Short and long-term effects of sham-controlled prefrontal EEG-neurofeedback training in healthy subjects

H J Engelbregt; D Keeser; L van Eijk; E M Suiker; D Eichhorn; S Karch; J B Deijen; O Pogarell

doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2016.01.004

Short and long-term effects of sham-controlled prefrontal EEG-neurofeedback training in healthy subjects

Clin Neurophysiol. 2016 Apr;127(4):1931-7. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2016.01.004. Epub 2016 Jan 22.

Authors

H J Engelbregt¹, D Keeser², L van Eijk³, E M Suiker⁴, D Eichhorn³, S Karch², J B Deijen⁵, O Pogarell²

Affiliations

¹ Hersencentrum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. Electronic address: hessel@hersencentrum.nl.
² Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
³ Hersencentrum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; VU University, Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁴ Hersencentrum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁵ VU University, Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

PMID: 26971473
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2016.01.004

Abstract

Objective: In this study we evaluated long-term effects of frontal beta EEG-neurofeedback training (E-NFT) on healthy subjects. We hypothesized that E-NFT can change frontal beta activity in the long-term and that changes in frontal beta EEG activity are accompanied by altered cognitive performance.

Methods: 25 healthy subjects were included and randomly assigned to active or sham E-NFT. On average the subjects underwent 15 E-NFT training sessions with a training duration of 45 min. Resting-state EEG was recorded prior to E-NFT training (t1) and in a 3-year follow-up (t3).

Results: Compared to sham E-NFT, which was used for the control group, real E-NFT increased beta activity in a predictable way. This increase was maintained over a period of three years post training. However, E-NFT did not result in significantly improved cognitive performance.

Conclusion: Based on our results, we conclude that EEG-NFT can selectively modify EEG beta activity both in short and long-term.

Significance: This is a sham controlled EEG neurofeedback study demonstrating long-term effects in resting state EEG.

Keywords: Brain modulation; Electroencephalography; Long-term effects; Neurofeedback.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Electroencephalography / methods*
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Healthy Volunteers
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Neurofeedback / methods*
Neurofeedback / physiology*
Prefrontal Cortex / physiology*
Time Factors
Young Adult