Avicenna Journal of Neuropsychophysiology

en A New Approach to Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome: The Impact of Neurofeedback on Electrophysiological Markers and Patient Symptoms Cognition پژوهشي Research Article Background and Objective: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder with symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits. Emerging evidence suggests that dysregulation of the brain-gut axis plays a central role in IBS pathophysiology. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of neurofeedback therapy in modulating brain wave activity and alleviating IBS symptoms. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group was employed. Thirty female patients with IBS, diagnosed using the Rome III diagnostic criteria, were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The experimental group underwent 20 neurofeedback sessions over six weeks. Quantitative electroencephalography assessed brain wave activity and validated symptom severity scales, measured clinical outcomes. Statistical analyses compared pre- and post-intervention results within and between groups. Results: Neurofeedback therapy significantly normalized alpha and beta brain wave activities in the experimental group (P < 0.01). Participants also reported substantial improvements in IBS symptom severity, including reduced abdominal pain, bloating, and irregular bowel habits (P < 0.01). No significant changes were observed in the control group. Conclusions: Neurofeedback therapy effectively regulates brain wave activity and reduces IBS symptoms, offering a promising complementary approach for managing this chronic disease. These findings suggest that neurofeedback can be incorporated into clinical practice as a non-invasive, adjunctive treatment for IBS. Further large-scale, long-term studies are recommended to confirm these findings and optimize treatment protocols.   Biofeedback Therapy, Brain-Gut Axis, Electroencephalography, Irritable bowel syndrome, Neurofeedback 194 200 http://ajnpp.umsha.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2082-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Behzad Zeinali smt1351@gmail.com 10031947532846008827 0009-0002-346-0133 No Student of General Medicine, TaMS.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran. Seyed Mahmoud Tabatabaei smt@iaut.ac.ir 10031947532846008828 0009-0002-3146-0133 Yes Full Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Medical Physiology, TaMS.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.