Eschmann Kathrin C J, Riedel Lisa, Mecklinger Axel
Experimental Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Psychology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany.
Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
J Cogn Enhanc. 2022;6(3):434-450. doi: 10.1007/s41465-021-00236-1. Epub 2021 Dec 22.
Flow is defined as a cognitive state that is associated with a feeling of automatic and effortless control, enabling peak performance in highly challenging situations. In sports, flow can be enhanced by mindfulness training, which has been associated with frontal theta activity (4-8 Hz). Moreover, frontal-midline theta oscillations were shown to subserve control processes in a large variety of cognitive tasks. Based on previous theta neurofeedback training studies, which revealed that one training session is sufficient to enhance motor performance, the present study investigated whether one 30-minute session of frontal-midline theta neurofeedback training (1) enhances flow experience additionally to motor performance in a finger tapping task, and (2) transfers to cognitive control processes in an -back task. Participants, who were able to successfully upregulate their theta activity during neurofeedback training (responders), showed better motor performance and flow experience after training than participants, who did not enhance their theta activity (non-responders). Across all participants, increase of theta activity during training was associated with motor performance enhancement from pretest to posttest irrespective of pre-training performance. Interestingly, theta training gains were also linked to the increase of flow experience, even when corresponding increases in motor performance were controlled for. Results for the -back task were not significant. Even though these findings are mainly correlational in nature and additional flow-promoting influences need to be investigated, the present findings suggest that frontal-midline theta neurofeedback training is a promising tool to support flow experience with additional relevance for performance enhancement.
心流被定义为一种认知状态，它与一种自动且轻松的控制感相关联，能在极具挑战性的情境中实现最佳表现。在体育运动中，正念训练可以增强心流体验，这与额叶θ波活动（4 - 8赫兹）有关。此外，额中线θ振荡在多种认知任务中发挥着控制作用。基于先前的θ神经反馈训练研究，这些研究表明一次训练就能提高运动表现，本研究调查了一次30分钟的额中线θ神经反馈训练是否（1）在手指敲击任务中，除了提高运动表现外，还能增强心流体验；（2）在反扫视任务中转移到认知控制过程。在神经反馈训练期间能够成功上调其θ波活动的参与者（反应者），与未增强其θ波活动的参与者（无反应者）相比，训练后表现出更好的运动表现和心流体验。在所有参与者中，训练期间θ波活动的增加与从预测试到后测试的运动表现提升相关，而与训练前的表现无关。有趣的是，即使在控制了相应的运动表现增加后，θ训练的效果也与心流体验的增加有关。反扫视任务的结果并不显著。尽管这些发现本质上主要是相关性的，且需要研究其他促进心流的影响因素，但目前的研究结果表明，额中线θ神经反馈训练是一种很有前景的工具，可支持心流体验，并对提高表现具有额外的相关性。
