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

NCT06787248 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: BAM_lab_NF_05
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 61
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Healthy; Neurofeedback

Keywords

real-time neurofeedback; episodic future thinking; mPFC

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Neural activity of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) based on blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal

  Training-induced changes in mPFC activity will be assessed by analyzing BOLD-level activation of the mPFC

  1 hour

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Training-related changes in anticipated pleasure

  1 hour

• Training-related changes in motivational effort

  1 hour

Study Arms (2)

Neurofeedback training

EXPERIMENTAL

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

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

Control

SHAM COMPARATOR

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).

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

Interventions

real-time fMRI sham-controlled neurofeedback training procedure PROCEDURE

real-time fMRI neurofeedback training procedure running on the Turbo Brain voyager (TBV) 4.2 software (Brain Innovation, Maastricht, The Netherlands)

Control; Neurofeedback training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

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

You may not qualify if:

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

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Electronic Science and Technology of China: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China(UESTC)

Chengdu, Sichuan, 611731, China

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 15, 2025
• First Posted: January 22, 2025
• Study Start: January 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: May 15, 2025
• Study Completion: May 30, 2025
• Last Updated: August 29, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)