operant conditioning
Research Papers
Showing 6 of 31Train Your Brain? Can We Really Selectively Train Specific EEG Frequencies With Neurofeedback Training
Neurofeedback (NFB) is an operant conditioning procedure whereby an individual learns to self-regulate the electrical activity of his/her brain. Initially developed as a treatment intervention for pathologies with underlying EEG dysfunctions, NFB is also used as a training tool to enhance specific cognitive states required in high-performance situations. The original idea behind the NFB training effect is that the changes should only be circumscribed to the trained EEG frequencies. The EEG frequencies which are not used as feedback frequencies should be independent and not affected by the neurofeedback training. Despite the success of sensorimotor rhythm NFB training in cognitive performance enhancement, it remains unclear whether all participants can intentionally modify the power densities of specifically selected electroencephalographic (EEG) frequencies. In the present study, participants were randomly assigned to either a control heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback (HRV) training group or a combination of HRV biofeedback and neurofeedback (HRV/NFB) training group. This randomized mixed design experiment consisted of two introductory theoretical lessons and a training period of 6 weeks. We investigated the evolution of the different EEG frequency bands of our two experimental groups across and within session. All the participants exhibited EEG changes across and within session. However, within the HRV/NFB training group, untrained EEG frequencies have been significantly modified, unlike some of the trained frequencies. Moreover, EEG activity was modified in both the HRV group and the HRV/NFB groups. Hence, the EEG changes were not only circumscribed to the trained frequency bands or to the training modality.
View Full Paper →Exploring the Use of Neurofeedback Therapy in Mitigating Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury in Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is an injury to the brain caused by an acute injury to the head, neck, or face, such as a blunt force trauma. Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) are at high risk for TBI, given how frequently they are repeatedly struck in the head. An abundance of evidence indicates that even “mild” TBI can have lifelong impacts, including personality and behavioral changes. TBI often goes undiagnosed in survivors as most do not seek medical treatment for their injuries. Given the lack of diagnoses, these symptoms may often be overlooked or misunderstood. One emerging method for treating the symptoms of TBI is neurofeedback (NF). NF is a type of biofeedback that uses operant conditioning to regulate activity in various regions of the brain. NF can lead to better cognitive performance and emotional self-regulation. Given the potentially high rate of TBI in IPV, it is worth exploring if NF can reduce the symptoms that negatively impact survivors. The current study explores the use of NF to treat IPV survivors who experienced head injury and, as such, probable TBI (N = 32). Survivors participated in a quantitative EEG (qEEG) to locate problem areas of the brain and participated in assessments, before and after treatment, to examine constructs such as depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Results show significant differences in both the qEEG data and written assessments following the completion of NF. These results suggest NF could mitigate symptoms of probable TBI in IPV survivors.
View Full Paper →What learning theories can teach us in designing neurofeedback treatments
Popular definitions of neurofeedback point out that neurofeedback is a process of operant conditioning which leads to self-regulation of brain activity. Self-regulation of brain activity is considered to be a skill. The aim of this paper is to clarify that not only operant conditioning plays a role in the acquisition of this skill. In order to design the learning process additional references have to be derived from classical conditioning, two-process-theory and in particular from skill learning and research into motivational aspects. The impact of learning by trial and error, cueing of behavior, feedback, reinforcement, and knowledge of results as well as transfer of self-regulation skills into everyday life will be analyzed in this paper. In addition to these learning theory basics this paper tries to summarize the knowledge about acquisition of self-regulation from neurofeedback studies with a main emphasis on clinical populations. As a conclusion it is hypothesized that learning to self-regulate has to be offered in a psychotherapeutic, i.e., behavior therapy framework.
