Increasing lateralized motor activity in younger and older adults using Real-time fMRI during executed movements

Neyedli, H. F., Sampaio-Baptista, C. , Kirkman, M. A., Havard, D., Lührs, M., Ramsden, K., Flitney, D. D., Clare, S., Goebel, R. and Johansen-Berg, H. (2018) Increasing lateralized motor activity in younger and older adults using Real-time fMRI during executed movements. Neuroscience, 378, pp. 165-174. (doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.02.010) (PMID:28214578) (PMCID:PMC5953409)

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: 26 years) and one in older healthy volunteers (median age: 67.5 years). 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.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The research leading to these results has received funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013/under REA grant agreement no. PITN-GA-2011-290011. HJB is a Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow (110027/Z/15/Z). MAK is funded by a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Academic Clinical Fellowship in Neurosurgery. We acknowledge support from the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Sampaio Baptista, Dr Cassandra
• Authors: Neyedli, H. F., Sampaio-Baptista, C., Kirkman, M. A., Havard, D., Lührs, M., Ramsden, K., Flitney, D. D., Clare, S., Goebel, R., and Johansen-Berg, H.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: Neuroscience
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0306-4522
• ISSN (Online): 1873-7544
• Published Online: 15 February 2017
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2017 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Neuroscience 378: 165-174
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License