EEG coherence during subjectively-rated psychological state variations

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Neurofeedback training (NFT) aims to improve self-regulation of brain activity via EEG feedback.
• A key assumption in NFT is the link between EEG signals and subjective psychological states, yet evidence is limited.
• Previous research has not adequately explored how varying levels of a psychological state are reflected in EEG.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between electroencephalography (EEG) coherence and subjectively-rated attention levels (SRALs).
• To determine if different levels of attention correspond to distinct EEG coherence patterns.
• To provide preliminary evidence for the neural correlates of subjective attention states.

Main Methods:

• Thirty healthy adults participated in a resting eyes-open (REO) condition and an attention modulation task.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded using 28 channels throughout the tasks.
• Participants provided trial-by-trial subjective ratings of their attention levels.

Main Results:

• Subjectively-rated attention levels significantly influenced EEG coherence.
• High and low SRALs were associated with different patterns of alpha and theta coherence in frontal brain regions.
• Distinct alpha coherence patterns were observed between central and parietal lobes at different attention levels.

Conclusions:

• The study provides preliminary evidence supporting EEG correlates of subjectively-rated attention levels.
• These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms in neurofeedback training.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate the relationship between EEG and subjective states in NFT.