Frequently Asked Questions
Get to know more about Mente, the company behind it and the therapy we offer.
Click on a question to view the answer.
Who is Neurotech?
Neurotech International Limited, is a medical device and solutions company incorporated in Australia, which operates through its Malta-based subsidiary, AAT Research. Neurotech’s primary mission is to improve the lives of people with neurological conditions, with a vision of becoming the global leader in home-use and clinical neurotechnology solutions that are both accessible and affordable. Through flagship device Mente and its associated platform, Neurotech is focused on the development and commercialisation of technological solutions for the screening and treatment of symptoms associated with conditions such as autism.
Mente is the world’s first home therapy that is clinically proven to improve relaxation in autistic children with elevated Delta band brain activity.
What is Mente?
Mente is a light and portable neurofeedback device that delivers brain entrainment with tailor-made sounds.
Mente is an easy-to-use, effective neurofeedback that has already demonstrated its efficacy as a home-based tool in reducing stress-induced symptoms and behavioural issues in the ASD population, which showed a specific dysfunctional neural profile.
Is Mente certified as a medical device? What certifications does it hold?
Who can use Mente?
How long should a patient make use of the Mente system?
Is there an optimal age to use Mente?
Yes, the ideal period is throughout childhood. Mente is tested and indicated for children between 3-12.
What is neurofeedback training?
In Mente, brainwave activity is only acquired by the electrodes in the Mente headband. Specialized software then processes the brain’s activity and delivers auditory stimulation that influences brainwave levels.
The auditory stimulation is represented by binaural beats which are ‘returned’ to the patient to induce the brain to work in a desirable pattern. Changes are short-lived at first, but then gradually become more enduring.
What are binaural beats or auditory stimulation?
The binaural beats then cause the brainwaves to begin resonating in tune with the beat. With Mente, auditory stimulation frequencies are produced according to the brainwave reading of the EEG.
By creating auditory stimulation at a particular frequency, the brain is triggered to resonate at that same frequency, automatically inducing brain activity in the respective waveform spectrum. To listen to a sample of the sound below:
Mente records different types of brain waves – can you tell me more about them?
Among the basic waveforms are the alpha, beta, delta and theta rhythms. These basic rhythms are associated with different mental states.
Alpha waves occur at a frequency of 8 to 12 cycles per second in a regular rhythm. In general, they are present when you are awake, relaxed and have your eyes closed. Usually they disappear when you open your eyes or start mentally concentrating.
Beta waves occur at a frequency of 13 to 30 cycles per second. Normally beta rhythms occur in individuals who are alert and attentive to external stimuli or are exerting specific mental effort. Beta waves are also present during tension, agitation and anxiety.
Delta waves occur at a frequency of 0.5 to 3.5 cycles per second. They are generally prominent during sleep or when there is unconscious activity. As people move from lighter to deeper stages of sleep, the occurrence of alpha waves diminishes and is gradually replaced by the lower frequency delta waves.
Theta waves occur at a frequency of 4 to 8 cycles per second. This particular frequency range is involved in daydreaming and sleep. They are connection with feeling deep and raw emotions. Too much theta activity may make people prone to bouts of depression, ADHD and inattentiveness. Too little can lead to anxiety, poor emotional awareness and stress.
Does Mente interfere with other therapies?
Are there any side effects?
What will Mente do with all the data it's collecting?
What type of sensors are used?
Five top-of-the-line sensors are used to ensure optimum quality EEG acquisition. The sensors use the latest lower impedance electrodes and generate far less noise. The sensors have passed the ISO 10993-1 biocompatibility test.
Front sensor:
• Dry surface to user’s skin
• Consists of a conductive membrane behind which is electrode gel typically used in clinical EEG systems
• Cushioned sensor surface conforms to irregular body surfaces better than metal discs
• Low-noise conduction between body and sensor
• Stable Ag/AgCl Interface
• Impedance 10 – 100 K on unprepared skin
Back sensor:
• Novel shape optimized for hair penetration and scalp contact
• Special silver coating imparts optimal conductivity to the sensor’s surface for the best possible signal transduction
• Flexible material safely flattens under pressure – no hard metal pins
• Flexible legs slide under hair strands for scalp contact
• Impedance 100 – 2000 K on unprepared skin
Note about Flex sensors
The Flex sensor is designed so that its flexible legs will move through the hair to the scalp.
The Flex sensor is designed and structured so that the legs splay outward and can flatten against the head. However, it is never necessary to apply enough pressure to significantly flatten the sensors against the scalp.
They only need enough pressure so that their feet touch the scalp and resist sliding. More pressure than that only increases discomfort and reduces the effective life of the sensor.
It may help to wait one up to five minutes after the sensor is placed on the head before attempting further adjustment (to the headband) to allow the signal to stabilize. Electrode contact impedance drops dramatically after a few minutes on contact making it easier to work with.
It is never necessary to press hard or flatten the sensor on the scalp – this will not improve the signal, will be needlessly uncomfortable, and will prematurely wear down the sensor.
How can I ensure that the home-based therapy is functioning throughout the session?
Can we use headphones instead of the earphones supplied?
Are there conditions where Mente’s auditory feedback is not advisable /suitable?
- History of epilepsy and /or sporadic episodes of epileptic activity.
- History of hearing impairments or sensory sensitivities
- Psychiatric and neurological conditions such as Rett’s Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD), Bipolar/Psychotic disorders.
Mente is intended for children between the ages of 3 and 12 who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
What is a QEEG and how will this help?
The qEEG is an assessment tool that objectively and scientifically evaluates a patient’s brainwave function allowing to determine any abnormalities and pinpoint areas that need improvement in brain function. It can also help the identification of unbalanced patterns that can underlie attention, impulse control, learning, sensory processing, anger, emotional regulation, and behaviour problems.
qEEG can be interpreted and used as a clinical tool to evaluate and track the changes in brain function due to various interventions such as neurofeedback.
Mente is designed to reduce excessive activations of low- and high- frequency brainwaves, such a Delta and Beta which can be identified by the qEEG. The qEEG will provide also a starting reference, that thanks to this you would be able to measure the progress of the treatment.