Attention problems can emerge from different underlying patterns. For some people the pattern is classic ADHD. For others it overlaps with autism, sensory regulation difficulties, poor sleep, chronic stress, or the after-effects of head injury. ADHD and autism also frequently co-occur: a 2021 meta-analysis estimated current ADHD in autism at 38.5% and lifetime ADHD at 40.2%, which is one reason they sit on the same page (Rong et al., 2021).
In ADHD, neurofeedback has one of the longest evidence bases in this field. In a multicenter QEEG-informed study of 114 patients, 70% achieved at least 50% symptom reduction and 55% reached remission by the end of treatment (Krepel et al., 2020). In parallel, a meta-analysis of 14 randomized studies found improved laboratory attention performance, driven mainly by better sustained attention (g = 0.32) after neurofeedback (Chiu et al., 2022).
For autism, the most interesting results here come from photobiomodulation and infra-low / infra-slow neurofeedback. In a randomized sham-controlled trial in children aged 2 to 6 years, transcranial photobiomodulation improved autism symptoms by 7.23 CARS points more than sham after 8 weeks (Leisman et al., 2024). In a sham-controlled ILF neurofeedback trial in adolescents with autism, active ILF significantly improved inhibitory control and EEG markers versus sham (Esmaeilzadeh Kanafgourabi et al., 2025). In a separate group study of 35 children with ASD aged 7 to 17, 30 ILF sessions were associated with significant pre/post EEG changes, supporting the broader clinical signal seen in sham-controlled ILF work in adolescents (Saleem et al., 2024).
For attention problems after head injury, the strongest fit is ILF / ISF-style neurofeedback. In a 2025 randomized controlled trial of post-concussive symptoms, ILF neurofeedback significantly improved attention (p = 0.0022), while also improving sleep, depressive symptoms, PTSD symptoms, and quality of life (Carlson et al., 2025). That makes this approach especially relevant when concentration problems are part of a broader post-injury picture.
In practice, I use qEEG here to distinguish a more classic ADHD-like pattern from attention problems linked to sensory dysregulation, poor sleep, overload, or post-concussive changes. When needed, I also step back and look at the broader biological context — for example sleep quality, recovery, inflammation, and nutritional status — so the training is aimed at the underlying driver as well as the presenting symptom.
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