Self-Regulation of Amygdala Activation Using Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback

Abstract

Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI) with neurofeedback allows investigation of human brain neuroplastic changes that arise as subjects learn to modulate neurophysiological function using real-time feedback regarding their own hemodynamic responses to stimuli. We investigated the feasibility of training healthy humans to self-regulate the hemodynamic activity of the amygdala, which plays major roles in emotional processing. Participants in the experimental group were provided with ongoing information about the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activity in the left amygdala (LA) and were instructed to raise the BOLD rtfMRI signal by contemplating positive autobiographical memories. A control group was assigned the same task but was instead provided with sham feedback from the left horizontal segment of the intraparietal sulcus (HIPS) region. In the LA, we found a significant BOLD signal increase due to rtfMRI neurofeedback training in the experimental group versus the control group. This effect persisted during the Transfer run without neurofeedback. For the individual subjects in the experimental group the training effect on the LA BOLD activity correlated inversely with scores on the Difficulty Identifying Feelings subscale of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The whole brain data analysis revealed significant differences for Happy Memories versus Rest condition between the experimental and control groups. Functional connectivity analysis of the amygdala network revealed significant widespread correlations in a fronto-temporo-limbic network. Additionally, we identified six regions — right medial frontal polar cortex, bilateral dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, left anterior cingulate cortex, and bilateral superior frontal gyrus — where the functional connectivity with the LA increased significantly across the rtfMRI neurofeedback runs and the Transfer run. The findings demonstrate that healthy subjects can learn to regulate their amygdala activation using rtfMRI neurofeedback, suggesting possible applications of rtfMRI neurofeedback training in the treatment of patients with neuropsychiatric disorders.

Self-regulation of inter-hemispheric visual cortex balance through real-time fMRI neurofeedback training

“…Similar to previous neurofeedback studies, we found that self-regulation engaged widespread brain networks (e.g. Chiew et al, 2012;Haller et al, 2013;Rota et al, 2011;Subramanian et al, 2011;Sulzer et al, 2013b;Veit et al, 2012;Zotev et al, 2011). In particular, in the learners, activations concomitant to feedback training arose not only in visual areas, but also in bilateral parietal and frontal areas that are commonly associated with top-down attentional control (Bressler et al, 2008;Greenberg et al, 2010;Hopfinger et al, 2000;Kelley et al, 2008;Lauritzen et al, 2009;Vossel et al, 2012;Yantis et al, 2002) (Figs.…”

The self-regulating brain and neurofeedback: Experimental science and clinical promise

“…For example, healthy individuals showed the ability to self-regulate brain activity in neuroanatomical structures often associated with affect (e.g., insula, amygdala, prefrontal cortex (PFC), and anterior cingulated cortex (ACC)) (Hamilton, Glover, Hsu, Johnson, & Gotlib, 2011;Johnston et al, 2011;Posse et al, 2003;Sitaram, Caria, et al, 2007;Zotev et al, 2011 Subramanian et al, 2011) and depression (e.g., Linden et al, 2012;Young et al, 2014). Although these clinical studies represent mostly nascent efforts in line with pilot data and usually draw on small samples and largely unreplicated assays, the emerging tenor from these preliminary findings seems to speak favorably to the clinical potential of rtfMRI-nf.…”

“…Out of over 70 published rtfMRI-nf studies, very few reported that participants were unable to modulate brain hemodynamics (Berman, Horovitz, Venkataraman, & Hallett, 2011;Hampson et al, 2011). Other experiments using rtfMRI-nf, using sham-feedback as control, demonstrated that participants increased their ability to modulate a particular brain region throughout training Caria, Sitaram, Veit, Begliomini, & Birbaumer, 2010;Chiew, Laconte, & Graham, 2012;Hui et al, 2014;Lawrence et al, 2014;McCaig, Dixon, Keramatian, Liu, & Christoff, 2011;Rota et al, 2009;Rota, Handjaras, Sitaram, Birbaumer, & Dogil, 2011;Yoo, Lee, O'Leary, Panych, & Jolesz, 2008;Young et al, 2014;Zotev, Phillips, Young, Drevets, & Bodurka, 2013;Zotev et al, 2011). Many other studies often lacked necessary controls or appropriate analyses to determine that veritable neurofeedback was the primary factor accounting for the observed brain alterations (Thibault et al, 2015); Figure 2 depicts some common control conditions.…”

“…As it turns out, few studies examine sustainability in neurofeedback (Thibault et al, 2015). Whereas some experiments demonstrate that participants retain control over target brain regions Mathiak et al, 2015;Robineau et al, 2014;Scharnowski et al, 2015;Zotev, Phillips, Young, et al, 2013;Zotev, Phillips, Yuan, et al, 2013;Zotev et al, 2011), other studies report no such retention (Berman, Horovitz, & Hallett, 2013;Greer et al, 2014;Hamilton et al, 2011;Ruiz et al, 2013;. Thus, the conundrums of mental strategy and sustainability still beg resolution.…”

The neural correlates of happiness: A review of PET and fMRI studies using autobiographical recall methods

“…One exception is the information regarding the neural correlates associated with recalled happiness (last column of Table 2). Whereas the brain regions for PET studies in Table 1 refer to contrasts between happiness and neutral conditions, such contrasts were reported in only six of the seven fMRI studies (Cerqueira et al, 2008;Cerqueira et al, 2010;Markowitsch, Vandekerckhove, Lanfermann, & Russ, 2003;Pelletier et al, 2003;Zotev et al, 2011;Zotev, Phillips, Yuan, Misaki, & Bodurka, 2014); the final fMRI study (Sitaram, Lee, Ruiz, Rana, Veit, & Birbaumer, 2011) only reported contrasts between three emotional conditions (i.e., happiness, sadness, and disgust). However, since the researchers followed a block-design experimental protocol interleaving emotional and rest conditions, we determined this study to be appropriate for inclusion in this review.…”