Not Claim
This section exists because its absence elsewhere is telling.
- Serious psychiatric illness. Conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder require psychiatric care. We would not position brain training as a treatment for either, and we would be concerned by a provider who did.
- Infectious disease. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection and needs medical diagnosis and antibiotics. Neurofeedback does not treat infection.
- Stroke and acute neurological events. These are emergencies. Rehabilitation after a stroke belongs with a neurologist and a rehabilitation team.
- Any condition, cured. We do not use that word, and neither should anyone offering this.
If you have been told neurofeedback will resolve one of the above, we would encourage you to ask what evidence that claim rests on.
About the Clinic
Chicago Brain Health is the neurofeedback and brain-mapping practice of Dr. Joseph Shoshana, a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 25 years in practice. It sits in Chicago’s West Loop at 1021 W Adams St., Suite 201.
The distinction that matters most when choosing a provider: your assessment is interpreted by a psychologist, not by a device or a technician. Neurofeedback equipment can be bought by anyone. What separates useful work from expensive guessing is whether someone qualified is reading your results in the context of your history, your circumstances and your symptoms — and whether they will tell you when this is not the right starting point for you.
Common Questions
How many sessions will I need?
Meaningful protocols run to dozens of sessions across months, not a handful of visits. You should be given an estimate at the outset and a checkpoint to review progress honestly — and be willing to stop if it is not working.
Does insurance cover neurofeedback?
Frequently not. Coverage varies considerably by plan and many plans exclude it. Related services such as psychological evaluation are more often covered when medically necessary. We will tell you plainly what is likely to be covered and what is not before you commit to anything.
Is neurofeedback safe?
It is non-invasive — sensors read activity from the scalp and nothing is sent into the brain. Some people report temporary tiredness or headache after sessions. It should be provided by a qualified clinician who can recognise when it is not a good fit.
Is it evidence-based?
For ADHD, yes, with the caveats described above. For several other applications the evidence is genuinely more preliminary, which is why this page is organised the way it is rather than presenting one long list of conditions treated.
Will it work for me?
Nobody can honestly tell you that in advance. Some people respond well, some modestly, some not at all. What we can do is find out what is actually going on first, so the decision is an informed one.
A Sensible Next Step
If something on this page matches what you are dealing with, the useful move is not to book a course of training. It is to find out what is happening and whether this is the right tool for it.
We offer a free initial consultation to discuss your situation. If neurofeedback is not appropriate for you, we will say so.
Call (847) 670-8544 or send us a message. Chicago Brain Health, 1021 W Adams St., Suite 201, Chicago, IL 60607.
This page is general information, not medical advice, and does not create a clinician–patient relationship. Individual results vary. Always consult a qualified professional about your own situation. If you are in crisis, contact 988 or go to your nearest emergency department.