Electroencephalography Neurofeedback Training with Focus on the State of Attention: An Investigation Using Source...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Brain-Computer Interfaces

Background:

• Monitoring neurofeedback effectiveness is crucial for treating cognitive deficits.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) provides insights into neuronal electrical activity.
• Understanding brain region involvement in attention is key for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare cortical electrical activity between low and high difficulty neurofeedback groups.
• To identify brain regions associated with maintaining attention during demanding tasks.
• To analyze effective connectivity patterns related to attentional states.

Main Methods:

• Acquired EEG data during three neurofeedback sessions, focusing on theta and beta frequencies.
• Applied inverse solution based on cortical current density to localize brain activity.
• Estimated effective connectivity using the Directed Transfer Function (DTF).

Main Results:

• High-difficulty group showed higher current density in medial prefrontal, dorsolateral prefrontal, and temporal regions.
• Low-difficulty group exhibited higher current density in central brain regions.
• High-difficulty group displayed complex information flow patterns, unlike the low-difficulty group's simpler flow.

Conclusions:

• Specific brain regions (medial prefrontal, dorsolateral prefrontal, temporal) are critical for attention in high-difficulty tasks.
• Central brain regions are more involved in attention for less demanding tasks.
• Distinct effective connectivity patterns differentiate attentional states based on task difficulty.