Learning about any new technology can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re already stressed or your brain just isn’t cooperating right now!
You might have heard that NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback can help, but what is it exactly, and how does it work?
A quick Google search or through ChatGPT often gives you bits and pieces that maybe don’t quite fit together. This can make it all feel more confusing than it needs to be.
So, below we aim to simply describe:
1. Description & Setup of the Main Functional Components
2. How the Brain & NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback Communicate – Detailed Description
3. Additional Articles & Resources
This is a big step, so we want you to be very comfortable.
So, if you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us directly on 0474 319 467 or by clicking the enquiry link here.
1. Description & Setup of the Main Functional Components
E.E.G SENSORS (5) – 3 CLIPS & 2 FLAT
These silver coated sensors read the brain’s activity & relay this information to the Z-Amp.
The clips are applied with conductive gel & are not painful. They are designed specifically for use with the NeurOptimal® system and are medical grade E.E.G sensors.
E.E.G (electroencephalogram) sensors measure the brain’s electrical signals – specifically, the voltage fluctuations resulting from neuronal activity.
NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback uses 5 Sensors:
- Two (yellow) flat sensors which are fixed with gel to the scalp.
- Two (blue) clip sensors that are clipped to the top of each ear.
- One (black) clip sensor which is clipped to the earlobe of the right ear
‘Z-AMP’
This is the device that relays the brain’s activity to the NeurOptimal software.
It is purpose built to run with the NeurOptimal system and has been refined
This connects with the Microsoft Tablet via a medical grade USB Cable.
MICROSOFT TABLET with NEUROPTIMAL® SOFTWARE
The Microsoft Tablet and NeurOptimal® software are the centre point for all the information.
NeurOptimal® observes the brain’s activity & delivers the feedback through the audio track to the user via the headphones.
The software is proprietary to Zengar Institute Pty Ltd and works on a mathematical algorithm that can communicate with the brain in a language it understands.
All our Microsoft Tablets are Surface Pro i5 or i7 specification running the latest update of the NeurOptimal® software V3.1.
We will cover this communication process in more detail below.
SENHEISER® 400 HEADPHONES
These are worn by the user for the complete 33 minute session. They allow the user to hear the audio track which is how the feedback is delivered.
The headphones for the system need to be corded as the fractional delay occurred using Bluetooth® / Wireless headphones can affect the brain’s ability to receive the feedback at the precise correct time.
The Sennheiser HD 400 Series provide clear, balanced audio with a distortion-free profile and passive noise isolation.
The headphones connect to the Microsoft Tablet through the audio jack port.
2. How the Brain & NeurOptimal® Communicate
1. THE BRAIN OUTPUTS ITS NATURAL, ELECTRICAL SIGNALS
In this section, we cover how the brain system works and how overview NeurOptimal observes it.
OVERVIEW OF NEURONS & THE BRAIN SYSTEM
- Simplistically, humans function because, three main types of neurons work together:
- Sensory neurons bring messages in, interneurons process them, and motor neurons send messages back out.
- This process of communication happens over and over again; keeping us alive.
- Those individual neurons live throughout the different regions of the brain (e.g Frontal Lobe, Cerebellum etc).
- Those different regions are responsible for handling the different brain processes (e.g Memory, Fear etc).
- Individual neurons from different regions always work together to process & appropriately communicate the information coming in and out.
- Individual neurons communicate across the Central Nervous System (the Brain and Spinal Cord) using electrical and chemical signals or messages.
- NeurOptimal® observes the electrical signals only.
- To communicate, every individual neuron can fire one impulse at a time. This impulse represents that neuron’s own little part of the complete message. This is called an Action Potential.
- This impulse, or part of the message, is repeated at different rates depending on what type of message it is. This is called the Firing Rate.
- Think – If your individual part of a message is the word ‘go’. If you repeat ‘go’ quickly (go,go,go), that’s a high firing rate. If you repeat ‘go’ slowly (go…go…go..) that’s a low firing rate.
- Neurons naturally fire at the rate required to pass their part of the message. For example, if the message requires ‘go’ repeated quickly, the neuron will fire at that faster rate.
- As you can imagine, multiple, individual neurons are firing at once. Each is trying to move its’ own tiny electrical signal – it’s own part of the message.
- As large groups of individual neurons fire simultaneously, their collective electrical ‘voice’ harmonises to create a rhythmic wave.
