The Science of
Neurofeedback
Focus Training

Just like other organs, different parts of your brain have specific jobs. We know this from decades of studying brain function. The Prefrontal Cortex, located right behind your forehead, is the command center for Executive Functions — the essential system responsible for inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility - and focus.

The brain isn’t just a collection of isolated spots; it’s a vast, interconnected network of billions of neurons firing signals to one another.

Since the 1920s, EEG has been the gold standard for monitoring this in real-time. While brain imaging technologies show us the structure or blood flow of the brain, EEG captures the electrical activity — the millisecond-by-millisecond communication that drives your every thought.

A crucial dimension of the brain is that this electrical activity isn't static noise; it moves in rhythmic pulses – brainwaves – that form in frequency bands and are associated with different states of minds, e.g "mind-wandering" is linked to specific rhythms (Theta), while calm, externalized attention is linked to others (Low-Beta).

The specific relationship between Theta (4–8 Hz) and Beta (13–30 Hz) waves, known as the Theta/Beta Ratio (TBR), was first identified by Professor Joel Lubar at the University of Tennessee as a primary biomarker for attentional control. By measuring TBR, scientist can objectively see the signature of a focused mind.

The brain is remarkably plastic, meaning it physically remodels itself based on how it’s used. When we train the brain, we aren't making it "bigger" or "stronger" like a bicep; rather, we are refining and tuning the neural pathways to work more optimally.

This process, called Synaptic Potentiation, ensures that a focused state becomes your path of least resistance. The concept of Synaptic Potentiation (often summarized by Hebb’s Law: 'Neurons that fire together, wire together') was first proposed by Donald Hebb in 1949 and has since been confirmed by decades of cellular neuroscience.

When the brain reaches a desired state and receives an instant reward, it triggers the release of Dopamine. This neurotransmitter acts like "neural cement," strengthening the specific synapses that produced that state. This isn't a trick — this is how the human brain learns anything, from walking to playing an instrument.

We are simply applying this natural learning process to the skill of focus.

Neurofeedback is a well-established and growing field. Think of it as an acoustic guitar tuner. A tuner tells you exactly how far off-pitch you are so you can adjust the tension. By detecting brain activity using EEG and then providing instant feedback back to the brain, the brain learns to tune itself. While neurofeedback is widely recognized for its clinical success in helping people with ADHD, the same principles allow anyone to significantly improve their cognitive performance.

You don’t need a complex medical cap to train focus. Scientific research confirms that the Prefrontal Cortex — the area right behind your forehead — is the primary source of focus-related signals. Peer‑reviewed validation studies has confirmed that using modern dry-sensor EEG technology it is possible to capture high-fidelity data from this specific region, making clinical-grade training accessible anywhere.

When we talk about focus, we are looking at three distinct capabilities:

• Selective Attention: Your "focus beam" that picks out what is important.
• Resisting Distractions: Your "mental blinders" that ignore the noise.
• Sustaining Concentration: Your "focus muscle" that keeps you on task over time.

These abilities are interconnected with the other Executive Functions in the frontal lobe, such as working memory, reasoning, and decision-making. Neuroscientific research on Neural Efficiency shows that as as people become more skilled at a task, the brain actually uses less energy to perform the same task.

In neuroscience, this is known as Long-Term Depression — if neural pathways aren't activated, the brain prunes them. Common practice is to train with higher intensity to initial density to build up these pathways, while occasional maintenance sessions ensure the connections remain strong and efficient.

Effective neurofeedback requires the user’s active engagement and conscious will. Because the brain only rewires when it is intentionally trying to reach a goal, the person’s motivation is a necessary component of the process. While this active participation makes traditional blind controlled studies difficult to perform, it is the very thing that makes the training effective. You are an active participant in your own neural change.

Our data doesn’t just show that people feel more productive; it shows that their brain waves have objectively changed. We measure the physical shift in the Theta/Beta ratio, which indicates a more efficient mental state. These biological changes persist long after the training session is over, meaning the brain has fundamentally learned a new way to operate.

The ultimate proof of the science is the Transfer Effect — moving skills from the training game to the real world. By training the fundamental state of focus, the benefits leak into daily life and professional tasks. Studies have included Olympic athletes and surgeons at Imperial College London, who used similar training to reduce errors under pressure. In our own industrial pilots, we have seen this result in a reduction in human errors, increased concentration and wellbeing.

A tuned brain doesn't just work better in a game; it is more effective on the job.

Read more about our real-world cases