Neurofeedback for opioid dependent patients in an outpatient setting: a pilot feasibility study

Background

When used in combination with other therapies for drug use disorders, neurofeedback (NF) has been classified as "probably effective," according to recent research in the community of people with opioid use disorder. Despite these encouraging results, the severity of the opioid crisis, and the high risk of relapse even with the most effective medication-assisted maintenance therapy, NF remains a little-studied therapeutic option. The possibility of incorporating Alpha/Theta Neurofeedback into standard opioid addiction therapy in an outpatient urban treatment facility is examined in this paper. The goal of the study was to duplicate recent studies from Iran that demonstrated that NF can help those who are addicted to opioids.

Methods

Out of approximately two dozen patients eligible for Alpha/Theta NF, about 60% (n = 15) agreed to participate; however, only 2 participants completed treatment. The rates of enrolment in response to active treatment were monitored.

Results

The 4 factors affecting feasibility were:

(1) the time commitment required of participants and providers,

(2) ineffectiveness of standard incentives to promote participation,

(3) delayed effects of training, and

(4) the challenges of researching treatment options not reimbursed by the insurance companies.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that conducting a large-scale study in the United States to examine the use of NF for the treatment of opioid use disorder will be difficult without modifying the traditional randomised control study approach, and that implementing this treatment in an outpatient setting will be difficult. As a plausible alternative, a single-case technique is presented.