- This rhythmic wave cycle is one of the four parts of brain activity. It is known as Frequency – measured in hertz (Hz).
FLEXIBLE VS INFLEXIBLE BRAINS
- The brain has a lot going on. It’s always sending different messages while coordinating activity across multiple Frequency Bands at once.
- A flexible brain can handle this perfectly.
- In a flexible brain, Individual Neurons fire at the right rate, resulting in the appropriate Frequency, which naturally falls into the correct Frequency Band for the task at hand.
- Example – You are required to say ‘go’ at a particular speed, you do that, it results in the group message being passed on properly, at the correct frequency.
- In an inflexible or dysregulated brain, this balance does not occur.
- The inflexible brain struggles to move smoothly through different Frequency Bands – often due to stress, trauma or other disruptions.
- Sometimes a Frequency Band is stuck or dominant and it can ‘pull’ other activity, other messages, into its ineffective pattern.
- Example – You start saying ‘go’ at the correct speed, but louder, dominant voices drown you out. Eventually, you fall into their rhythm, and your intended message becomes distorted.
- You may have found yourself saying – “Why can’t my brain just do what I want it to do?” – It’s trying, hard.
- If the brain is flexible & balanced, it can shift easily.
- If the brain is rigid & locked in a dominant Frequency Band, it finds it hard to fight against it.
- Unfortunately, as smart as the brain is, it does not have enough self awareness to see where it may be dysregulated.
- It wants to function better and could make the change but it cannot see itself well enough to know what to change.
- As autonomous humans, we know we can force our brains to make changes, by learning, becoming aware, trying hard etc, but it takes a lot of conscious effort & time to change the underlying patterns.
- The first step NeurOptimal® takes is observing the brain
- simply saves time & personal effort by observing brain activity in near real time and reflecting it back so the brain can see itself.
So while the brain is doing its thing, the observation part is carried out by by the 5 x E.E.G sensors.
This is the 2nd Step and is covered in the next section.
2. THE E.E.G SENSORS READ THE BRAIN'S ELECTRICAL SIGNALS & RELAY THEM TO THE Z-AMP
In this section, we cover how, where and why the sensors are attached in their specific location.
PREPARATION OF THE E.E.G SENSORS
- To observe the brain’s electrical signals, the supplied E.E.G sensors will be placed upon the scalp & ears in 5 specific positions.
- Before attachment, each sensor is prepared with the supplied conductive gel.
- The conductive gel is applied to help the sensors stick & to only observe the electrical signals emitted through the scalp.
- NeurOptimal® Non-Linear Dynamical Neurofeedback® does not emit ANY electrical current into the brain.
- Please be aware that some brands of Linear Neurofeedback do emit an electrical current into the brain.
POSITION OF THE SENSORS
- The two flat, yellow sensors are positioned at C3 & C4 – central between the top of the ear and the crown of the head on each side.
- The two blue clips sensors are positioned at the top of each ear.
- The single black clip sensor is positioned on the right earlobe.
- The position of the sensors remains the same session to session, person to person; making it very easy to setup.
- Also, the yellow sensors on the scalp have a reasonable tolerance. So as long as it is in the vicinity it won’t affect the connection.
- Don’t stress, it all looks more complicated than it is. After a few sessions, you will feel like a pro!
PURPOSE OF THE SENSORS
- The sensors form both a left-hemisphere circuit and a right-hemisphere circuit.
- This allows NeurOptimal® to observe activity on both sides of the brain simultaneously.
- The two yellow sensors observe electrical activity at the scalp. Their placement at C3 (left hemisphere) and C4 (right hemisphere) provides a balanced view of motor, sensory, emotional, and cognitive activity.
- The two blue sensors clipped on the top of the ears are reference sensors. These provide a ‘zero point’ so the NeurOptimal® software can see the voltage difference between the scalp and the ears.
- The single black sensor on the earlobe is an earth sensor. It helps maintain signal quality & initially cleans incidental line noise.
- In summary, the yellow scalp sensors are observing the brain’s electrical activity, the blue sensors are zero points to compare to and the black sensor is to stabilise the electrical current.
HOW OFTEN IS THE BRAIN’S FLOW OF INFORMATION BEING OBSERVED BY NEUROPTIMAL®
- While the sensors are attached, the brain is continuously outputting its natural flow of electrical activity to NeurOptimal®.
- The NeurOptimal® software observes this activity 256 times per second, so it is conducting near real-time scans of your brain.
- This means for each 33 minute session, over 500,000 scans of your brain are completed.
Through conductance wires – designed for precision, sensitivity, and safety – this information is transferred to the Z-Amp.
This is the 3rd Step and is covered in the next section.
3. THE Z-AMP RECEIVES THE BRAIN SIGNALS AND REMOVES ANY LINE NOISE
In this section, we cover the first job of the Z-Amp – to make sure the quality of the information coming from the brain is clean & precise.
THE KINDS OF ELECTRICAL INFORMATION IS BEING RECEIVED
- The Z-Amp is a two-channel device, calibrated to capture all electrical information from both sides of the brain simultaneously.
- This means an enormous amount of electrical information is coming in during your session.
- In fact, there are two types specific types of electrical signals being actually received by the Z-Amp:
- 1. Natural, electrical brain signals – as explained in other sections.
- 2. Man-made, incidental line noise – caused by surrounding environmental electrical signals, static etc.
- NeurOptimal® only wants to look at your brain’s precious data so the man-made line noise needs to be removed.
SEPERATING THE TWO TYPES OF ELECTRICAL INFORMATION
- Separating & cleaning the electrical signals is actually reasonably straightforward because:
- Natural electrical brain signals are chaotic.
- Man-made electrical signals are organised.
- Because the two signals are so distinct, the Z-Amp can easily distinguish one from the other.
- It then removes the man-made line noise, leaving the brain’s electrical information.
- The signal is now clean and ready for the second part of the Z-Amp’s job.
The Z-Amp’s final job is to convert the signal information to the correct format ready to send to the NeurOptimal® software.
This is the 4th Step and is covered in the next section.
4. THE Z-AMP CONVERTS THE SIGNAL & SENDS IT TO THE NEUROPTIMAL® SOFTWARE IN THE TABLET
In this section, we cover what the Z-Amp does to convert the clean electrical information into the correct format.
CONVERTING FROM ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL FORMAT
- Electrical signals from the brain are produced in an analogue format, but computers and software work in a digital format.
- So, to work with the NeurOptimal® software, the Z-Amp must convert your brain’s signals from analogue to digital format.
- Analogue signals are smooth, continuous and can capture infinite subtle differences. They occur in nature.
- Digital signals are broken into steps but more stable & reliable they are the language of computers.
- The Z-Amp is specially engineered to complete this conversion while retaining all the fine detail of the brain’s information.
- Using a medical-grade USB cable, the Z-Amp ensures the precise transfer of the brain’s information to the Microsoft tablet.
The digitised data is then received by the tablet to be observed by the loaded NeurOptimal® software.
This is the 5th Step and is covered in the next section.
5. HOW THE NEUROPTIMAL® SOFTWARE OBSERVES THE BRAINS ACTIVITY AND OVERLAYS THE FEEDBACK INTERRUPTIONS
In this section, we go into more depth on the information NeurOptimal® observes in the brain and how feedback is calculated.
OVERVIEW – FOUR PARTS OF THE BRAIN’S SIGNAL INFORMATION – OCEAN ANALOGY
- To understand how NeurOptimal® is unique, we must first overview how your brain signal information actually looks when it is correctly observed.
- Brain signals don’t just occur in 2 dimensions like a standard line-graph Q.E.E.G might suggest.
- The properties within a brain signal actually extend across 4 dimensions.
- Using an ocean example, brain signal properties actually contain:
- 1. Amplitude – The power of the signal – measured in micro-volts. Think – how big the ocean swell coming in is.
- 2. Frequency – How many cycles the waves repeat per second. Think – how often the waves come in.
- 3. Duration – This is a time-based analysis of how long certain patterns last. Think – timeframes, some waves crash and are gone, others hold their shape for longer or some don’t break at all.
- 4. Shift – This is another word for ‘state transition’ when the brain shifts from one pattern of activity to another. Think – change, calm to choppy, or rips developing then disappearing suddenly.
NEUROPTIMAL® VS STANDARD Q.E.E.G TECHNOLOGY
- We’ve all watched the ocean – it’s organised chaos, with many factors happening at once. To keep from getting dumped by a wave, we don’t just watch its size or how often it breaks, we take in the full dynamics of the ocean at the same time.
