Effect of neurofeedback on hemispheric word recognition

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Child Development

Background:

• Neurofeedback (NF) training is used to modulate brain activity.
• Lateralized lexical decision tasks assess hemispheric contributions to word recognition.
• Understanding hemispheric specialization and interhemispheric transfer is crucial for cognitive development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of SMR/theta neurofeedback training on lateralized lexical decision in children.
• To examine potential sex differences in response to neurofeedback training targeting specific brain regions (C3 vs. C4).
• To assess the impact of training on hemispheric specialization, interhemispheric transfer, and psycholinguistic processing.

Main Methods:

• Twenty Israeli children (10-12 years old, balanced sex ratio) underwent 20 half-hour SMR/theta neurofeedback sessions.
• Participants were assigned to either C3 or C4 training.
• Performance was evaluated using a lateralized lexical decision test in Hebrew.

Main Results:

• Neurofeedback training enhanced accuracy and sensitivity in lexical decision tasks.
• Left hemisphere (LH) specialization increased under certain conditions, while interhemispheric transfer remained unaffected.
• Training differentially affected psycholinguistic processing in the left and right hemispheres based on training site (C3/C4).
• Hemispheric independence was augmented by the training protocol.
• Significant sex differences were observed: C4 training improved LH accuracy in boys, whereas C3 training improved LH accuracy in girls.

Conclusions:

• Lateralized neurofeedback protocols can activate asymmetric hemispheric control circuits, influencing distant brain networks.
• The organization of these neurofeedback-induced modifications differs between boys and girls.
• These findings highlight the potential for targeted neurofeedback interventions to enhance cognitive functions, with sex-specific considerations.