Brain Mapping Results: Understanding Mental Health Symptoms & Diagnoses

Clinically Reviewed by:

Dr. Michael Kane, MD, CAP

Chief Medical Director

Most mental health symptoms are not caused by structural problems in the brain seen in traditional labs or scans. Instead, issues are related to how the brain is functioning. ⓘ

Brain mapping looks at brainwave activity in specific brain regions compared to a large database of people of similar demographics. It helps bring clarity to symptoms that have been dismissed or unhelped by standard treatment. ⓘ

For example:

• You struggle with focus even if nothing appears “wrong”
• You feel anxious without a clear external trigger
• You feel mentally exhausted even after rest

What Can Brain Mapping Diagnose?

Brain mapping is a tool that gives us more insight into how your brain is functioning in real time. No single brain pattern equals a diagnosis. ⓘ

For example:

• Two people with anxiety may have very different brain activity
• The same brain activity pattern can show up in different conditions

While brain mapping is always interpreted alongside a full clinical evaluation, it can help to better understand and diagnose:

• ADHD
• Anxiety Disorders
• Bipolar Disorder
• Depression / Mood Disorders
• OCD
• PTSD

ADHD

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms like difficulty focusing, starting tasks, or staying consistent are often linked to underactivity in the brain’s focus and control centers. When these areas aren’t fully engaged, it can make it harder to stay on track, even when you’re trying. This is where brain mapping for ADHD can help identify the underlying patterns.

Common Brain Regions:

• Prefrontal cortex (underactive)
• Anterior cingulate cortex (underactive)

Common Brainwave Patterns:

• High theta (slow waves)
• Low beta (reduced focus activity)

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety symptoms such as racing thoughts, constant worry, or feeling on edge are often tied to overactive threat and alert systems in the brain. Using brain mapping for anxiety can help pinpoint overactive areas driving this response. When these systems stay “on,” it can be difficult for the brain to shift into a calm or relaxed state. ⓘ

Common Brain Regions:

• Prefrontal cortex (overactive)
• Amygdala (overactive, inferred)
• Temporal lobes (heightened activity)

Common Brainwave Patterns:

• High beta (fast waves)

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar symptoms involve shifts in mood, energy, and control that often reflect changes in how emotional and regulatory regions of the brain are functioning. These patterns can vary depending on whether someone is in a low or elevated state.

Common Brain Regions:

• Limbic system (dysregulated, inferred)
• Temporal lobes (dysregulated activity)
• Prefrontal cortex (inconsistent regulation — underactive during depression, less control during elevated states)

Variable Brainwave Patterns Depending on State:

• Depressive states: High theta, Low alpha
• Elevated states: High beta

Depression / Mood Disorders

Symptoms like low motivation, emotional heaviness, or loss of interest are often linked to reduced activity in areas responsible for drive and regulation, along with increased activity in emotional processing centers. Using brain mapping for depression can help identify these imbalances and guide targeted treatment.

Common Brain Regions:

• Limbic system (overactive or dysregulated, inferred)
• Prefrontal cortex (underactive)

Common Brainwave Patterns:

• High theta (slow waves)
• Low alpha (difficulty relaxing)

OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms, including intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors, are often connected to overactive circuits involved in control, error detection, and thought regulation. This can make it difficult to shift away from certain thoughts or behaviors.

Common Brain Regions:

• Prefrontal cortex (overactive)
• Anterior cingulate cortex (overactive)

Common Brainwave Patterns:

• High beta (rigid, repetitive patterns)

PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms like hypervigilance, emotional reactivity, and difficulty feeling safe are often related to an overactive threat response and reduced regulation from higher-level control areas of the brain.

Common Brain Regions:

• Amygdala (overactive, inferred)
• Temporal lobes (heightened activity)
• Prefrontal cortex (underactive regulation)

Common Brainwave Patterns:

• High beta
• Dysregulated alpha

Symptoms Related to Different Brain Regions

Patients often think in terms of diagnosis, but brain mapping looks deeper.

Most people don’t fit neatly into one diagnosis pattern. It’s common to see overlapping patterns that don’t fully match a single diagnosis but still explain what you’re feeling. ⓘ

For example, you may not meet the criteria for ADHD, but if the prefrontal cortex is underactive, it can still affect your focus and follow-through. That pattern can be treated directly and may explain why therapies haven’t fully worked.

Instead of guessing, brain mapping helps identify what’s actually going on and where treatment should be focused.

Prefrontal Cortex

The prefrontal cortex is the area in the front of the brain, behind your forehead. It is responsible for focus, decision-making, impulse control, and emotional regulation. It is one of the most important regions for day-to-day functioning.

Limbic System

The limbic system is deep in the center of the brain and helps regulate mood, emotions, and threat detection.

Amygdala

The amygdala is the alarm system of the limbic system that detects danger and activates fear and the stress response. It is located deep inside the center of the brain.

Anterior Cingulate Cortex

The anterior cingulate cortex sits near the middle of the brain, between the frontal lobes. It plays a key role in attention, error detection, and the ability to shift between thoughts.

Temporal Lobes

The temporal lobes are located on the sides of the brain near the ears. They are involved in memory, emotional stability, and processing sounds and language.

Parietal Lobes

The parietal lobes are located toward the top and back of the brain. They help process sensory information and maintain awareness of your body and environment.

Occipital Lobes

The occipital lobes are located at the back of the brain and are responsible for visual processing. While they are measured in brain mapping, they are not typically a primary focus in interpretation.

In some cases, patterns in this area may relate to visual sensitivity or feeling overstimulated in busy environments, but they are rarely used on their own to guide diagnosis or treatment.

Symptoms Related to Different Brainwave Patterns

Most symptoms are not caused by just one brain region.

They are usually a combination of:

• Where activity is happening
• How that activity is functioning
• How different areas of the brain are working together

Understanding these patterns can help explain why symptoms feel the way they do and guide more targeted treatment.

Beta Waves

Beta waves are involved in focus, alertness, and active thinking. They help you stay engaged, solve problems, and respond to what’s happening around you.

Alpha Waves

Alpha waves help the brain relax and reset. They play a role in calmness, mental clarity, and the ability to shift out of stress.

Theta Waves

Theta waves are linked to internal processing, memory, and attention. They are important for creativity and reflection, but too much or too little can affect focus.

Brainwave Balance & Connection

If activity isn’t balanced across the brain or if different parts of the brain are not communicating well, these can lead to symptoms affecting mood, emotions and stability.

NOTE: Gamma and delta waves are not used because they both do not have a consistent connection to mental health systems or diagnosis. Also, gamma waves are hard to measure reliably with qEEG, and delta waves have little activity outside of deep sleep.

How We Use Brain Mapping

Once brain mapping identifies patterns, the next step is using that information in a way that actually helps you feel better.

Instead of relying on trial and error, it allows your mental health treatment to be more focused and intentional. The goal is to understand what is driving your symptoms and address those patterns directly.

Brain mapping helps us:

1. Identify which patterns are most disruptive
2. Prioritize what to treat first
3. Guide targeted approaches like:
   • TMS (stimulating underactive areas of the brain)
   • Biofeedback (training your brain to regulate itself)
   • GeneSight testing (if medications seem helpful)
   • Therapy that focuses on the areas most affecting your symptoms (including innovative options like Spravato ketamine therapy and EMDR)

Brain mapping makes treatment more efficient and more personalized, especially if previous treatments haven’t worked as expected.