- NeurOptimal® is the only Dynamical Non-Linear Neurofeedback® system worldwide. It is the only system that can observe the full brain signal information, how it occurs, in all 4 dimensions. Amplitude, frequency, duration and shift. How big, how often, how long and how adaptive.
- Standard Q.E.E.G technology – that Linear Neurofeedback providers use – can only observe the brain in 2 dimensions – amplitude & frequency; how big, how often – it does not take into account the full picture of what’s the actually brain is doing.
BREAKDOWN OF THE BRAIN SYSTEM PARTS – FREEWAY – ANALOGY
- Think of the total brain like a theoretical highway.
- Electrical brain signals, or messages, are like vehicles moving across all lanes, showing differences in speed, density, time spent and change.
- Amplitude would be represented by the density of each lane.
- Frequency, grouped into relevant Frequency Bands would determine each lane’s speed. (Delta, Theta, etc.),
- Duration would be represented by the time spent in traffic jams or on clear road.
- Shift would be represented by the act of changing lanes, braking, or accelerating.
- The resulting traffic of all parts acting simultaneously is both generated by their individual changes and traffic conditions also influence those parts to change course.
- We call this collective traffic the Phase State.
- A Phase State is the overall pattern of how vehicles across all lanes relate to each other, sometimes more closely coordinated and sometimes more loosely coordinated.
- Phase State Change would be a change in traffic represented by vehicles reorganising across lanes, moving from one overall coordination pattern into another.
- Each of the 4 parts can have flexible & inflexible expressions and resilient & non-resilient expression.
OVERVIEW OF AMPLITUDE
- Amplitude is the amount of cars on the road, the amount of energy in the system
OVERVIEW OF DURATION
- Duration is the amount of time a traffic pattern lasts.
OVERVIEW OF FREQUENCY & FREQUENCY BANDS
- Each Frequency Band is a general category for a broad type of states:
- Frequency is one of the 4 properties of brain signals (covered above).
- Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz) – you might have a brain signal travelling at 10 Hz.
- Delta has the slowest speeds, Theta a little faster, Alpha cruising speed, Beta high-speed, and Gamma the fastest lane of all.
- Frequency Bands are groups of frequencies.
- Each band represents a range of speeds (Hz) and is linked with certain mental states (sleep, relaxation, focus, etc.):
- Delta (0.5–4 Hz) – the slowest waves, linked with deep sleep and restoration
- Theta (4–8 Hz) – light sleep, dreaming, creativity, and relaxed states.
- Alpha (8–12 Hz) – calm focus, learning, “in the zone.”
- Beta (12–30 Hz) – active thinking, problem-solving, alertness.
- Gamma (30–100 Hz) – the fastest, associated with memory, learning, and high-level cognition.
OVERVIEW OF SHIFT
- Shiftis is the change.
- It is acceloration, breaking, changing lanes
INTRODUCING PHASE STATE
- Introducing a new ‘brain’ term now – Phase States.
- Phase States is a term that refers to how things are lining up and synchronizing.
- The Phase State is the result how the lanes of vehicles are in relation to each other.
- Imagine cars across lanes all suddenly syncing up – speeding up, slowing down, or even bunching together side-by-side.
- These co-ordination patterns are examples of different Phase State.
PHASE STATE CHANGE
- An example of changes in phase state is when there is a traffic accident on the other side of the highway
- Next time you are driving on the highway, observe how the cars move in and out of phase, each making small adjustments.
- Like traffic, it can shift from small things: a sudden brake light, weather, or roadworks can ripple through and reorganise the flow.
- That phase state can break apart, and the neurons lose their tight coordination.
- In the brain, tiny changes like stress, distraction, or old patterns can do the same, shifting the synchrony of signals.
- Sometimes the brain is stuck in a frequency banding, just like sometimes there is is a traffic jam.
- Phase States are dynamic (always changing) – this is why NeurOptimal can work with them so well as it is a Non-Linear Dynamical Neurofeedback system.
SEEING THE FUTURE – NEUROPTIMAL® INTERPRETS THE BRAIN’S MORE COMPLEX INFORMATION – THE “FLUTTER”
- Along with the 4 dimensions of brain activity (Amplitude, Frequency, Duration & Shift) mentioned in the previous section, the developers of NeurOptimal® also discovered another phenomenon about the brain:
- They realised the brain activity ‘fluttered’ when it was about to have a phase state change.
