Abstract
Neurofeedback by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a technique of potential therapeutic relevance that allows individuals to be aware of their own neurophysiological responses and to voluntarily modulate the activity of specific brain regions, such as the premotor cortex (PMC), important for motor recovery after brain injury. We investigated (i) whether healthy human volunteers are able to up-regulate the activity of the left PMC during a right hand finger tapping motor imagery (MI) task while receiving continuous fMRI-neurofeedback, and (ii) whether successful modulation of brain activity influenced non-targeted motor control regions. During the MI task, participants of the neurofeedback group (NFB) received ongoing visual feedback representing the level of fMRI responses within their left PMC. Control (CTL) group participants were shown similar visual stimuli, but these were non-contingent on brain activity. Both groups showed equivalent levels of behavioral ratings on arousal and MI, before and during the fMRI protocol. In the NFB, but not in CLT group, brain activation during the last run compared to the first run revealed increased activation in the left PMC. In addition, the NFB group showed increased activation in motor control regions extending beyond the left PMC target area, including the supplementary motor area, basal ganglia and cerebellum. Moreover, in the last run, the NFB group showed stronger activation in the left PMC/inferior frontal gyrus when compared to the CTL group. Our results indicate that modulation of PMC and associated motor control areas can be achieved during a single neurofeedback-fMRI session. These results contribute to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of MI-based neurofeedback training, with direct implications for rehabilitation strategies in severe brain disorders, such as stroke.
Highlights
Neurofeedback (NFB) is a technique that allows individuals to voluntarily modulate their own neurophysiological responses via a feedback loop
Using repeated measure analyses of variance (ANOVA) with the within-subject factor RUN (1,3) and the between-factor Group (NFB and CTL), we found no significant differences in arousal between the two groups
Sleepiness increased over the course of the runs in both groups [main effect RUN, F(1,26) = 7.8, p = 0.01; Table 1B; note that all values fell below three indicating that participants were awake]
Summary
Neurofeedback (NFB) is a technique that allows individuals to voluntarily modulate their own neurophysiological responses via a feedback loop. One of the first published works using fMRI to study NFB (Yoo and Jolesz, 2002) demonstrated that healthy volunteers were able to increase the activation of cortical sensorimotor areas while performing a simple finger tapping task. Since this seminal study, mounting evidence has established that healthy subjects and patients can gain control over activation of different specific brain areas, such as the amygdala (Posse et al, 2003), anterior cingulate cortex (deCharms et al, 2005), and insular cortex (Caria et al, 2007), when receiving feedback about the activity in these regions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
