Neurofeedback has traditionally depended on EEG—measuring the brain’s electrical activity from the scalp. EEG is fast, convenient, and widely used, but it comes with limitations. It tells us how fast the brain is firing, but not how hard specific brain regions are working.

Enter fNIRS (functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy)—a technology that measures how much oxygen your prefrontal cortex is actually using. In simple terms, fNIRS shows how active your thinking, planning, and emotional-regulation centers really are.

Now imagine combining this deep-brain insight with the everyday usability of the Muse S Athena headset.

That combination is where the future of neurofeedback lies.
And it’s the reason clinicians worldwide are calling it a genuine shift—a gamechanger.

What Makes fNIRS So Special?

fNIRS doesn’t track “brainwaves.”
It tracks blood flow, specifically oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in the cortex.

This reveals:

• how hard a brain region is working

• how quickly it activates

• whether activation is appropriate for the task

• whether a person can sustain cognitive effort

• how emotional stress affects the brain

In conditions like ADHD, anxiety, and depression, these patterns are often disrupted.

fNIRS makes these invisible processes visible—live, in real time.

Why Muse S Athena Completes the Puzzle

Muse S Athena brings three key advantages:

• comfortable, everyday usability

• accurate sensor placement

• clinically meaningful EEG + sensor fusion

fNIRS tells you where the brain is working.
EEG tells you how it is working.
Athena brings them together in a wearable system anyone can use at home.

This combination gives a level of insight once possible only in labs and research facilities.

Why This Is a Gamechanger for Mental Health

1. We Finally Get Precision Neurofeedback

For years, neurofeedback used generic protocols because EEG alone couldn’t pinpoint which brain area needed training.

With fNIRS:

• you can target the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for ADHD

• the ventromedial prefrontal cortex for anxiety

• the frontopolar cortex for emotional regulation

• the insula-adjacent regions for interoception

• the right prefrontal cortex for attentional vigilance

This is not guesswork.
This is precision-guided brain training.

2. Better Outcomes for ADHD

ADHD is a disorder of prefrontal activation—not just brainwaves.

fNIRS has consistently shown:

• reduced activation in working-memory tasks

• poor task engagement

• early fatigue in attention networks

• difficulty sustaining cognitive effort

Now, instead of training “frequency bands,” we can train the actual activation levels of the brain’s control systems.

Combined with Athena’s comfort and accessibility, this makes ADHD neurofeedback far more targeted than traditional theta/beta methods.

3. A Breakthrough for Anxiety & Emotional Dysregulation

In anxiety, the brain’s worry circuit overrides the regulatory circuits.

fNIRS allows clinicians to watch:

• how emotional stress affects the prefrontal cortex

• whether the calming circuits activate quickly

• whether emotional load shuts down cognitive control

Training these responses can reduce:

• overthinking

• emotional overwhelm

• panic sensitivity

• decision paralysis

This is the holy grail of anxiety treatment:
teaching the brain to stay online under stress.

4. A New Frontier for Sleep Training

Sleep problems often come from overactivation in key prefrontal regions.

fNIRS shows:

• whether the brain is failing to “switch off”

• whether emotional circuits fire at bedtime

• how quickly the cortex relaxes during wind-down

Muse S Athena can then guide feedback that gently encourages relaxation and regulation.
This changes sleep from a nightly struggle into a skill the brain relearns.

5. Powerful for High Performers

Athletes, entrepreneurs, students, and professionals rely on:

• sustained focus

• fast decision-making

• emotional control under pressure

• cognitive endurance

fNIRS neurofeedback helps:

• push activation higher when needed

• calm it faster when the task is done

• regulate overthinking during performance

• improve resilience and recovery

This is brain training for the real world, not just the clinic.

The True Innovation: Accessibility Meets Precision

In the past, fNIRS systems were:

• bulky

• extremely expensive

• found only in universities

• used only for research

Muse S Athena changes everything.

We now have:

• a comfortable headband

• high-quality EEG

• compatibility with fNIRS platforms

• home-based training

• clinician supervision

• real-time, precision-guided programs

It brings elite-level brain analytics into routine care—something unthinkable five years ago.

This is not a gadget.
This is the beginning of the next era of neurofeedback.

The Bottom Line

Combining fNIRS with Muse S Athena represents a true leap forward in mental-health technology. It bridges scientific precision with everyday practicality. It lets clinicians see the brain more clearly and train it more effectively. And it gives individuals the power to work on their mental health from home, with tools once available only in advanced research labs.

For ADHD, anxiety, sleep, emotional regulation, and cognitive performance, this combination is not just an upgrade—it is a transformation.

This is the future of neurofeedback.
And it’s already here.

For fNIRS-Guided Neurofeedback, Muse S Athena Support & Brain-Based Treatment Plans

Dr. Srinivas Rajkumar T, MD (AIIMS), DNB, MBA (BITS Pilani)
Consultant Psychiatrist & Neurofeedback Specialist
Mind & Memory Clinic, Apollo Clinic Velachery (Opp. Phoenix Mall)
✉ srinivasaiims@gmail.com 📞 +91-8595155808