Brain waves helping to treat substance abuse

Nestled in an unassuming hallway on the second floor of Mount Royal’s arts building, the Centre for Psychological Innovation sits, busily occupied by students and faculty conducting research of all kinds. Among them is Dr. Dan Devoe, PhD, an assistant professor with the Department of Psychology. When he’s not teaching or supervising honours students, he can often be found in the lab using EEG (electroencephalogram) machines to research addiction and other substance-use disorders.

“Not a lot of people have investigated opioid use disorders in this way,” Devoe says. “The use of EEG machines in psychological research isn’t new, they were used to look into anxiety disorders starting in the ’70s. More recently, they have been used to conduct research into ADHD.”

Similar to the way the heart produces a pulse, the brain emits electrical activity that can be tracked. An EEG works by attaching small sensors (electrodes) to the scalp, which then pick up the brain’s electrical activity and records it on a graph.

The EEG measures brain waves at five widely recognized frequencies, each corresponding to a different brain state. Delta waves (0.5–4.0 Hz) occur during deep sleep or unconsciousness, while Theta waves (4.0–8.0 Hz) are associated with deep meditation and inward focus. Alpha waves (8.0–13.0 Hz) indicate a relaxed state with some passive attention and Beta waves (13.0–30 Hz) emerge when we are alert, attentive and concentrating. At the highest frequency, Gamma waves (30–100 Hz) represent a state of concentration, problem-solving and information processing.

Devoe’s research primarily looks at Delta, Theta and Alpha waves, with Alpha waves being of particular interest. He says with addictions disorders, researchers can use an EEG to track the brain activity of an affected individual. Once they see someone is in an agitated state, often when a craving may be occuring, they can apply various techniques and therapies to bring someone back to the relaxed state associated with Alpha and Theta frequencies.

“We are training people to put themselves into a more relaxed state. You can actually see your brain waves and train yourself to relax over time,” Devoe says. “People are usually going to addictive substances to find relaxation, but now we can train them to find relaxation in other ways through various therapies and coping mechanisms.”

There are additional insights that can be taken from the use of the EEG machine. It can be used to show what happens in a person’s brain when they look at pictures of substances such as fentanyl, allowing researchers a deeper understanding of how addictions work.

In Devoe’s lab specifically, the EEG machine is used in conjunction with eye-tracking software so researchers can see where someone is looking at precisely the same time as reading their brain waves.

Devoe believes that the combination of these technologies and the right therapies, addictions treatment can shift to that of a recovery-focused model. “Meaning that we can actually help people get back on their feet. We can get them back into employment, school and meaningful social situations.”

Devoe stresses the importance of a blend of therapies, using the EEG’s readings combined with traditional therapeutic treatments. While leading the charge with this research, Devoe is not alone, as he involves his students in his work in the lab. “They are learning how to work with participants or patients and looking at lots of complicated data.” Students also get hands-on experience with some of the technology they will use in their careers.

Devoe’s high-tech machines are mobile, meaning they can go anywhere they need to. Traditionally, the EEG and eye-monitoring software had to be used in a medically-appropriate setting, but the newer, more transportable version allows researchers to travel to gather data.

By helping individuals recognize and regulate their brain activity, this work isn’t just advancing research. It’s giving people the tools to retrain their brains, reclaim their focus and rebuild their lives.