Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback Training on the Anterior Insula Based on Interoceptive Processing

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China99 enrolled

Overview

The main aim of the study is to investigate whether subjects can learn self control of activity of the anterior insula via real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback training based on a regulation strategy of interoceptive processing.

A double-blinded, placebo-controled, between-subject design is employed in this study. In a randomized order, a total of 90 healthy subjects will be recruited and assigned into the experimental group (EG; N=33), which receives real feedback from the left anterior insula, or the control group (CG; N=33) which receives sham feedback from a whole slice of top brain, or the control group 2 (CG2; N=33) wich receives sham feedback from the middle temporal gyrus. Neurofeedback training consists of 4 training sessions with real-time feedback and 1 transfer session without feedback. A heartbeat detection task pre- and post-training was used to determine interoceptive accuracy changes induced by neurofeedback training. A pre-training empathy task before training was used to localise the anterior insula and as a baseline of empathic response. A post-training empathy task was used to determine the effects of neurofeedback training on empathic response by comparing with the pre-training one. Behavioral and fMRI data are collected during the empathy tasks and the neurofeedback task. Personality traits of subjects are assessed using validated Chinese version questionnaires, including the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), Interoceptive Confusion Questionnaire (ICQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Autism Spectrum Quotient (ASQ), Empathy Quotient (EQ). Subjects are asked to complete Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) twice before and after the neurofeedback training task.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Healthy

Interventions

real-time fMRI neurofeedback training procedurePROCEDURE

real-time fMRI neurofeedback training procedure running on the Turbo Brain voyager (TBV) 3.2 software (Brain Innovation, Maastricht, The Netherlands)

real-time fMRI sham-controlled neurofeedback training procedurePROCEDURE

real-time fMRI sham neurofeedback training procedure running on the Turbo Brain voyager (TBV) 3.2 software (Brain Innovation, Maastricht, The Netherlands)

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 28 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy subjects without any past or present psychiatric or neurological disorders Exclusion Criteria: * History of brain injury Medical or mental illness

Locations (1)

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China(UESTC)

Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Neural activity of the anterior insula based on blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal

The anterior insula activity induced by neurofeedback training relative to sham feedback training

Time frame: 1 hour

Secondary Outcomes

Confidence rating scores of interoceptive sensitivity

Subjects are asked to rate to what extent they can feel their heartbeat based on a Likert Scale ranging from 1-9 (1 = very low and 9 = very high)

Time frame: 1 hour

pain empathy ratings scores

Subjects were required to rate their empathic feeling towards painful pictures on a Likert Scale ranging from 1-9 (1 = not at all and 9 = very painful) before and after neurofeedback training.

Time frame: 1 hour

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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