Dewiputri Wan Ilma, Schweizer Renate, Auer Tibor
International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
Functional Imaging Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.
Front Hum Neurosci. 2021 May 25;15:645048. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.645048. eCollection 2021.
Neurofeedback (NF) is a complex learning scenario, as the task consists of trying out mental strategies while processing a feedback signal that signifies activation in the brain area to be self-regulated and acts as a potential reward signal. In an attempt to dissect these subcomponents, we obtained whole-brain networks associated with efficient self-regulation in two paradigms: parallel, where the task was performed concurrently, combining feedback with strategy execution; and serial, where the task was performed consecutively, separating feedback processing from strategy execution. Twenty participants attempted to control their anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) NF in 18 sessions over 2 weeks, using cognitive and emotional mental strategies. We analyzed whole-brain fMRI activations in the NF training runs with the largest aMCC activation for the serial and parallel paradigms. The equal length of the strategy execution and the feedback processing periods in the serial paradigm allows a description of the two task subcomponents with equal power. The resulting activation maps were spatially correlated with functionally annotated intrinsic connectivity brain maps (BMs). Brain activation in the parallel condition correlates with the basal ganglia (BG) network, the cingulo-opercular network (CON), and the frontoparietal control network (FPCN); brain activation in the serial strategy execution condition with the default mode network (DMN), the FPCN, and the visual processing network; while brain activation in the serial feedback processing condition predominantly with the CON, the DMN, and the FPCN. Additional comparisons indicate that BG activation is characteristic to the parallel paradigm, while supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and superior temporal gyrus (STG) activations are characteristic to the serial paradigm. The multifaceted view of the subcomponents allows describing the cognitive processes associated with strategy execution and feedback processing independently in the serial feedback task and as combined processes in the multitasking scenario of the conventional parallel feedback task.
神经反馈（NF）是一种复杂的学习情境，因为该任务包括在处理一个反馈信号时尝试各种心理策略，这个反馈信号表示在要自我调节的脑区中的激活情况，并充当潜在的奖励信号。为了剖析这些子成分，我们在两种范式中获得了与高效自我调节相关的全脑网络：并行范式，即任务同时进行，将反馈与策略执行相结合；串行范式，即任务相继进行，将反馈处理与策略执行分开。20名参与者在2周内分18次使用功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）神经反馈，运用认知和情感心理策略尝试控制他们的前扣带回中部皮质（aMCC）。我们分析了在串行和并行范式中aMCC激活最大的神经反馈训练过程中的全脑fMRI激活情况。串行范式中策略执行和反馈处理阶段的等长，使得能够以相同的权重描述两个任务子成分。所得的激活图在空间上与功能注释的内在连接性脑图谱（BMs）相关。并行条件下的脑激活与基底神经节（BG）网络、扣带回-脑岛网络（CON）和额顶叶控制网络（FPCN）相关；串行策略执行条件下的脑激活与默认模式网络（DMN）、FPCN和视觉处理网络相关；而串行反馈处理条件下的脑激活主要与CON、DMN和FPCN相关。额外的比较表明，BG激活是并行范式的特征，而缘上回（SMG）和颞上回（STG）激活是串行范式的特征。子成分的多方面视图使得能够在串行反馈任务中独立描述与策略执行和反馈处理相关的认知过程，并在传统并行反馈任务的多任务场景中描述为组合过程。
