Improving Visual Perception and Visuo-motor Learning With Neurofeedback of Brain Network Interaction.

NCT05732649 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 2022-00976
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 65
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Neuroscience has long focused on understanding brain activity during task performance. As a result, current training methods aim to maximize brain activation during a trained task. However, new evidence shows that this may not be an efficient way to go. Human subjects achieve maximum performance only when the brain network is in a state of high spontaneous interaction and communication between brain regions before training or, in other words, in a state of high "network communication." In this case, minimal effort is required during the task. This requires new learning strategies aimed at inducing higher network communication prior to task execution. The investigators have previously shown that healthy people can learn to increase network communication of motor areas (i.e., the areas that control movement) when they receive real-time feedback on their current activity, which is known as neurofeedback. In neurofeedback, subjects receive continuous feedback about the state of their brain activity in a present moment. Through this feedback, they can learn to change their own brain activity. The aim of the present study is to validate neurofeedback as a new treatment approach for inducing high network communication at rest (i.e., when participants are not engaged in a task), and to test whether this heightened network communication can enhance visual perception and motor learning.

Conditions

Healthy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Changes in network communication

  The primary outcome measure for both experiments will be the change in network communication during neurofeedback measured with electroencephalography (EEG). Network communication will be computed as alpha-band functional connectivity (FC) as described in the investigators' validation papers.

  Alpha-band FC will be measured using EEG for 10 minutes (min) before neurofeedback, for ca. 20 min during neurofeedback, and for 10 min after neurofeedback.

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Visual perception

  The visual perception task will be given at the start of each session. Then, after 10 min EEG, ca. 20 min neurofeedback, and 10 min EEG the task will be repeated.

• Visuo-motor learning

  A pre-test of 5 min in the mirror-drawing task will be obtained after 10 min EEG and 20 min neurofeedback. Then, after 20 min of training in the task, a post-test of 5 min will be taken.

Study Arms (4)

Experiment 1

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will take part in three different sessions. In each session, network communication at visual areas will be coupled with the intensity of a sound, of a tactile stimulation, or both.

Behavioral: Auditory neurofeedback; Behavioral: Tactile neurofeedback; Behavioral: Auditory and tactile neurofeedback

Experiment 2 (Group A)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants undergo neurofeedback training of network communication between the target brain area (i.e., the left superior parietal area) and the rest of the brain during about 20 minutes (the precise duration will be defined with the experience of Experiment 1), using the sensory feedback modality defined in Experiment 1. Then, they perform the mirror-drawing task.

Behavioral: Neurofeedback

Experiment 2 (Group B)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will use neurofeedback to train network communication of a control brain area in the other (right) hemisphere which is not directly linked to visuo-motor processing or learning, using otherwise the same duration and feedback setup. This control condition allows to obtain a similar feedback experience and hence a true blinding. Moreover, it enables an evaluation of the spatial specificity of the feedback training. After neurofeedback, they perform the mirror-drawing task.

Behavioral: Neurofeedback

Experiment 2 (Group C)

NO INTERVENTION

Participants will not receive neurofeedback, but directly train the mirror-drawing task.

Interventions

Auditory neurofeedback BEHAVIORAL

Network interaction measured with EEG at visual areas will be coupled with the intensity of a sound.

Experiment 1

Tactile neurofeedback BEHAVIORAL

Network interaction measured with EEG at visual areas will be coupled with the intensity of tactile stimulation (i.e., electrical or vibrotactile stimulators applied on both hands and feet).

Experiment 1

Auditory and tactile neurofeedback BEHAVIORAL

Network interaction measured with EEG at visual areas will be coupled with the intensity of a sound and tactile stimulation.

Experiment 1

Neurofeedback BEHAVIORAL

Participants train to decrease the intensity of a sensory stimulation (defined in Experiment 1) that is coupled with the network interaction at a specific brain region.

Experiment 2 (Group A); Experiment 2 (Group B)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Signed informed consent
• Age at least 18 years old
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
• No neurological or psychiatric diseases
• No regular consumption of benzodiazepines or neuroleptics

You may not qualify if:

• Any surgical intervention to the brain
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Presence of non-MRI safe metal in the body

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern: lead
• University of Bern: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Division of Neurorehabilitation, Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland.