- Going back to the highway example, a phase-state change is like when the whole environment suddenly changes.
- Think – It seems like all of a sudden, the traffic has changed – but there is always conditions that proceeds that change.
- The brain will switch states suddenly like this also. We’ve all been there right? It can be like the rug was pulled out from under you!
- NeurOptimal® has the ability to ‘see’ this ‘flutter’ in the brain before it changes state.
- Like driving an a warning comes on the dashboard ahead of time, letting you know something is about to change.
- Instead, there’s a moment of irregularity — a brief fluctuation in the signal
- So, NeurOptimal® can offer this insight to the brain ahead of time.
- The brain can then take that information and make adjustments if it wants – to change state or not change states.
- This observation & reporting of ‘flutter’ is what makes NeurOptimal® very unique in giving the brain an insight it didn’t have before.
OVERVIEW OF HOW NEUROPTIMAL® CAN HELP THE BRAIN ‘SEE’ ITSELF
- like looking in a mirror.
- NeurOptimal® is non-invasive meaning it doesn’t tell the brain what to do. It simply observes what the brain is naturally doing.
- NeurOptimal doesn’t give direction, just information.
- Just like a mirror simply offers you information on how you look – but doesn’t tell you how to look.
- This is information the brain can use to make changes it didn’t know it needed, which can lead to more balance and flexibility.
- So to recap:
- First, the brain is simply sending it’s natural electrical signals.
- Second, NeurOptimal® is simply observing what the brain is doing.
NEUROPTIMAL® – SUPPORTING FLEXIBILTY AND RESILIANCE
- We now know that NeurOptimal® can see the future by detecting the “flutter’ before a shift occurs.
- We have also overviewed the 4 main parts of the information coming from the brain –
- Amplitude –
- Frequency,
- Duration,
- Shift.
- But realise that NeurOptimal® is observing & responding to the whole signal so it is worth mentioning some other relevant parts:
- Stability – How quickly the brain reorganises after a shift.
- Complexity – How rich/diverse the signal patterns are.
- Coherence – How well different regions coordinate, overlaps with phase but broader.
- Because the brain is dynamical and ever changing the
- These purpose of letting the brain know about this information is to support flexibility and resilience:
- Flexibility means that the brain can adapt and change more easily
- Resilience means that the brain
- We know now that NeurOptimal® does this by offering feedback to the brain in a language it understand at the precise moment for the brain to receive it.
THE POSITION OF THE FEEDBACK INTERRUPTION IS DETERMINED – JOINT TIME FREQUENCY ANNALYSIS (JTFA)
- We now know about the information from the brain and that the NeurOptimal® software has received the digitised data.
- But how does it actually take all this data and decide what to give feedback on?
- NeurOptimal® uses advanced mathematical principles.
- To observe the 4 Dimensions of information & the ‘flutter’ NeurOptimal® uses a process called Joint Time-Frequency Analysis.
- Joint Time-Frequency Analysis (JTFA) is a fancy term for: the brain has a lot happening at once (joint), it unfolds over time & patterns (time-frequency), and it’s being examined (analysis).
- To do this analysis (JTFA), NeurOptimal® organises the information in 20 parts.
- 10 for the left hemisphere
- 10 for the right hemisphere
- Each of these 20 containers are called Time Frequency Envelopes.
TIME FREQUENCY ENVELOPES
- Each envelope observes different frequencies outputted, some overlap so cover the same frequency twice, some don’t.
- You can see a display of these envelopes by clicking here.
- Each envelope slides seamlessly with the brain’s natural movement but they contain a guidepost that the brain can freely cross.
- These guidepost represent an extreme.
- The ‘flutter’ detected indicates that the brain is about to do something extreme.
- NeurOptimal want to let the brain know it is moving pass a guidepost. This is what triggers the feedback.
- Remember, the NeurOptimal® software is not trying to contain the brain or make it conform, it is merely offering it information that it might want to know about it’s ‘extreme’ movements.
- Remember, the brain can ALWAYS ignore the feedback offered and continue doing what it is doing, it is in control.
- The physical display in the program is called the Matrix Mirror, which you can see here.
- Base on the brain stepping over the guidepost, NeurOptimal® has determined where it wants to deliver feedback so it is ready to overlay it onto the audio track.
