THE IMPACT OF NEUROFEEDBACK ON THE COGNITIVE SPHERE IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent deficits in social communication, repetitive behaviors, and varying degrees of cognitive impairment. Traditional therapeutic interventions often yield limited or slow progress in enhancing executive functions, sustained attention, and working memory. This case-control study evaluates the clinical efficacy of Neurofeedback Therapy (NFT)—an EEG-based operant conditioning technique—on the cognitive sphere of pediatric patients with ASD. A cohort of 30 children diagnosed with ASD and 30 age- and sex-matched neurotypical healthy controls were enrolled. The clinical group underwent 20 to 40 sessions of neurofeedback training targeting the suppression of theta waves ($4-8 \text{ Hz}$) and the enhancement of beta ($12-15 \text{ Hz}$) or sensorimotor rhythms (SMR, $12-15 \text{ Hz}$) at the C3, C4, and Cz scalp locations. Standardized neuropsychological testing demonstrated statistically significant baseline deficits in the ASD cohort, followed by significant post-intervention improvements in sustained attention, cognitive flexibility, and visual-spatial memory. The results suggest that neurofeedback acts as a powerful non-pharmacological neuromodulatory tool that directly enhances cognitive regulation by normalizing aberrant cortical electrophysiology in children with autism.