Exploring fNIRS-guided neurofeedback to alleviate motor symptoms: A proof-of-concept study in Parkinson‘s disease and healthy older adults

• DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/rnqc4
• Publication Date: 2024-12-09T08:25:57Z
• Authors: Franziska Klein; Michael Lührs; Stefanie Topp; Stefan Debener; Karsten Witt; Cornelia Kranczioch
• Keywords: Neurorehabilitation; Supplementary motor area

Parkinson's disease (PD) is commonly treated with pharmacological or physical therapies, which are often associated side effects. Combining motor imagery (MI) neurofeedback (NFB) offers a potential complementary non-pharmacological therapy. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-guided NFB protocol that integrates MI whole-body movements changes in deoxygenated hemoglobin concentration (d[HbR]) alleviate symptoms PD.Three groups (N = 19 each) completed four training sessions. group, consisting healthy older adults, the PD-NFB group performed tasks based on supplementary area (SMA) activity, while noNFB adults without NFB.Participants generally reported positive perceptions controllability. showed significant increase SMA activation compared and, part, for baseline MI. No differences were found between groups. There no difference PD group.This first investigate fNIRS-guided combining d[HbR] enhance activation. results suggest studied neurorehabilitation, but simultaneously highlight need further refinement research.