Kim Dong-Youl, Yoo Seung-Schik, Tegethoff Marion, Meinlschmidt Gunther, Lee Jong-Hwan
Korea University.
Harvard Medical School.
J Cogn Neurosci. 2015 Aug;27(8):1552-72. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_00802. Epub 2015 Mar 11.
Real-time fMRI (rtfMRI) neurofeedback (NF) facilitates volitional control over brain activity and the modulation of associated mental functions. The NF signals of traditional rtfMRI-NF studies predominantly reflect neuronal activity within ROIs. In this study, we describe a novel rtfMRI-NF approach that includes a functional connectivity (FC) component in the NF signal (FC-added rtfMRI-NF). We estimated the efficacy of the FC-added rtfMRI-NF method by applying it to nicotine-dependent heavy smokers in an effort to reduce cigarette craving. ACC and medial pFC as well as the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus are associated with cigarette craving and were chosen as ROIs. Fourteen heavy smokers were randomly assigned to receive one of two types of NF: traditional activity-based rtfMRI-NF or FC-added rtfMRI-NF. Participants received rtfMRI-NF training during two separate visits after overnight smoking cessation, and cigarette craving score was assessed. The FC-added rtfMRI-NF resulted in greater neuronal activity and increased FC between the targeted ROIs than the traditional activity-based rtfMRI-NF and resulted in lower craving score. In the FC-added rtfMRI-NF condition, the average of neuronal activity and FC was tightly associated with craving score (Bonferroni-corrected p = .028). However, in the activity-based rtfMRI-NF condition, no association was detected (uncorrected p > .081). Non-rtfMRI data analysis also showed enhanced neuronal activity and FC with FC-added NF than with activity-based NF. These results demonstrate that FC-added rtfMRI-NF facilitates greater volitional control over brain activity and connectivity and greater modulation of mental function than activity-based rtfMRI-NF.
实时功能磁共振成像（rtfMRI）神经反馈（NF）有助于对大脑活动进行自主控制以及调节相关的心理功能。传统rtfMRI-NF研究中的NF信号主要反映感兴趣区域（ROI）内的神经元活动。在本研究中，我们描述了一种新颖的rtfMRI-NF方法，该方法在NF信号中纳入了功能连接（FC）成分（添加FC的rtfMRI-NF）。我们将添加FC的rtfMRI-NF方法应用于尼古丁依赖的重度吸烟者，以努力减少对香烟的渴望，从而评估其效果。前扣带回皮质（ACC）和内侧前额叶皮质（mPFC）以及后扣带回皮质和楔前叶与对香烟的渴望有关，并被选为ROI。14名重度吸烟者被随机分配接受两种类型的NF之一：传统的基于活动的rtfMRI-NF或添加FC的rtfMRI-NF。参与者在过夜戒烟后的两次单独就诊期间接受rtfMRI-NF训练，并评估对香烟的渴望评分。与传统的基于活动的rtfMRI-NF相比，添加FC的rtfMRI-NF导致目标ROI之间的神经元活动增强且功能连接增加，并导致较低的渴望评分。在添加FC的rtfMRI-NF条件下，神经元活动和功能连接的平均值与渴望评分紧密相关（Bonferroni校正p = 0.028）。然而，在基于活动的rtfMRI-NF条件下，未检测到相关性（未校正p > 0.081）。非rtfMRI数据分析还显示，与基于活动的NF相比，添加FC的NF增强了神经元活动和功能连接。这些结果表明，与基于活动的rtfMRI-NF相比，添加FC的rtfMRI-NF有助于对大脑活动和连接进行更大程度的自主控制以及对心理功能进行更大程度的调节。
