title: Real-time fMRI training-induced changes in regional connectivity mediating verbal working memory behavioral performance.
abstract: Working memory refers to the ability to temporarily store and manipulate information that is necessary for complex cognition activities. Previous studies have demonstrated that working memory capacity can be improved by behavioral training, and brain activities in the frontal and parietal cortices and the connections between these regions are also altered by training. Our recent neurofeedback training has proven that the regulation of the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity using real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI) can improve working memory performance. However, how working memory training promotes interaction between brain regions and whether this promotion correlates with performance improvement remain unclear. In this study, we employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to calculate the interactions between the regions within the working memory network during neurofeedback training. The results revealed that the direct effect of the frontoparietal connection in the left hemisphere was enhanced by the rtfMRI training. Specifically, the increase in the path from the left DLPFC to the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) was positively correlated with improved performance in verbal working memory. These findings demonstrate the important role of the frontoparietal connection in working memory training and suggest that increases in frontoparietal connectivity might be a key factor associated with behavioral improvement.
authors.affiliation: College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cognitive Computing & Application, School of Computer Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. Electronic address: zhaoxj86@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D058765:Neurofeedback / Q000379:methods*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: frontoparietal connection; neurofeedback training; real-time fMRI; structural equation modeling; verbal working memory