Enhanced attention-related alertness following right anterior insular cortex neurofeedback training

• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108915
• Publication Date: 2024-01-20T08:55:15Z
• Authors: Jeanette Popovova; Reza Mazloum; Gianluca Macauda; Philipp Stämpfli; Patrik Vuilleumier; Sascha Frühholz; Frank Scharnowski; Vinod Menon; Lars Michels
• Keywords: 1000 Multidisciplinary; 302043 Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT); 501014 Neuropsychology; 302043 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Science; Techniques in neuroscience; Q; 610 Medicine & health; 10058 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; 106025 Neurobiology; 501014 Neuropsychologie; Article; 11551 Zurich Center for Linguistics; Biological sciences; 10043 Clinic for Neuroradiology; Sensory neuroscience; 106025 Neurobiologie; Neuroscience

iScience, 27 (2)<br/>The anterior insular cortex, a central node of the salience network, plays a critical role in cognitive control and attention. Here, we investigated the feasibility of enhancing attention using real-time fMRI neurofeedback training that targets the right anterior insular cortex (rAIC). 56 healthy adults underwent two neurofeedback training sessions. The experimental group received feedback from neural responses in the rAIC, while control groups received sham feedback from the primary visual cortex or no feedback. Cognitive functioning was evaluated before, immediately after, and three months post-training. Our results showed that only the rAIC neurofeedback group successfully increased activity in the rAIC. Furthermore, this group showed enhanced attention-related alertness up to three months after the training. Our findings provide evidence for the potential of rAIC neurofeedback as a viable approach for enhancing attention-related alertness, which could pave the way for non-invasive therapeutic strategies to address conditions characterized by attention deficits.<br/>ISSN:2589-0042<br/>