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A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training
Published on: August 24, 2017
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Can we predict real-time fMRI neurofeedback learning success from pretraining brain activity?
Amelie Haugg1,2, Ronald Sladky2, Stavros Skouras3
1Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Human Brain Mapping
|July 31, 2020
Summary
Neurofeedback training shows promise for various populations, but learning success varies greatly. This study found pretraining brain activity weakly predicted learning, but no common predictors were identified across studies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Neurofeedback training influences behavior and alleviates clinical symptoms in diverse patient groups.
- Significant inter-individual variability in neurofeedback learning success is a major challenge.
- Identifying factors predicting learning variability could enhance neurofeedback treatment efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether pretraining brain activity levels predict neurofeedback learning success.
- To identify common brain-based predictors of neurofeedback learning across studies.
Main Methods:
- Meta-analysis of 24 real-time fMRI neurofeedback studies.
- Inclusion of data from 401 participants, including 140 patients.
- Analysis of brain activity during pretraining functional localizer or no-feedback runs.
Main Results:
- A slight positive correlation was observed between pretraining activity during functional localizer runs and learning success.
- No common brain-based predictors of neurofeedback learning success were identified across the diverse cohort.
- Significant variability in learning success persists, with unknown underlying factors.
Conclusions:
- Pretraining brain activity offers a weak predictive signal for neurofeedback learning.
- Robust models and measures for general neurofeedback learning are needed.
- Larger, more homogenous study databases are required to identify reliable predictors of learning success.
