Abstract
Frontal-midline (FM) theta activity (4-8Hz) is proposed to reflect a mechanism for cognitive control that is needed for working memory retention, manipulation, and interference resolution. Modulation of FM theta activity via neurofeedback training (NFT) demonstrated transfer to some but not all types of cognitive control. Therefore, the present study investigated whether FM theta NFT enhances performance and modulates underlying EEG characteristics in a delayed match to sample (DMTS) task requiring mainly proactive control and a color Stroop task requiring mainly reactive control. Moreover, temporal characteristics of transfer were explored over two posttests. Across seven 30-min NFT sessions, an FM theta training group exhibited a larger FM theta increase compared to an active control group who upregulated randomly chosen frequency bands. In a posttest performed 13days after the last training session, the training group showed better retention performance in the DMTS task. Furthermore, manipulation performance was associated with NFT theta increase for the training but not the control group. Contrarily, behavioral group differences and their relation to FM theta change were not significant in the Stroop task, suggesting that NFT is associated with proactive but not reactive control enhancement. Transfer to both tasks at a posttest one day after training was not significant. Behavioral improvements were not accompanied by changes in FM theta activity, indicating no training-induced modulation of EEG characteristics. Together, these findings suggest that NFT supports transfer to cognitive control that manifests late after training but that other training-unspecific factors may also contribute to performance enhancement.
Highlights
In order to effectively coordinate and modify behavior based on experiences, cognitive control processes are needed
It was assessed (a) whether seven sessions of Frontal-m idline (FM) theta neurofeedback training (NFT) lead to differential performance improvements in two tasks requiring mainly proactive or reactive control, (b) whether behavioral transfer is accompanied by training- induced changes in EEG characteristics, and (c) whether training-induced behavioral and EEG changes are present only one day after the last NFT session or persist to a
Second posttraining session 13 days later. Both training and control group showed better task performance in the second posttest compared to the pretest, which might be explained by increased performance due to task repetition. Behavioral analyses comparing both groups revealed that participants of the training group, who successfully enhanced their FM theta activity relative to an active control group (Eschmann et al, 2020), showed better performance in the delayed match to sample (DMTS) but not in the Stroop task after training, supporting previous findings of transfer to tasks requiring proactive rather than reactive control processes (Enriquez-G eppert et al, 2014)
Summary
In order to effectively coordinate and modify behavior based on experiences, cognitive control processes are needed. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of NFT, the present study investigated transfer of FM theta NFT to cognitive control processes It was assessed (a) whether seven sessions of FM theta NFT lead to performance improvement in two tasks requiring mainly proactive and reactive control, namely, a DMTS and a color Stroop task, (b) whether behavioral transfer is accompanied by training-induced changes in EEG characteristics underlying cognitive control processes, and (c) whether training-induced behavioral and EEG changes are present only one day after the last NFT session or persist to a second posttraining session 13 days later. If these training-induced FM theta changes are directly influenced by the NFT gain, pretest to posttest EEG changes should be related to FM theta change during NFT for the training but not the control group
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