EEG stands for electroencephalography: the measurement of the very small electrical signals produced by the brain, recorded from the surface of the scalp. Those signals are conventionally grouped into frequency bands, and the bands have familiar names. This article explains what the bands describe, what EEG cognitive training does with them, and what that kind of practice is and is not.
What the frequency bands describe
EEG activity is grouped by frequency. Delta and theta are the slower ranges and are most prominent during drowsiness and sleep. Alpha sits in the middle and is often more visible when a person is relaxed and not concentrating on a task. Beta is faster and tends to be more prominent during alert, task-focused activity. Gamma is faster still.
These are descriptive conventions rather than switches. A band is not good or bad in itself, and no single band corresponds to a single mental state. Published EEG research reports averages across groups of people under controlled conditions; a single recording of a single person on a single day is a much noisier thing.
What EEG cognitive training involves
In a session the person wears a headband that records EEG while they work through an exercise on screen. The software turns a feature of the recording into feedback the person can see or hear, and the person practises. Across a series of sessions the software keeps a record of what was measured.
That is the whole mechanism: measure, display, practise, record. It is structured practice with measurement attached. Nothing is administered and nothing is stimulated, and the activity is not supervised care.
Exercise sets and why they differ
Auto Train Brain includes several named exercise sets, among them DREAM1, DREAM2, CALM NF1 and CALM NF2. They differ in which part of the recording the exercise responds to and in how the on-screen task is arranged, and the software selects among them from the measurements it has. Two people using the app may therefore be working with different sets. The names describe the configuration of an exercise and nothing more; they are not treatments and they are not matched to a diagnosis.
How to read claims about brain waves
Brain-wave language is easy to over-read, and two questions are worth asking about any statement in this field. First, is the claim about a measured signal or about an outcome in daily life? Those are different things, and a change in a recording does not by itself establish a change in reading, attention or behaviour. Second, is the source a published study, a company summary, or one person’s account? Each carries a different weight.
A diagnosed condition, a medication question, or a decision about schooling or care belongs with a qualified professional. Cognitive training is a wellness activity and is best treated as one part of an ordinary routine.
Wellness disclaimer: Auto Train Brain, EyeZenith, ATB Edu, ATB Games, and NeuroSphere are wellness tools designed to support cognitive development. They are not medical devices and do not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition. Any assessment or medication decision is a healthcare professional’s decision — always consult your physician. Individual results may vary and may not be typical.
Scientific reference: Eroğlu et al. 2020, Applied Neuropsychology: Child. DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2020.1772794
By Dr. Günet Eroğlu, Founder — Auto Train Brain
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