Double-blind single-session neurofeedback training in upper-alpha for cognitive enhancement of healthy subjects (original) (raw)
Related papers
Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback, 2014
The minimization of the non-specific factors of neurofeedback (NF) is an important aspect to further advance in the understanding of the effects of these types of procedures. This paper investigates the NF effects of a single session (25 min) of individual upper alpha enhancement following a sham-controlled experimental design (19 healthy participants). We measured immediate effects after the training and 1-day lasting EEG effects (eyes closed resting state and task-related activity), as well as the event-locked EEG effects during the execution of a mental rotation task. These metrics were computed in trained (upper alpha) and non-trained EEG parameters (lower alpha and lower beta). Several cognitive functions were assessed such as working memory and mental rotation abilities. The NF group showed increased upper alpha power after training in task-related activity (not significantly sustained 1 day after) and higher pre-stimulus power during the mental rotation task. Both groups impr...
The hypothesis was tested of whether neurofeedback training (NFT)—applied in order to increase upper alpha but decrease theta power—is capable of increasing cognitive performance. A mental rotation task was performed before and after upper alpha and theta NFT. Only those subjects who were able to increase their upper alpha power (responders) performed better on mental rotations after NFT. Training success (extent of NFT-induced increase in upper alpha power) was positively correlated with the improvement in cognitive performance. Furthermore, the EEG of NFT responders showed a significant increase in reference upper alpha power (i.e. in a time interval preceding mental rotation). This is in line with studies showing that increased upper alpha power in a prestimulus (reference) interval is related to good cognitive performance.
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 2005
The hypothesis was tested of whether neurofeedback training (NFT)—applied in order to increase upper alpha but decrease theta power—is capable of increasing cognitive performance. A mental rotation task was performed before and after upper alpha and theta NFT. Only those subjects who were able to increase their upper alpha power (responders) performed better on mental rotations after NFT. Training success (extent of NFT-induced increase in upper alpha power) was positively correlated with the improvement in cognitive performance. Furthermore, the EEG of NFT responders showed a significant increase in reference upper alpha power (i.e. in a time interval preceding mental rotation). This is in line with studies showing that increased upper alpha power in a prestimulus (reference) interval is related to good cognitive performance.
The effect of training distinct neurofeedback protocols on aspects of cognitive performance
International Journal of Psychophysiology, 2003
The use of neurofeedback as an operant conditioning paradigm has disclosed that participants are able to gain some control over particular aspects of their electroencephalogram (EEG). Based on the association between theta activity (4-7 Hz) and working memory performance, and sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) activity (12-15 Hz) and attentional processing, we investigated the possibility that training healthy individuals to enhance either of these frequencies would specifically influence a particular aspect of cognitive performance, relative to a non-neurofeedback control-group. The results revealed that after eight sessions of neurofeedback the SMR-group were able to selectively enhance their SMR activity, as indexed by increased SMRytheta and SMRybeta ratios. In contrast, those trained to selectively enhance theta activity failed to exhibit any changes in their EEG. Furthermore, the SMR-group exhibited a significant and clear improvement in cued recall performance, using a semantic working memory task, and to a lesser extent showed improved accuracy of focused attentional processing using a 2-sequence continuous performance task. This suggests that normal healthy individuals can learn to increase a specific component of their EEG activity, and that such enhanced activity may facilitate semantic processing in a working memory task and to a lesser extent focused attention. We discuss possible mechanisms that could mediate such effects and indicate a number of directions for future research. ᮊ
Comparative study of training intensity in neurofeedback
arXiv: Neurons and Cognition, 2019
Neurofeedback has proved to be useful in many instances. This technique is often used to address both medical issues and performance improvement. Despite the wide range of applications, no consensus has been reached about the optimal training schedule. In this work, a practical experiment was conducted aiming to compare the effects of intensive and sparse training modalities of enhancement of the individual upper alpha band at Fz, for working memory improvement, in 19 healthy subjects. The INTENSIVE group was submitted to 4 sessions of 37.5 minutes each, during consecutive days, while the SPARSE group performed 15 sessions of 25 minutes along approximately 2 months. The intensive modality proved to be significantly more effective in increasing the target frequency at Fz within session. However, no significant differences were found across sessions neither regarding cognitive improvements. The distinction between learners and non-learners led to significant results for the two groups...
Individual EEG Alpha Activity Analysis for Enhancement Neurofeedback Efficiency: Two Case Studies
Journal of Neurotherapy, 2010
The hypothesis was tested of whether neurofeedback training applied in order to increase or decrease power of individual EEG frequency ranges is more efficient than neurofeedback training of standard EEG frequency ranges. The sessions of decreasing the theta=beta ratio and reinforcing alpha neurofeedback training were carried out on two outpatients with attention deficit disorder (a schoolboy) and functional pain contraction (a professional musician). The neurofeedback utilizing standard EEG frequency ranges (theta 4-8, alpha 8-12, beta 13-18) was inefficient and even resulted in aggravation of symptoms in both cases. The individualized neurofeedback that utilized individual frequency ranges resulted in substantial clinical improvement. KEYWORDS. EEG, individual alpha band width (IABW), individual alpha peak frequency (IAPF), individual amount of alpha suppression (IAAS), neurofeedback
An Exploratory Study of Training Intensity in EEG Neurofeedback
2021
Neurofeedback training has shown benefits in clinical treatment and behavioral performance enhancement. Despite the wide range of applications, no consensus has been reached about the optimal training schedule. In this work, an EEG neurofeedback practical experiment was conducted aimed at investigating the effects of training intensity on the enhancement of the amplitude in the individual upper alpha band. We designed INTENSIVE and SPARSE training modalities, which differed regarding three essential aspects of training intensity: the number of sessions, the duration of a session, and the interval between sessions. Nine participants in the INTENSIVE group completed 4 sessions with 37.5 minutes each during consecutive days, while nine participants in the SPARSE group performed 6 sessions of 25 minutes spread over approximately 3 weeks. As a result, regarding the short-term effects, the upper alpha band amplitude change within sessions did not significantly differ between the two group...
To examine whether it was possible to improve short-term memory performance of healthy participants by increasing relative alpha band power (7-11.5 Hz) using neurofeedback, we first converted a commercial EEG device (EmotivEpoc) to a neurofeedback tool and collected data from 11 healthy Turkish male graduate students in five neurofeedback sessions. Before and after neurofeedback training, a memorization task using 10 English words and their Turkish meanings was applied to all participants. The results indicated that 6 out of 11 participants were able to enhance their relative alpha band power with respect to other bands in the frequency spectrum during neurofeedback sessions. Although there was no obvious improvement in their short-term memory performance, we may conclude that neurofeedback training was beneficial for the participants to focus their minds consciously. However, it is not easy to mention that neurofeedback training certainly improved or was irrelevant with short-term memory performance. This study is important in the sense that for such a focused group the use of a commercial, customized low-cost EEG device was shown to be feasible for neurofeedback training sessions.