OUR MISSION
We're not going to rest until everybody and their mothers have learned about this revolutionary science and what it means for who we are as humans and how we take care of each other as a society.
We believe the science and technology of HEG are going to be essential for every clinic and education program dealing with brain health, for improving our stress management and resilience, and for honing our creative and competitive edge. We're putting our money where our mouth is by producing affordable tools, free software, and open source everything! Find us on Github!
Check out the academic resources at the bottom of this page!
ABOUT HEMOENCEPHALOGRAPHY (HEG)
Cutting-edge brain science with down-to-earth applications.
Hemoencephalography (HEG) is the measure of blood flow in the brain. It works by emitting two kinds of light, Red and near-Infrared, which pass through the skull, and get absorbed or reflected by blood and brain tissue. HEG devices detect the blood oxygen changes in the brain by analyzing the light that is reflected back. Heart rate monitors used in hospitals and fitness devices use same method, called Pulse oximetry, part of a wider field called Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS).
The more blood being sent to particular regions of the brain, the more energy and activity in that region - the same as any other organ in the body. HEG devices create a live feed of the comings and goings of the mind, and users immediately recognize changes in their mental state by the information on screen.
A KEY TO THE MIND?
Until lately, there has been little discussion of brain blood flow training in the treatment of brain disorders or in developmental health. Your brain is more susceptible to different kinds of stress than any other part of your body, and it will inhibit or permanently damage circulation in key areas like the frontal cortex. This has lifelong impacts on our mental and physical health.
It turns out we can directly strengthen our brain's circulation and potentially reduce a wide array of symptoms with the assistance of an HEG device, along with healthy diet, exercise, and environment. This has massive implications for how we learn about and prevent or treat mental illness across the whole spectrum.
Heart Rate Variability and breathing training are already widespread mental health tools, this takes it a step further with the direct activation of your brain regions via stimulation of blood flow. It's completely non-invasive and self-controlled.
GRASSROOTS SCIENCE
Hershel Toomim (Sc.D.) piloted the first near-Infrared HEG devices at the Biofeedback Institute of LA in the mid-late 90's. He held around 25 patents in RF and biofeedback technology before his passing.
He and Bob Marsh developed the first working nIR HEG devices and produced several thousand for use by therapists and enthusiasts. Hershel and his wife Marjorie, along with Stephanie DuPoint and others, ran an in-patient clinic and lab in LA where they explored the potential of the hardware and different treatment methodologies.
They saw some of the worst cases after the end of state asylums and constantly sought better solutions for individuals to heal and live fuller lives.
TEAM
Joshua Brewster
Founder, Lead Mad Scientist
Benjamin Hale
Co-Founder, Web Developer
RESOURCES
1. Toomim, H, Marsh, R. “Biofeedback of human central nervous system activity using radiation
detection” 1996. USPTO <https://patents.google.com/patent/US5995857A/en>
2. Bentourkia et al. “Comparison of regional cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolism in the
normal brain: effect of aging.” 2000. PubMed. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11099707>
3. Dias et al. “Clinical efficacy of a new automated hemoencephalographic neurofeedback protocol”
2012. NCBI PubMed. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23156903>
4. Gomes et al. “Hemoencephalography self-regulation training and its impact on cognition: A study
with schizophrenia and healthy participants” 2017. NCBI PubMed.
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28882685>
5. Marzbani et al. “Neurofeedback: A Comprehensive Review on System Design and Clinical
Applications” 2016. NCBI PubMed. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4892319/>
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9. Sharma, Anup et al. “Non-Pharmacological Treatments for ADHD in Youth” 2016. NCBI
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FDA Disclaimer. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. *Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.