The Effects of Self-Regulation in Hippocampus Activation Using Different Types of Real-Time Neurofeedback

Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (rtfMRI-NF) is a non-invasive imaging technique which can extract the concurrent brain state and provide neurofeedback to subjects in an online fashion so that subjects can self-regulate their internal brain state accordingly. In this area, most studies give the continuous NF that is obtained upon every fMRI data acquisition. Although the time resolution of NF signal is maximized, the continuous NF may have some drawbacks. Subjects can be dispersed in the condition of emotion regulation because (1) there is an inherent delay between the hemodynamic response which is caused by neuronal activity and associated NF, (2) there is a limit on the cognitive attention available to simultaneously assess NF and keep with the regulation. In this study, we investigated the differences of the capability to up-regulate activity of hippocampus between groups. The three groups were presented with continuous and intermittent NF and a control group receiving sham NF signal using positive autobiographical memories recalling. Compared with the NF groups, there was no remarkable regulating effect in the control group. The performance of hippocampal regulation in the intermittent group was better than it in the continuous neurofeedback group. In general, we not only showed that the NF was a prerequisite to learn self-regulation of hippocampus activity but also showed that intermittent NF was superior to continuous NF presentation. Training with rtfMRI-NF has promising translational value in future therapeutic process of emotionally related mental disorders.