EEG Biofeedback as a Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: Review, Rating of Efficacy, and Recommendations for Further Research

Electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback has been employed in substance use disorder (SUD) over the last three decades. The SUD is a complex series of disorders with frequent comorbidities and EEG abnormalities of several types. EEG biofeedback has been employed in conjunction with other therapies and may be useful in enhancing certain outcomes of therapy. Based on published clinical studies and employing efficacy criteria adapted by the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback and the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research, alpha theta training—either alone for alcoholism or in combination with beta training for stimulant and mixed substance abuse and combined with residential treatment programs, is probably efficacious. Considerations of further research design taking these factors into account are discussed and descriptions of contemporary research are given

The Epidemiology of Herpes Simplex Virus Eye Disease in Northern California

Purpose: To calculate the incidence and prevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) eye disease in a large, well-defined population in Northern California, USA, and to determine the recurrence rate following an initial episode of disease in this cohort. Methods: A retrospective, observational, cohort study using population-based data and medical record review. The patient database of a large, regional health maintenance organization (Northern California Kaiser Permanente) was searched, and the study population consisted of 1,042,351 people over a 1-year study period from 1 July 1998 through 30 June 1999. Only ocular HSV cases with definitive clinical or laboratory confirmed diagnoses were included. Active and inactive cases were included, however only active cases were used in incidence and prevalence calculations. Bilateral disease was counted as one case. Newly diagnosed cases were followed for recurrence from initial presentation through 31 December 2002. Results: After chart review of 322 possible cases, 71 new cases and 59 previously diagnosed active cases of ocular HSV were confirmed. This resulted in an incidence rate of 6.8 new cases/100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval, CI, 5.3-8.6). Incidence increased with age, and rates were highest in people over 75 years of age (p<0.001). The recurrence rate in new cases was 18% for the 3-year follow-up time, and was equal to 5% per year (95% CI 3-9%). Conclusion: The incidence and prevalence of ocular herpes simplex in this study was lower than previously reported. Incidence increased with age, and there were significantly higher rates in the older population

Relationship Between Cooking Fuel and Lens Opacities in South India: A 15-Year Prospective Cohort Study.

PurposeTo determine whether exposure to unclean cooking fuels was associated with subsequent cataract progression as reported in previous cross-sectional studies.DesignProspective cohort study.MethodsThis is a secondary observational analysis of the community-based Antioxidants in Prevention of Cataracts trial (ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT01664819). The exposure of interest was cooking fuel type, measured at baseline. Main outcome measures were baseline cataract severity and self-reported cataract surgery at a 15-year visit.ResultsBaseline and 15-year follow-up data were available for 798 and 579 participants, respectively. Wood or kerosene was used by 711 of 798 (89.1%) baseline participants, including 539 of 579 (93.1%) participants with complete follow-up. Cooking fuel type was not associated with cataract severity at baseline (P&nbsp;=&nbsp;.443). Of 8334 person-years of follow-up, 90 cataract surgeries were observed over 15 years (1.08 surgeries per 100 person-years; 95% CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.87-1.32). Use of wood or kerosene was not associated with 15-year incidence of cataract surgery relative to use of propane (adjusted P&nbsp;=&nbsp;.154). Cataract surgery was more common in older individuals (HR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.1 per year, 95% CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.1-1.2, P &lt; .001), those with baseline myopia (HR&nbsp;=&nbsp;2.1, 95% CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.2-3.5, P&nbsp;=&nbsp;.009), and women (HR&nbsp;=&nbsp;3.5, 95% CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.2-10.1, P&nbsp;=&nbsp;.019).ConclusionsThis study found no association between unclean cooking fuels and cataract progression over a 15-year period. No other modifiable risk factors were associated with incident self-reported cataract surgery