Feedback of slow cortical potentials – A therapeutical attempt for children?

Objectives: Feedback of slow cortical potentials (SCP) in adult patients with epilepsy showed positive therapeutic effects. Could SCP-Feedback be a useful therapeutic method for children?

Material and Methods: Seventeen healthy children were trained using commercial SCP-feedback equipment. The aim of the training was to achieve control over the level of SCP. The training consisted of 10 sessions within 10 to 15 days. Level of SCP was shown on a monitor and trials required navigation of SCP either in positive or negative direction. After achieving the required direction, the child recieved positive feedback in form of points. At the end of the training, points were exchanged for money. Success was measured through comparison of amplitudes between positive and negative trials.

Results: The participants age ranged from 8.0 to 13.8 (mean 11.1 ys, 9 female). The results of one participant were excluded because of artifacts. Results of the remainders showed considerable amount of variance in amplitude. Although none of the results was significant, there was a tendency for successful differenciation between the two SCP directions after 10 training sessions.

Conclusions: In our chosen setting none of the 17 children was able to control the level of SCP. We suppose that number of 10 sessions is insufficient. SCP-feedback is associated with a considerable expenditure of time that healthy children accept only if sufficiently rewarded. It remains uncertain wether this would be an acceptable method for pediatric patients.