Bern, 3010, Switzerland

Location

Related Publications (9)

• Guggisberg AG, Honma SM, Findlay AM, Dalal SS, Kirsch HE, Berger MS, Nagarajan SS. Mapping functional connectivity in patients with brain lesions. Ann Neurol. 2008 Feb;63(2):193-203. doi: 10.1002/ana.21224.

  PMID: 17894381 BACKGROUND

• Guggisberg AG, Dalal SS, Zumer JM, Wong DD, Dubovik S, Michel CM, Schnider A. Localization of cortico-peripheral coherence with electroencephalography. Neuroimage. 2011 Aug 15;57(4):1348-57. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.05.076. Epub 2011 Jun 7.

  PMID: 21672634 BACKGROUND

• Dubovik S, Pignat JM, Ptak R, Aboulafia T, Allet L, Gillabert N, Magnin C, Albert F, Momjian-Mayor I, Nahum L, Lascano AM, Michel CM, Schnider A, Guggisberg AG. The behavioral significance of coherent resting-state oscillations after stroke. Neuroimage. 2012 May 15;61(1):249-57. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.03.024. Epub 2012 Mar 13.

  PMID: 22440653 BACKGROUND

• Paszkiel S, Dobrakowski P, Lysiak A. The Impact of Different Sounds on Stress Level in the Context of EEG, Cardiac Measures and Subjective Stress Level: A Pilot Study. Brain Sci. 2020 Oct 13;10(10):728. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10100728.

  PMID: 33066109 BACKGROUND

• Freyer F, Reinacher M, Nolte G, Dinse HR, Ritter P. Repetitive tactile stimulation changes resting-state functional connectivity-implications for treatment of sensorimotor decline. Front Hum Neurosci. 2012 May 23;6:144. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2012.00144. eCollection 2012.

  PMID: 22654748 BACKGROUND

• Mottaz A, Solca M, Magnin C, Corbet T, Schnider A, Guggisberg AG. Neurofeedback training of alpha-band coherence enhances motor performance. Clin Neurophysiol. 2015 Sep;126(9):1754-60. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2014.11.023. Epub 2014 Dec 6.

  PMID: 25540133 BACKGROUND

• Allaman L, Mottaz A, Guggisberg AG. Disrupted resting-state EEG alpha-band interactions as a novel marker for the severity of visual field deficits after brain lesion. Clin Neurophysiol. 2021 Sep;132(9):2101-2109. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.05.029. Epub 2021 Jun 28.

  PMID: 34284245 BACKGROUND

• Manuel AL, Guggisberg AG, Theze R, Turri F, Schnider A. Resting-state connectivity predicts visuo-motor skill learning. Neuroimage. 2018 Aug 1;176:446-453. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.05.003. Epub 2018 May 4.

  PMID: 29730496 BACKGROUND

• Allaman L, Mottaz A, Kleinschmidt A, Guggisberg AG. Spontaneous Network Coupling Enables Efficient Task Performance without Local Task-Induced Activations. J Neurosci. 2020 Dec 9;40(50):9663-9675. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1166-20.2020. Epub 2020 Nov 6.

  PMID: 33158966 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Neurofeedback

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Biofeedback, Psychology; Mind-Body Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Feedback, Psychological

Study Officials

• Adrian Guggisberg, Prof. Dr.

  Division of Neurorehabilitation, Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland.

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: In Experiment 1, participants will receive three different interventions (auditive neurofeedback, tactile neurofeedback, or both) in different sessions. The order of interventions will be counterbalanced across participants. In Experiment 2, participants will be randomized to one out of three parallel treatment arms (i.e., Group A, B, or C). Randomization, stratified for age and gender, will be generated with a computer random number generator. In both Experiments, participants will be blinded to the intervention order and group allocation.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: In Experiment 1, to disentangle which is the neurofeedback modality that most efficiently modulates brain connectivity, the investigators will compare auditory, tactile, or both modalities in a within subject design. In Experiment 2, to investigate whether enhanced brain connectivity at visual areas through real-time neurofeedback can boost visuo-motor learning, the investigators will compare Group A (active) to Group B (first control) and C (second control) in a between subjects design.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2023
• First Posted: February 17, 2023
• Study Start: May 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: May 31, 2025
• Study Completion: May 31, 2025
• Last Updated: November 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CH (1)