P 57. Effect of Infra-Low Frequency Neurofeedback on Infra-Slow EEG Fluctuations

• Published in: Clinical neurophysiology Vol. 132; no. 8; p. e27
• Main Authors: Grin-Yatsenko, V.A., Ponomarev, V.A., Kara, O., Wandernoth, B., Gregory, M., Ilyukhina, V.A., Kropotov, J.D., Schneider, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-08-2021
• ISSN: 1388-2457; 1872-8952
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.02.373

Infra-low frequency neurofeedback (ILF NF) has been proposed as an alternative or complementary treatment method. Previous studies have reported a good effect of ILF training on the subjective perception of positive psychological changes after training. Here we study whether the objective physiological parameters reflecting the brain function also change under the influence of ILF NF.
Eight participants 21–50 years of age with no history of neurological or psychiatric diseases, but reporting about some physiological or psychological complaints, performed 20 sessions of infra-low frequency neurofeedback training. EEG in visual Go/NoGo test was recorded before the course of Neurofeedback and after its completion. The spectral power of slow EEG oscillations in the post-training recording was compared with the pretraining baseline.
After 20 sessions of ILF training, the pattern of ILF activity at rest changed dramatically. The main difference was an increase in the amplitude of the ILF activity up to 0.3–1.0 mV in all recording sites. These results indicate that ILF training modified the baseline brain state in each case. Furthermore, after completion of 20 NFB sessions, all participants indicated improvement of their state. Most of them noticed a decrease of inner tension and reactivity to stressful factors. Further, they reported on stability of mood, improved body and space awareness, increase of energy level and of cognitive performance. Along with this remission of the clinical complaints, significant increase of spectral power in 0–0.5 Hz frequency band was observed in all eight participants in the post-training EEG patterns compared to the pretraining EEG.
Our study has shown the changes in the amplitude distribution within the ILF spectral range in all participants that seems to be induced by the ILF training. In other words, the ILF training leads to the changes of the functional state of the brain. We suggest that the modification of the baseline ILF EEG pattern may reflect the normalization in the metabolic balance in the brain tissue and increasing efficiency of compensatory mechanisms in the stress regulation systems.