The Effect of the Interval-Duration of Averaged Brain-Activity that is Fed Back on Upper-Alpha-Band EEG-Neurofeedback-Learning

Abstract

An experimental study with 56 participants was conducted to investigate the effect of the duration of the interval of brain activity that was fed back (DIBF) on individual upper-alpha- band electroencephalography-neurofeedback learning (EEG-NF). Furthermore, it was examined whether the effect of DIBF differs between participants without a change in the mean individual upper alpha amplitude after the training (non-regulators) compared to participants with a change (regulators). Participants took part in one EEG-NF-training session with five blocks in which they received continuous feedback averaged over the last one, two or four seconds of their brain activity. Results of a linear mixed-model analysis reveal a significant increase of mean individual upper alpha amplitude over time. However, neither a main effect of the DIBF nor an interaction effect of time and DIBF were found. The DIBF did not affect ‘regulators’ and ‘non-regulators’ differently. Contrary to the hypotheses, no effect of cognitive load was observed. Further investigation on the effect of DIBF on EEG-NF-training in the long term and studies on the effect of feedback timing for ‘non-regulators’ in EEG-NF-training is suggested. The current findings bring new insights into the EEG-NF-training protocols. Keywords: Neurofeedback, Electroencephalography, duration of the interval of brain activity, Regulators, Non-regulators, individual upper alpha band.