SENSORIMOTOR RHYTHM BASED NEUROFEEDBACK TRAINING TO ENHANCE EXECUTIVE CONTROL-RELATED PERFORMANCE

Sensorimotor rhythm modulation via neurofeedback training (SMR-NF) was proposed as a promising approach to enhance executive control. However, the effects specificity of different SMR-NF protocols remains insufficiently characterized. We studied EEG spectral power (SP) changes during combined neurofeedback training aimed at increasing the SMR index and reducing forehead electromyographic (EMG) activity, and its influence on executive control.
Twenty participants were randomly assigned, in a single-blind design, to the SMR-NF (n = 10) or the sham groups. All participants completed 12 neurofeedback sessions. The SMR-NF group was trained to increase SMR activity over central scalp regions (C3, C4, Cz), whereas the sham group received feedback based on randomly selected EEG frequency bands. Both groups were trained to reduce EMG activity. EEG artifacts were removed using independent component analysis. EEG-SP was analyzed during baseline, neurofeedback, and post-training conditions using repeated-measures ANOVA. As no main effect of training day was observed, EEG measures were averaged across days.
The SMR-NF group demonstrated a significant increase in SMR SP during training (F = 5.58, p = 0.016), with no changes in other frequency bands, while no EEG changes were observed in the sham group. Executive control, assessed using the Attention Network Test, improved significantly only in the SMR-NF group (F = 8.81, p = 0.009).
These findings indicate that SMR-NF selectively enhances SMR spectral power and improves executive control.
Funding. This research was funded by the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant No. BR27198099).