EEG-heart rate connectivity changes after sensorimotor rhythm neurofeedback training: Ancillary study.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychophysiology
• Pain Management

Background:

• Neurofeedback demonstrates capacity for long-term brain functional connectivity changes.
• Its impact on inter-system physiological connectivity, particularly in chronic pain, remains under-explored.
• This study investigates neurofeedback's effect on electroencephalograph (EEG) and heart rate (HR) connectivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the influence of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) neurofeedback on EEG-HR connectivity in fibromyalgia patients.
• To correlate changes in physiological network connectivity with improvements in fibromyalgia symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Seventeen fibromyalgia patients were grouped into good SMR responders, poor responders, and a SHAM (fake training) group.
• Six neurofeedback sessions focused on SMR power synchronization/desynchronization.
• EEG and electrocardiograph (ECG) signals were recorded during resting states before and after training.

Main Results:

• Good responders showed reduced pain ratings post-SMR neurofeedback.
• Symptom improvement correlated with decreased connectivity between central and HR, central-frontal, central-central, and central-occipital areas.
• Poor responders and the SHAM group exhibited no significant symptom changes or connectivity alterations.

Conclusions:

• Neurofeedback shows promise for treating chronic pain syndromes like fibromyalgia.
• Findings highlight neurofeedback's potential to modulate interactions between central and peripheral physiological networks.
• Further research is needed to robustly investigate the role of central-peripheral networks in chronic pain and neurofeedback's effect.