- This is the 6th Step in what we call the NeurOptimal® Cycle and is covered in the next section
- We know the brain is always trying to come back to the most comfortable point.
- Naturally how your brain is right now, is it’s most comfortable point – this doesn’t mean you feel comfortable. ‘Comfortable’ is where your brain naturally rests and feels most familiar.
- The brain already uses 25% of the bodies calories so it needs to be as efficient as possible so it takes short cuts & uses patterns when it can. So next time you think you are lazy, just know, your brain is built to be lazy!
- NeurOptimal observes all frequencies except for – 7Hz.
- So NeurOptimal observes 1Hz – +49Hz over nearly the entire brain.
THE MATRIX MIRROR
6. THE FEEDBACK INTERRUPTION IS OVERLAID ON THE AUDIO TRACK & SENT TO THE HEADPHONES
- NeurOptimal® software has determined where it wants to offer information to the brain by way of a feedback interruption to the audio track.
- Remember the NeurOptimal® process is happening 256 times per second but the feedback interruption will not occur that often, otherwise you would never hear the audio.
- The default audio track is pre-loaded in the NeurOptimal® software and will automatically play when a session begins.
- The default track was professionally mastered for NeurOptimal® by Grammy Award winner Jeff Bova. Click here to listen to a sample of it.
- The audio track, in general, is simply a carrier for the interruption – if you couldn’t hear anything, there would be nothing to interrupt; therefore your brain wouldn’t register any feedback.
- So remember, it doesn’t matter what the audio is, as long as it is continuous and that you can hear it.
- This is the reason we can also play movies or alternate music through the headphones.
- The type, style, genre of audio isn’t important, it is simply a carrier for the interruption.
- The default track is calming and pleasant, but it’s not essential to the results. Even heavy metal or kids’ music can be used, as long as it plays, and is heard, continuously.
- NeurOptimal® then seamlessly overlays the feedback interruption on the audio and sends it through the headphones.
- The headphones must be corded – Bluetooth headphones like Air Pods cause a slight delay therefore the brain can not match up what it is doing and the feedback interruption being delivered.
- This is why we supply corded, Sennheiser 400 headphones with our kit so you don’t have to think about supplying your own – honestly, who has corded headphones these days!.
- Once the feedback interruptions are precisely laid over the chosen audio, the result is sent through the headphones for the user to hear.
- This is the 7th Step in what we call the NeurOptimal® Cycle and is covered in the next section.
7. THE AUDIO TRACK WITH FEEDBACK INTERRUPTION IS HEARD BY THE USER
- The user is setup with the headphones on at an appropriate level.
- They will hear the audio and the feedback interruptions.
- Interruptions can sound like a few things – static on the line, the cracking of a campfire, a full pause. Click here to hear what the interruptions can sound like.
- The feedback interruptions can be quiet, quick, or long, sometimes it can even be a complete pause in the audio.
- NeurOptimal is programmed to deliver the same amount of feedback each session but remember, it is always responding to the individual. So every session & every person will receive feedback based on where they are at.
- This brain is only registering the break so the duration or intensity of the interruption doesn’t matter.
- During the sessions, the user does not need to be actively participating in any interaction with the system.
- The user can be multitasking, working on their computer, reading, colouring in, meditating and even sleeping! As long as they can hear the audio and the interruptions with the sensors on, the process is working.
- The feedback is received by the brain non-consciously. This means that
- When the interruptions are registered though the audio, the brain registers this as a change and draws a correlation between it’s internal activity and the interruption.
- During this time, the brain is receiving information it did not have prior so it can respond by self-organising.
- This is the 8th and last step in what we call the NeurOptimal® Cycle and is covered in the next section.
8. THE BRAIN INTERPRETS THE FEEDBACK AND CAN RESPOND BY SELF-ORGANISING
- The brain hears these interruptions and can understand the correlation between what it is doing inside and the placement of the interruption.
- The brain is always monitoring and filtering its environment – mostly for threats.
- The brain is used to it’s chaotic internal environment but can register this interruption as something it needs to pay attention to.
- Think about it like a deer that is grazing by a busy road, it will filter out the chaotic traffic noise. But if it hears a twig snap, it will stop and pay absolute attention and respond accordingly – sometimes ignoring it, sometimes reacting.
- So, the brain has it’s normal brain activity, it hears the interruption and is snapped into the present moment to respond.
