title: Clinical efficacy of galvanic skin response biofeedback training in reducing seizures in adult epilepsy: a preliminary randomized controlled study.
abstract: We investigated the effect of galvanic skin response (GSR) biofeedback training on seizure frequency in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy. Eighteen patients with drug-refractory epilepsy were randomly assigned either to an active GSR biofeedback group (n = 10) or to a sham control biofeedback group (n = 8). Biofeedback training significantly reduced seizure frequency in the active biofeedback group (P = 0.017), but not the control group (P > 0.10). This was manifest as a significant between-group difference in seizure reduction (P 0.01). Furthermore, there was a correlation between degree of improvement in biofeedback performance and reduction of seizure frequency (rho = 0.736, P = 0.001), confirming that the effect of biofeedback treatment was related to physiological change. Our findings highlight the potential therapeutic value of GSR biofeedback in reducing seizure frequency in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK. y.nagai@ion.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Laura H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Peter B C
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Fenwick
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Trimble
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology / Q000379:methods* / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D017029:Epilepsy, Complex Partial / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome