title: Improvement of neurofeedback therapy for improved attention through facilitation of brain activity using local sinusoidal extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure.
abstract: Traditional neurofeedback (NF) is a training approach aimed at altering brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG) rhythms as feedback. In NF training, external factors such as the subjects' intelligence can have an effect. In contrast, a low-energy NF system (LENS) does not require conscious effort from the subject, which results in fewer attendance sessions. However, eliminating the subject role seems to eliminate an important part of the NF system. This study investigated the facilitating effect on the theta-to-beta ratio from NF training, using a local sinusoidal extremely low frequency magnetic field (LSELF-MF) versus traditional NF. Twenty-four healthy, intelligent subjects underwent 10 training sessions to enhance beta (15-18 Hz), and simultaneously inhibit theta (4-7 Hz) and high beta (22-30 Hz) activity, at the Cz point in a 3-boat-race video game. Each session consisted of 3 statuses, PRE, DURING, and POST. In the DURING status, the NF training procedure lasted 10 minutes. Subjects were led to believe that they would be exposed to a magnetic field during NF training; however, 16 of the subjects who were assigned to the experimental group were really exposed to 45 Hz-360 µT LSELF-MF at Cz. For the 8 other subjects, only the coil was located at the Cz point with no exposure. The duty cycle of exposure was 40% (2-second exposure and 3-second pause). The results show that the theta-to-beta ratio in the DURING status of each group differs significantly from the PRE and POST statuses. Between-group analysis shows that the theta-to-beta ratio in the DURING status of the experimental group is significantly (P < .001) lower than in the sham group. The result shows the effect of LSELF-MF on NF training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran zandi@srbiau.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Yasaman
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zandi Mehran
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Department, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Firoozabadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Atieh Neuroscience Centre, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rostami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055909:Magnetic Field Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D008297:Male; D058765:Neurofeedback / Q000379:methods* / Q000502:physiology*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: attention; local sinusoidal extremely low frequency magnetic field; neurofeedback