Neurofeedback is a scientific method for learning self-regulation; a way of teaching the brain to recognize its own activity and adjust in real time.
It combines two powerful principles: feedback and neuroplasticity.
When these work together, people can learn to shape their own mental states; improving focus, calm, and emotional balance through practice.
What Neurofeedback Really Is
Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback: using real-time data about your body’s inner processes to help you gain voluntary control over them.
In this case, the data comes from the brain.
Sensors measure brain activity; often through blood flow and oxygenation (fNIRS) which is what Mendi employs, or electrical signals (EEG), and translate that information into feedback you can see or hear.
For example, when a certain brain region becomes more active or balanced, a visual signal changes, showing the brain’s state in real time.
Through repetition, the brain learns what mental patterns create successful feedback; just as you might learn to balance on a bike by feeling small corrections as you ride.
The Feedback Loop
Every neurofeedback session follows the same core loop:
Measurement: Sensors record brain activity in real time.
Feedback: That data is converted into a visual or auditory signal.
Adjustment: The participant naturally shifts focus or relaxation in response.
Learning: The brain strengthens the neural patterns associated with success.
This process is called closed-loop training; the brain observes its own performance and gradually learns to regulate it.
Why It Works: Neuroplasticity
The brain is not fixed;it changes constantly in response to experience.
This adaptability, known as neuroplasticity, allows repeated feedback training to strengthen desired neural pathways.
Each time someone practices calm attention during neurofeedback, the circuits that support that state become more efficient. Over time, these improvements can generalize beyond training; helping with focus, emotional control, and stress resilience in daily life.
Studies using fNIRS have shown measurable improvements in executive function, working memory, and mood regulation after repeated neurofeedback sessions.
What Part of the Brain Is Usually Trained
Many neurofeedback studies target the prefrontal cortex (PFC); the brain region just behind the forehead that supports attention, planning, impulse control, and emotion regulation.
When people focus or stay calm, the PFC becomes more active.
Neurofeedback helps individuals strengthen their ability to sustain that activation pattern, enhancing both cognitive control and emotional steadiness.
Other protocols target sensory or motor regions, depending on the goal; from improving attention in ADHD to supporting rehabilitation after brain injury.
Beyond Therapy: Neurofeedback as a Learning Tool
While neurofeedback has been used clinically for conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, and depression, it’s fundamentally a learning process, not a medical treatment.
It teaches awareness and control; skills that apply to anyone interested in mental performance, mindfulness, or self-development.
The most effective training is gradual and consistent, giving the brain time to build new habits of regulation.
In Summary
Neurofeedback uses real-time brain data to teach self-regulation.
The process relies on feedback loops and neuroplasticity.
With practice, people can strengthen brain networks for focus, calm, and emotional balance.
It’s not magic or instant - it’s applied neuroscience for learning.