- Becasue the brian is dynamical and ever changing NeurOptimal needs to shift with the ever changing brain. Linear Neurofeedback device move in a straight line, where as NeurOptimal moulds its self where the brain is moving.
- It then can draw a correlation between what is going on internally and the placement of the break.
- Then it can respond.
- The brain has chosen to self-organise and adjust, or remain the same.
- Over time, through this process, the brain learns more about itself and can move itself into a more balanced and flexible state.
- As the brain is learning and changing real time, NeurOptimal has a way of adapting and moving with it called Auto NAV.
- Auto NAV is the mathematical process by which the program is responding to the brain responding. Think like two dancers where the brain is leading and NeurOptimal is responding but talking the brain through so the brain then can respond with new steps, then NeurOptimal responds; and so on.
- Auto NAV moves the Zen Modes around the dynamic nature of the brain. As the brain moves it moves the target rages / Time Frequency Envelopes.
- Zen Modes are four modes that the trainee goes through during their session:
- Zen 1 – Warm Up
- Zen 2 – Letting Go, Releasing, Leaf and right Hemisphere communication
- Zen 3 – Working Deeply, synchronisation through chaos
- Zen 4 – Release
- This is the end of the process and this process repeats itself 256 times per second.
- The cycle begins again at 1. but this time, the brain outputs its natural, dynamical activity only this time, the natural activity can be more flexible and balanced and
- The brain can establish a ‘new normal’ and results can compound from there.
THE CYCLE REPEATS & THE BRAIN CAN COMPOUND LEARNING CREATING A NEW NORMAL
- NeurOptimal Neurofeedback repeats this entire cycle 256 times per second.
- NeurOptimal® software is a proprietary tool refined over 25 years through innovation, science and evolution beyond Linear Neurofeedback technology.
- Meaning, one by one, the constraints of Linear Neurofeedback approaches were resolved and new features and solutions were purpose‑built and added.
- With each exchange of information, the brain is learning more and more about itself and can self-organising in response.
- The brain is learning about itself at a near real time speed – i.e The brain outputs information, then its reflected back, over and over again.
- This is why we can say that it meets the user “where they are at” because the system is doing that ‘dance’ back and forth regardless of a diagnosis. NeurOptimal is in a permanent state of reflecting back the inputs that it is receiving.
- Standard Neurofeedback systems rely on information on a one time Q.E.E.G taken at the beginning of what could be a training program of 40 sessions. Then each session the trainer is making decisions on how to give your brain direction based on information from weeks, maybe months ago. This is using old information to make changes to your brain. So you could have grown, but they treat the brain as how it was weeks prior.
- This full cycle with NeurOptimal repeats 256 times per second for the 33.5 minute duration of the session.
- This means your brain has over 500,000 cyclic opportunities over each session to learn about itself and use this information to optimise the way your brain helps you perceive, think and feel.
- This all occurs while you are listening to music.
© All Images and Text Copy are original and meticulously (& painstakingly) correlated, written & hand-drawn by Gema of Neurofeedback Rentals. Therefore all content contained herein remains the sole property of Neurofeedback Rentals / Clear Mind Space / Valor Pty Ltd. Copying or replication in anyway will be legally addressed.
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- Comprehensive Instruction Manual
- Conductive Gel | Wet Wipes | Stylus Pen
- Unlimited Extensions $750 | 4 weeks
- Session Tracking Sheets
- FREE “Improving Focus Pack” Add-On
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3. Additional Articles & Resources
EFFECTS & BENEFITS
We want you to understand the typical results NeurOptimal® has had with other clients and how that made a difference in their lives.
The effects are the changes you notice in your brain as it responds to the feedback: things like clearer thinking, better sleep, or feeling less reactive.
The benefits are the real-life results you notice, like calmer mornings, easier decisions, or feeling more like yourself again.
Please click to see what other clients have experienced.
HOW THE EFFECTS OF NEUROPTIMAL® FEEL
I have been using NeurOptimal personally for nearly 10 years and have been providing it as a service to close to 6.
It is the strangest feeling when your brain begins to self-regulate and you can feel the effects.
I often used to describe the feeling to in-office clients & they wouldn’t tell me until after a few sessions (when they started to feel the effects themselves) how weird they thought I was!
Gema 🙂
NEUROPTIMAL® VS LINEAR SYSTEMS
You may have realised by now there are a couple of different types of Neurofeedback devices available. Super confusing, right?
