title: Near-infrared spectroscopy based neurofeedback training increases specific motor imagery related cortical activation compared to sham feedback.
abstract: In the present study we implemented a real-time feedback system based on multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Prior studies indicated that NIRS-based neurofeedback can enhance motor imagery related cortical activation. To specify these prior results and to confirm the efficacy of NIRS-based neurofeedback, we examined changes in blood oxygenation level collected in eight training sessions. One group got real feedback about their own brain activity (N=9) and one group saw a playback of another person's feedback recording (N=8). All participants performed motor imagery of a right hand movement. Real neurofeedback induced specific and focused brain activation over left motor areas. This focal brain activation became even more specific over the eight training sessions. In contrast, sham feedback led to diffuse brain activation patterns over the whole cortex. These findings can be useful when training patients with focal brain lesions to increase activity of specific brain areas for rehabilitation purpose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria. Electronic address: silvia.kober@uni-graz.at.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kober
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria. Electronic address: guilherme.wood@uni-graz.at.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria. Electronic address: juergen.kurzmann@uni-graz.at.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kurzmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria; Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interfaces, Institute for Knowledge Discovery, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria. Electronic address: elisabeth.friedrich@uni-graz.at.
authors.forename: E V C
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria. Electronic address: matthias.stangl@uni-graz.at.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stangl
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria. Electronic address: theresa.wippel@gmail.com.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wippel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria. Electronic address: aleksander.valjamae@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Väljamäe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria; Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interfaces, Institute for Knowledge Discovery, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria. Electronic address: neuper@tugraz.at.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neuper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D058765:Neurofeedback; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Blood oxygenation level; Kinesthetic motor imagery; Near-infrared spectroscopy; Neurofeedback