Real-time fMRI neurofeedback of the mediodorsal and anterior thalamus enhances correlation between thalamic BOLD activity and alpha EEG rhythm
Vadim Zotev, Masaya Misaki, Raquel Phillips, Chung Ki Wong, Jerzy Bodurka
arXiv Preprint Archive February 14, 2017 preprint
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 29 |
| Population | Healthy volunteers |
| Intervention | Sham feedback |
| Keywords | Q-bio.nc Physics.med-ph |
| Key findings | Participants receiving real-time fMRI neurofeedback significantly increased BOLD activity in the mediodorsal and anterior thalamic nuclei, whereas sham-feedback controls did not. Functional connectivity between the mediodorsal thalamus and inferior precuneus increased during neurofeedback, and temporal correlations between occipital alpha EEG power and thalamic BOLD activity were significantly stronger in the experimental group. The authors propose that the mediodorsal–precuneus interaction modulates the thalamus–alpha relationship. |
Abstract
Real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) with simultaneous EEG allows volitional modulation of BOLD activity of target brain regions and investigation of related electrophysiological activity. We applied this approach to study correlations between thalamic BOLD activity and alpha EEG rhythm. Healthy volunteers in the experimental group (EG, n=15) learned to upregulate BOLD activity of the target region consisting of the mediodorsal (MD) and anterior (AN) thalamic nuclei using the rtfMRI-nf during retrieval of happy autobiographical memories. Healthy subjects in the control group (CG, n=14) were provided with a sham feedback. The EG participants were able to significantly increase BOLD activities of the MD and AN. Functional connectivity between the MD and the inferior precuneus was significantly enhanced during the rtfMRI-nf task. Average individual changes in the occipital alpha EEG power significantly correlated with the average MD BOLD activity levels for the EG. Temporal correlations between the occipital alpha EEG power and BOLD activities of the MD and AN were significantly enhanced, during the rtfMRI-nf task, for the EG compared to the CG. Temporal correlations with the alpha power were also significantly enhanced for the posterior nodes of the default mode network, including the precuneus/posterior cingulate, and for the dorsal striatum. Our findings suggest that the temporal correlation between the MD BOLD activity and posterior alpha EEG power is modulated by the interaction between the MD and the inferior precuneus, reflected in their functional connectivity. Our results demonstrate the potential of the rtfMRI-nf with simultaneous EEG for non-invasive neuromodulation studies of human brain function.