Alpha neurofeedback training improves visual working memory in healthy individuals
Abstract Neurofeedback (NF) training is a closed-loop brain training in which participants learn to regulate their neural activation. NF training of alpha (8–12 Hz) activity has been reported to enhance working memory capacity, but whether it affects the precision in working memory has not yet been...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-04-01
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| Series: | npj Science of Learning |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-024-00242-w |
| _version_ | 1797199644358344704 |
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| author | Wenbin Zhou Wenya Nan Kaiwen Xiong Yixuan Ku |
| author_facet | Wenbin Zhou Wenya Nan Kaiwen Xiong Yixuan Ku |
| author_sort | Wenbin Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Neurofeedback (NF) training is a closed-loop brain training in which participants learn to regulate their neural activation. NF training of alpha (8–12 Hz) activity has been reported to enhance working memory capacity, but whether it affects the precision in working memory has not yet been explored. Moreover, whether NF training distinctively influences performance in different types of working memory tasks remains unclear. Therefore, the present study conducted a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled experiment to investigate how alpha NF training affected the capacity and precision of working memory, as well as the related neural change. Forty participants were randomly and equally assigned to the NF group and the sham control group. Both groups received NF training (about 30 min daily) for five consecutive days. The NF group received alpha (8–12 Hz) training, while the sham control group received sham NF training. We found a significant alpha increase within sessions but no significant difference across sessions. However, the behavioral performance and neural activity in the modified Sternberg task did not show significant change after alpha NF training. On the contrary, the alpha NF training group significantly increased visual working memory capacity measured by the Corsi-block tapping task and improved visual working memory precision in the interference condition in a color-recall task. These results suggest that alpha NF training influences performance in working memory tasks involved in the visuospatial sketchpad. Notably, we demonstrated that alpha NF training improves the quantity and quality of visual working memory. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:19:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eeb0df3afb6241468ada1296ffcd49e5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-7936 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:19:02Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Science of Learning |
| spelling | doaj.art-eeb0df3afb6241468ada1296ffcd49e52024-04-21T11:08:57ZengNature Portfolionpj Science of Learning2056-79362024-04-01911810.1038/s41539-024-00242-wAlpha neurofeedback training improves visual working memory in healthy individualsWenbin Zhou0Wenya Nan1Kaiwen Xiong2Yixuan Ku3School of Psychology, Shanghai Normal UniversitySchool of Psychology, Shanghai Normal UniversitySchool of Psychology, Shanghai Normal UniversityGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Center for Brain and Mental Wellbeing, Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, GuangzhouAbstract Neurofeedback (NF) training is a closed-loop brain training in which participants learn to regulate their neural activation. NF training of alpha (8–12 Hz) activity has been reported to enhance working memory capacity, but whether it affects the precision in working memory has not yet been explored. Moreover, whether NF training distinctively influences performance in different types of working memory tasks remains unclear. Therefore, the present study conducted a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled experiment to investigate how alpha NF training affected the capacity and precision of working memory, as well as the related neural change. Forty participants were randomly and equally assigned to the NF group and the sham control group. Both groups received NF training (about 30 min daily) for five consecutive days. The NF group received alpha (8–12 Hz) training, while the sham control group received sham NF training. We found a significant alpha increase within sessions but no significant difference across sessions. However, the behavioral performance and neural activity in the modified Sternberg task did not show significant change after alpha NF training. On the contrary, the alpha NF training group significantly increased visual working memory capacity measured by the Corsi-block tapping task and improved visual working memory precision in the interference condition in a color-recall task. These results suggest that alpha NF training influences performance in working memory tasks involved in the visuospatial sketchpad. Notably, we demonstrated that alpha NF training improves the quantity and quality of visual working memory.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-024-00242-w |
| spellingShingle | Wenbin Zhou Wenya Nan Kaiwen Xiong Yixuan Ku Alpha neurofeedback training improves visual working memory in healthy individuals npj Science of Learning |
| title | Alpha neurofeedback training improves visual working memory in healthy individuals |
| title_full | Alpha neurofeedback training improves visual working memory in healthy individuals |
| title_fullStr | Alpha neurofeedback training improves visual working memory in healthy individuals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alpha neurofeedback training improves visual working memory in healthy individuals |
| title_short | Alpha neurofeedback training improves visual working memory in healthy individuals |
| title_sort | alpha neurofeedback training improves visual working memory in healthy individuals |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-024-00242-w |
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