No Effects of Successful Bidirectional SMR Feedback Training on Objective and Subjective Sleep in Healthy Subjects

Abstract

There is a growing interest in the application of psychophysiological signals in more applied settings. Unidirectional sensory motor rhythm-training (SMR) has demonstrated consistent effects on sleep. In this study the main aim was to analyze to what extent participants could gain voluntary control over sleep-related parameters and secondarily to assess possible influences of this training on sleep metrics. Bidirectional training of SMR as well as heart rate variability (HRV) was used to assess the feasibility of training these parameters as possible brain computer interfaces (BCI) signals, and assess effects normally associated with unidirectional SMR training such as the influence on objective and subjective sleep parameters. Participants (n = 26) received between 11 and 21 training sessions during 7 weeks in which they received feedback on their personalized threshold for either SMR or HRV activity, for both up- and down regulation. During a pre- and post-test a sleep log was kept and participants used a wrist actigraph. Participants were asked to take an afternoon nap on the first day at the testing facility. During napping, sleep spindles were assessed as well as self-reported sleep measures of the nap. Although the training demonstrated successful learning to increase and decrease SMR and HRV activity, no effects were found of bidirectional training on sleep spindles, actigraphy, sleep diaries, and self-reported sleep quality. As such it is concluded that bidirectional SMR and HRV training can be safely used as a BCI and participants were able to improve their control over physiological signals with bidirectional training, whereas the application of bidirectional SMR and HRV training did not lead to significant changes of sleep quality in this healthy population.

Effect of Stress on Autonomic and Cardiovascular Systems in Military Population: A Systematic Review

“…Bidirectional sensory motor rhythm training (SMR) and heart rate variability biofeedback were used, which allowed subjects after 21 training sessions, to control their SMR frequency bidirectionally, showing significant improvements in stress management [ 28 ]. However, no significant effects were seen in sleep quality improvement, possibly explained since bidirectional training does not result in the same neuroplastic changes seen with unidirectional training, due to the constant changing contingencies (i.e., up vs. down required) [ 28 ].…”

“…Bidirectional sensory motor rhythm training (SMR) and heart rate variability biofeedback were used, which allowed subjects after 21 training sessions, to control their SMR frequency bidirectionally, showing significant improvements in stress management [28]. However, no significant effects were seen in sleep quality improvement, possibly explained since bidirectional training does not result in the same neuroplastic changes seen with unidirectional training, due to the constant changing contingencies (i.e., up vs. down To analyse the effect of underground operations on the psychophysiological and memory response of soldiers depending on the previous experience and the use of nocturne vision systems e underground operation produced a significant increase in blood lactate, blood oxygen saturation, rated perceived exertion, heart rate, cognitive and somatic anxiety, and sympathetic modulation in all groups [29], or relaxation and personal perception intervention programs, such as mind fullness, breathing techniques, the combination of both, and sitting quietly form [30].…”

Power Spectral Density and Functional Connectivity Changes due to a Sensorimotor Neurofeedback Training: A Preliminary Study

“…Furthermore, bidirectional modulation-based SMR neurofeedback training based on synchronization and desynchronization of the SMR during the same task has been also applied [15]. For example, in a recent sleep quality study, healthy subjects were able to successfully learn to modulate their SMR after 10 to 21 training sessions in C3 and C4 electrodes; besides, no effects on sleep were observed [16]. In the present study, a bidirectional SMR neurofeedback was assessed by using individually selected electrodes to train after a screening session.…”

Evaluation of the URGOnight tele-neurofeedback device: An open-label feasibility study with follow-up

“…It was proposed that training the reticulothalamocortical-cortical network using neurofeedback results in long-term potentiation (LTP) which increases the synaptic strength within this network and the likelihood of its future activation Sterman & Egner, 2006), suggesting that learning to control SMR activity (thus not only upregulation of SMR activity) leads to increased sleep spindle density and associated changes in sleep parameters. However, recently no effects of bidirectional (i.e., up-and downregulation) SMR training on sleep parameters were reported (Binsch et al, 2018), suggesting sleep-related improvements are specifically related to SMR neurofeedback up-training only.…”