Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 3;11(1):23363. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-02079-4.
Neurofeedback allows for the self-regulation of brain circuits implicated in specific maladaptive behaviors, leading to persistent changes in brain activity and connectivity. Positive-social emotion regulation neurofeedback enhances emotion regulation capabilities, which is critical for reducing the severity of various psychiatric disorders. Training dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) to exert a top-down influence on bilateral amygdala during positive-social emotion regulation progressively (linearly) modulates connectivity within the trained network and induces positive mood. However, the processes during rest that interleave the neurofeedback training remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that short resting periods at the end of training sessions of positive-social emotion regulation neurofeedback would show alterations within emotion regulation and neurofeedback learning networks. We used complementary model-based and data-driven approaches to assess how resting-state connectivity relates to neurofeedback changes at the end of training sessions. In the experimental group, we found lower progressive dmPFC self-inhibition and an increase of connectivity in networks engaged in emotion regulation, neurofeedback learning, visuospatial processing, and memory. Our findings highlight a large-scale synergy between neurofeedback and resting-state brain activity and connectivity changes within the target network and beyond. This work contributes to our understanding of concomitant learning mechanisms post training and facilitates development of efficient neurofeedback training.
神经反馈允许自我调节与特定适应不良行为相关的脑回路，从而导致大脑活动和连通性的持久变化。积极社会情绪调节神经反馈增强了情绪调节能力，这对于减轻各种精神障碍的严重程度至关重要。训练背内侧前额叶皮层 (dmPFC) 在积极社会情绪调节期间对双侧杏仁核施加自上而下的影响，逐渐调节训练网络内的连通性并引起积极情绪。然而，在神经反馈训练期间交错进行的休息期间的过程仍然知之甚少。我们假设积极社会情绪调节神经反馈训练结束时的短暂休息会在情绪调节和神经反馈学习网络中显示出变化。我们使用互补的基于模型和数据驱动的方法来评估静息状态连通性如何与训练结束时的神经反馈变化相关。在实验组中，我们发现 dmPFC 自我抑制逐渐降低，参与情绪调节、神经反馈学习、视觉空间处理和记忆的网络连通性增加。我们的发现强调了神经反馈与目标网络内和之外的静息状态大脑活动和连通性变化之间的大规模协同作用。这项工作有助于我们理解训练后伴随的学习机制，并促进有效的神经反馈训练的发展。
