Increasing Lateralized Motor Activity in Younger and Older Adults using Real-time fMRI during Executed Movements

Heather F. Neyedli*, Cassandra Sampaio-Baptista, Matthew A Kirkman, David Havard, Michael Lührs, Katie Ramsden, David D Flitney, Stuart Clare, Rainer Goebel, Heidi Johansen-Berg

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Neurofeedback training involves presenting an individual with a representation of their brain activity and instructing them to alter the activity using the feedback. One potential application of neurofeedback is for patients to alter neural activity to improve function. For example, there is evidence that greater laterality of movement-related activity is associated with better motor outcomes after stroke; so using neurofeedback to increase laterality may provide a novel route for improving outcomes. However, we must demonstrate that individuals can control relevant neurofeedback signals. Here, we performed two proof-of-concept studies, one in younger (median age: 26years) and one in older healthy volunteers (median age: 67.5years). The purpose was to determine if participants could manipulate laterality of activity between the motor cortices using real-time fMRI neurofeedback while performing simple hand movements. The younger cohort trained using their left and right hand, the older group trained using their left hand only. In both studies participants in a neurofeedback group were able to achieve more lateralized activity than those in a sham group (younger adults: F(1,23)=4.37, p<0.05; older adults: F(1,15)=9.08, p<0.01). Moreover, the younger cohort was able to maintain the lateralized activity for right hand movements once neurofeedback was removed. The older cohort did not maintain lateralized activity upon feedback removal, with the limitation being that they did not train with their right hand. The results provide evidence that neurofeedback can be used with executed movements to promote lateralized brain activity and thus is amenable for testing as a therapeutic intervention for patients following stroke.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)165-174
Number of pages10
JournalNeuroscience
Volume378
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 May 2018

Keywords

  • Journal Article
  • ageing
  • motor cortex
  • IMAGERY
  • ACQUISITION
  • CONTEXTUAL INTERFERENCE
  • stroke
  • CORTEX ACTIVITY
  • FUNCTIONAL MRI
  • STROKE
  • RECOVERY
  • real-time fMRI
  • REORGANIZATION
  • BRAIN ACTIVATION
  • NEUROFEEDBACK
  • neurofeedback
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Motor Cortex/diagnostic imaging
  • Young Adult
  • Aging/physiology
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Hand/physiology
  • Functional Laterality
  • Motor Activity/physiology
  • Proof of Concept Study
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Aged
  • Neurofeedback
  • Cohort Studies

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