We have compiled this table to break down the differences between the types in a clear and detailed manner.
We have found over our 6 years in providing Neurofeedback that every person has different need & preferences. So, our hope is that this adds to the clarity you need to feel comfortable moving forward with a NeurOptimal rental through us.
SENSOR HOOKUP GUIDE
We want you to feel confident in the setup. It looks daunting, but to reassure you it is straightforward and after a few sessions, you will feel like a pro!
In this simple hook-up guide you will see what’s involved in connecting the 5 Sensors to your scalp and ears.
The position of the sensors remains the same for each session and each person and we supply all of the gel required.
ARTICLE EXTRACT – Fundamental Principles of NeurOptimal® and How It Works, Craig Walker, 11 June 2024, Linked In
Craig Walker is Education, Support, Social Media at Zengar Institute Inc (the creators of NeurOptimal). He knows the system back to front and kindly wrote this article for the professional trainer / provider audience.
So, we have extracted the relevant parts from Craig’s original article to make it easier for you to read and digest some of the science and terms behind the system.
ARTICLE – A HISTORY OF NEUROPTIMAL® – Susan Dermit Brown Ph.D.
This page contains an article written by one of the co-creators of NeurOptimal®, Susan Dermit Brown Ph.D.
It is directly & wholly cut from the NeurOptimal® Website.
It follows the journey of her and her husband to be, Val Brown and their combined development of the NeurOptimal® system over the course of the last 25 years.
ARTICLE – EVOLUTION OF LINEAR TO NON-LINEAR – Susan Dermit Brown Ph.D.
This page contains an article written by one of the co-creators of NeurOptimal®, Susan Dermit Brown Ph.D.
It is directly & wholly cut from the NeurOptimal® Website.
It follows the journey of the development of NeurOptimal® from the traditional Linear Neurofeedback systems over the course of the last 25 years.
QUICK, GLOBAL OVERVIEW OF NEUROPTIMAL®
This page first gives an overview of the NeurOptimal® community & statistics & the exceptional stories of the NeurOptimal® creators Val and Sue Brown.
We aim to show you that NeurOptimal® are market leaders in Neurofeedback technology & how the creators’ unique understanding of the human brain lead to the development of a Neurofeedback system that achieves such incredible results.
UNDERSTANDING NEUROPTIMAL® (20mins)
This video was released by NeurOptimal® a simple explainer video.
The Vision Behind NeurOptimal® (23mins)
The Vision Behind NeurOptimal® offers a rare glimpse into the philosophy, challenges, and inspiration behind 25 years of innovation. Thank you, Najiba and Val!
DAVE ASPBREY & VAL BROWN TALK NEUROPTIMAL®
This is a Podcast Episode that features NeurOptimal’s® creator Val Brown speaking with Dave Asprey.
In this episode, the Dave chats with Dr. Valdeane Brown, founder of NeurOptimal®, about how this EEG-based brain training can boost performance, ease challenges like migraines and PTSD, and support emotional resilience. Dr. Brown shares stories from his diverse background and explains how he and his wife Sue created NeurOptimal® to make personal transformation simple and accessible for everyone.
Dave Asprey is an entrepreneur and author known for founding the biohacking movement, which focuses on using science and technology to improve health, energy, and mental performance. He promotes a self-optimisation approach to life and has become a leading voice in the world of personal wellness and peak performance.
TELL US IF WE ARE MISSING SOMETHING!
We want to make sure you have all the information you need!
We’re always happy to answer questions and guide you through the process.
Please let us know if you’d like more details by enquiring below:
All Neurofeedback Rental Kits include:
- Unlimited sessions
- Unlocked for the whole household to use
- Nominate Additional Users During Rental
- Full Return Postage Covered
- Full Insurance Coverage
- Remote support where required
- 100+ Movies as an alternate to the music
- NeurOptimal® System & Sensors
- Sennheiser® 400 Noise Cancelling Headphones
- Comprehensive Instruction Manual
- Conductive Gel | Wet Wipes | Stylus Pen
- Unlimited Extensions $750 | 4 weeks
- Session Tracking Sheets
- FREE “Improving Focus Pack” Add-On
SENT EXPRESS POST NEXT BUSINESS DAY
ARRIVE 1-3 DAYS DEPENDING ON LOCATION IN AUSTRALIA
