Abstract
Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI) neurofeedback can be used to train localized, conscious regulation of blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals. As a therapeutic technique, rt-fMRI neurofeedback reduces the symptoms of a variety of neurologic disorders. To date, few studies have investigated the use of self-regulation training using rt-fMRI neurofeedback to enhance cognitive performance. This work investigates the utility of rt-fMRI neurofeedback as a tool to enhance human cognition by training healthy individuals to consciously control activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). A cohort of 18 healthy participants in the experimental group underwent rt-fMRI neurofeedback from the left DLPFC in five training sessions across two weeks while 7 participants in the control group underwent similar training outside the MRI and without rt-fMRI neurofeedback. Working memory (WM) performance was evaluated on two testing days separated by the five rt-fMRI neurofeedback sessions using two computerized tests. We investigated the ability to control the BOLD signal across training sessions and WM performance across the two testing days. The group with rt-fMRI neurofeedback demonstrated a significant increase in the ability to self-regulate the BOLD signal in the left DLPFC across sessions. WM performance showed differential improvement between testing days one and two across the groups with the highest increases observed in the rt-fMRI neurofeedback group. These results provide evidence that individuals can quickly gain the ability to consciously control the left DLPFC, and this training results in improvements of WM performance beyond that of training alone.
Highlights
New techniques to induce and control neural plasticity hold the promise of enhancing recovery from brain injury (Jenkins and Merzenich, 1987; Wieloch and Nikolich, 2006), combating brain disease (Baroncelli et al, 2011; Sakas et al, 2007), and even improving human performance in healthy subjects (Buschkuehl et al, 2008; Garlick, 2002; Jaeggi et al, 2011; Jausovec and Jausovec, 2012)
We examined the effect of Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI) neurofeedback on control over the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as well as pre- and post-training performance of n-back Working memory (WM), prospective WM, and vigilance tasks
Our study investigated the effect of rt-fMRI neurofeedback on conscious control over the BOLD signal in left DLPFC and associated changes in behavior
Summary
New techniques to induce and control neural plasticity hold the promise of enhancing recovery from brain injury (Jenkins and Merzenich, 1987; Wieloch and Nikolich, 2006), combating brain disease (Baroncelli et al, 2011; Sakas et al, 2007), and even improving human performance in healthy subjects (Buschkuehl et al, 2008; Garlick, 2002; Jaeggi et al, 2011; Jausovec and Jausovec, 2012). 2002; McKinley et al, 2013; Pascual-Leone et al, 1998; Ziemann et al, 2002), and self-modulation of brain regions and networks based on neurofeedback (Birbaumer and Cohen, 2007; Daly and Wolpaw, 2008; Ros et al, 2010). Of these techniques, selfmodulation methods have the advantage of no known side effects, as well as straightforward translation to neurophysiological exercises that could be performed at home without the use of sophisticated equipment and trained professionals (Mak and Wolpaw, 2009; Vaughan et al, 2006). These encouraging results demonstrate that direct control over neurophysiology can influence behavior and cognition
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