View Full Paper →The effects of neurofeedback in the default mode network: pilot study results of medicated children with ADHD
Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulty activating the Default Mode Network (DMN) in a resting or quiet state. The DMN function assists in processing and understanding a person's internal, reflective world and the world of self and others. Neurofeedback (NFB), a type of EEG operant conditioning, trains self-regulation skills using a brain-computer interface. The hardware and software have audio/video capabilities to correct irregular brainwave patterns and regional cerebral blood flow associated with mental health and cognitive concerns. Individual treatment sessions usually last approximately 20 min; to gain the largest overall treatment effect, NFB users need to experience about 30 to 40 sessions. This study randomly assigned 12 children diagnosed with ADHD and currently on a stimulant medication to a treatment or control group. Subjects in the treatment group completed 40 NFB sessions. Pre- and posttest fMRIs were administered on the treatment and control groups. Evidence showed that the forty 20-min sessions of Sensory Motor Rhythm NFB consolidated the DMN allowing for appropriate activation in the posterior cingulate, precuneus, the temporoparietal junction and the cerebellar tonsils. In addition to regulating and increasing SMR at 12-15 Hz, our research results showed activation of the DMN in a resting state after 40 NFB sessions. Assisting children with ADHD to appropriately activate the DMN may help them be more adaptive and reflective and to better understand their own internal world and the world of others
View Full Paper →Effects of SMR and Theta/Beta Neurofeedback on Reaction Times, Spatial Abilities, and Creativity
Neurofeedback training (NFT) has been demonstrated to be a useful, inexpensive, nonpharmacological tool in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and epilepsy in humans. Different neurofeedback training protocols have been associated with positive effects on performance in sports, creativity, memory, and simple reaction time tasks. During NFT, individuals receive visual or acoustic feedback of their brain oscillations, which are recorded by electroencephalogram (EEG). Through operant conditioning that employs this feedback, the individuals subsequently may be able to modulate the respective oscillations. The most widely used training protocols focus on either the enhancement of the sensorimotor rhythm (SMR; 12-15Hz) or modulation of the theta/beta ratio (TBR; theta: 4.5-7.5 Hz, beta: 17-21 Hz). We investigated whether healthy individuals are able to learn, within 30 NFT sessions, how to modulate either the SMR (n=13) or the TBR (n=14), and whether such modulation can lead to an enhancement in different cognitive or creative tasks. A control group (n=14) that received NFT with daily changing frequency bands and instructions was included for comparison. Although neither the TBR group nor the control group was able to modulate the EEG in the trained frequency bands, the SMR group was successful in doing so. In addition, only the SMR group was able to attain significantly better results in simple and choice reaction time tasks and a spatial rotation task after training as compared to the two other groups. No effects of NFT were found for the other attention-related tasks or for creative tasks. A series of 30 SMR training sessions can increase the ability to increase SMR amplitudes and therefore may have a future application in settings where the cultivation of fast reactions and good visuospatial abilities are relevant (e.g., in sports).
View Full Paper →The Effects of Neurofeedback Training on Memory Performance in Elderly Subjects
Neurofeedback or electroencephalographic operant conditioning (EEG-OC) is an EEG biofeedback technique used to train individuals to control or modify their cortical activity through learned self-regulation. Initially used for treating a variety of pathologies, neurofeedback has been employed more recently to improve the physical or cognitive performance of human beings. The purpose of this study is to assess the hypothesis of the effect of neurofeedback (the ‘awakened mind’ model) on the memory performance of subjects aged over 65. 30 participants were shared equally between 3 groups: an experimental group that underwent 4 neurofeedback training sessions; a non-neurofeedback group trained at relaxation; and a ‘waiting list’ control group. Results showed that the members of the Neurofeedback group learned to increase the spectral power of the alpha frequency range as well as the alpha/thêta ratio, and that compared with the members of the two other groups, neurofeedback training resulted in a more pronounced decrease, albeit without any relation to changes in EEG activity and the level of stress and anxiety of participants undergoing such training. Yet contrary to expectations, no improvement of memory performance (differed recall of words and learning of lists of words) was observed. These mixed results, which suggest a wide range of applications, underline the need for a more systematic assessment of the potential applications of NFB training in elderly humans in order to be better able to specify the effects of the retained protocol on cognitive performance.
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