Our results suggest that the rtfMRI-EEG-nf may have potential for treatment of MDD. The experimental group participants reported significant mood improvements after the training. Temporal correlations between the FAA and FBA time courses and the LA BOLD activity were significantly enhanced during the rtfMRI-EEG-nf task. Average individual FAA changes during the rtfMRI-EEG-nf task positively correlated with depression and anhedonia severities, and negatively correlated with after-vs-before changes in depressed mood ratings. The experimental group participants demonstrated significant upregulation of the LA BOLD activity, FAA, and FBA during the rtfMRI-EEG-nf task, as well as significant enhancement in fMRI connectivity between the LA and left rACC. In neurofeedback, electroencephalography (EEG) signals of ADHD participants are recorded in real time in order to stimulate participants with sound, video and pictures.
An advanced procedure for improved real-time EEG-fMRI artifact correction was implemented. MDD patients in the control group ( n = 8) were provided with sham feedback signals. The target measures included BOLD activities of the left amygdala (LA) and left rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), and frontal EEG asymmetries in the alpha band (FAA, Hz) and high-beta band (FBA, Hz). Since the invention of EEG brain scanning technology, cognitive response modeling and brain state optimization has been a topic of great interest and value. In this proof-of-concept study, MDD patients in the experimental group ( n = 16) used rtfMRI-EEG-nf during a happy emotion induction task to simultaneously upregulate two fMRI and two EEG activity measures relevant to MDD. Here we report the first application of rtfMRI-EEG-nf for emotion self-regulation training in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).
Simultaneous real-time fMRI and EEG neurofeedback (rtfMRI-EEG-nf) is an emerging neuromodulation approach, that enables simultaneous volitional regulation of both hemodynamic (BOLD fMRI) and electrophysiological (EEG) brain activities.