Real-time Neurofeedback Training of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Based on Positive Episodic Future Thinking

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy; Neurofeedback

Treatments: Procedure: real-time fMRI sham-controlled neurofeedback training procedure

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06787248

BAM_lab_NF_05

Details and patient eligibility

About

Randomized active-sham controlled between-subject real-time fMRI neurofeedback trial aiming to modulate activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to improve subjective positive anticipation.

Full description

A randomized double-blind sham-controlled between-subject design using real-time fMRI neurofeedback. In a randomized order, a total of 60 healthy subjects will be recruited and assigned (1) experimental group (EG; N=30), which receives real neurofeedback from the left medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), or (2) control group (CG; N=30) which receives sham neurofeedback from the primary motor cortex (M1). Neurofeedback training consists of 1 baseline session without feedback, 4 training sessions with real-time feedback, and and 1 transfer session without feedback. Resting state fMRI will be employed to explore neural effects. Objectives are to determine (1) if subjects in the neurofeedback (NF) group can gain volitional control over the mPFC activation using positive episodic regulation strategy, (2) whether successful increased modulation of the mPFC could enhance positive anticipation for future events and motivation (using the Effort-Expenditure for Reward Task, EEfRT).

Enrollment: 61 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy subjects without any past or present psychiatric or neurological disorders

Exclusion criteria

• History of brain injury
• Psychiatric or Neurological Disorder
• Contraindications for MRI
• Regular use of psychotropic substances (medication, drugs)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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61 participants in 2 patient groups

Neurofeedback training

Experimental group

Description:

Subjects in the neurofeedback training group are instructed to regulate their medial prefrontal cortex activity based on the visual neurofeedback.

Treatment:

Procedure: real-time fMRI sham-controlled neurofeedback training procedure

Control

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Subjects in the sham control group receive the same instruction but perform the regulation based on neurofeedback from an unrelated region (i.e. primary motor cortex) which is not involved in episodic future thinking (a controlled sham region).

Treatment:

Procedure: real-time fMRI sham-controlled neurofeedback training procedure