Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback最新文献

Treatment response remains one of the key challenges in managing patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of combining neurofeedback with pharmacotherapy in treating OCD. We conducted a single-blind, randomized clinical trial at Farschian Hospital in Hamadan, Iran. Forty-five patients with OCD were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 15 per group): experimental, placebo, and control. The experimental group received 25 neurofeedback sessions (three 45-minute sessions per week) alongside pharmacotherapy. The placebo group followed a similar protocol but without actual neurofeedback administration. The control group received pharmacotherapy alone. Data were analyzed using SPSS-22. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the mean total obsession score, including both thought and compulsion subscales (p < 0.01). The experimental group showed significantly greater improvement in all outcome measures compared to both control groups (p < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between the placebo and control groups (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that combining neurofeedback with pharmacotherapy significantly reduces OCD symptom severity compared to either treatment alone. Neurofeedback may serve as an effective, novel, and non-invasive complementary therapy for OCD when combined with standard pharmacological treatment.Trial registration The trial was registered at the Iranian registry of clinical trials ( www.irct.ir ; registration number: IRCT2015030321313N1).

Emotion regulation is essential for psychological development, and mindfulness has shown promise in enhancing emotional, cognitive, and physiological outcomes. However, traditional mindfulness practices can be challenging for children. Virtual reality offers an engaging platform to improve adherence, but its impact on children remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a short virtual reality-based mindfulness programme in improving heart rate variability and emotional skills in primary school children. The study involved 127 children aged 9-12 years (Years 5 and 6). Heart rate variability, a biomarker of autonomic nervous system activity, was measured across four virtual reality mindfulness sessions, while emotional skills were assessed pre- and post-programme. Results showed significant heart rate variability improvements, with increased high frequency power and physiological coherence indicating enhanced parasympathetic activity, relaxation, and emotional regulation. Although low frequency power decreased significantly after the first session, its interpretation as a marker of sympathetic activity remains controversial, warranting cautious analysis. In addition, the intervention improved emotional skills, particularly emotional clarity and the ability to repair emotions. Younger children (Year 5) showed greater heart rate variability gains than older peers, likely due to higher emotional plasticity during this developmental stage. These findings highlight the potential of virtual reality-based mindfulness to enhance heart rate variability, supporting better physiological and emotional regulation in children. Future research should focus on the long-term effects of these interventions and their broader applicability to promote well-being and resilience in educational and therapeutic settings.

Migraine without aura is associated with autonomic dysregulation and cognitive deficits, particularly in visuospatial cognition and interoception. Yoga-based interventions have shown promise in enhancing autonomic and cognitive functions. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of a novel yoga-based visual respiratory biofeedback (VRB) intervention on visuospatial cognition and interoception in individuals with migraine without aura. A total of 102 individuals were screened using clinical history, Migraine Screening Questionnaire (MSQ), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Sixty-four participants who met the eligibility criteria were recruited and randomized in a 1:1 ratio into two groups: (1) the experimental group (n = 32), which received 20 min of yogic VRB intervention involving alternate nostril yogic breathing (ANYB), and (2) the control group (n = 32), which watched a 20-minute documentary as a neutral visual stimulus. Visuospatial cognition was assessed using the Corsi Block Tapping Task, while interoception was measured with the Heartbeat Counting Task. Assessments were conducted immediately before and after the intervention. Linear Mixed Models (LMM) were used for statistical analysis to account for repeated measures. The VRB intervention significantly improved both visuospatial cognition and interoceptive accuracy in the experimental group compared to the control group. The experimental group showed a significant increase in Corsi span (t = - 3.97, df = 62, 95% CI [- 0.7, - 0.23], p < 0.001), indicating enhanced spatial working memory. In contrast, the control group showed no significant change in Corsi span. Both the groups showed significant increase in Corsi total score (t = 3.5, df = 62, 95% CI [1.87, 6.41], p < 0.001) after intervention, with no significant difference in group*time interaction. Furthermore, the experimental group demonstrated greater improvement in interoceptive accuracy compared to the control group, as indicated by increased scores derived from the Heartbeat Counting Task (t = - 8.59, df = 62, 95% CI [- 0.21, - 0.13], p < 0.001). The results suggest that a single session of the yoga-based VRB intervention effectively enhances both visuospatial cognitive performance and interoceptive accuracy in individuals with migraine without aura. These findings indicate that VRB may serve as a promising therapeutic tool for modulating autonomic and cognitive functions in migraine patients, potentially reducing the impact of migraine-related cognitive and interoceptive impairments. Future studies should explore the integration of this therapy with conventional care, its long-term effects and their applicability to broader populations.

This study has studied the impact of Gayatri Mantra (GM) meditation on emotional processing using event-related potentials (ERPs) and self-report measures. Twenty-four healthy male participants (M = 32.37, SD = 8.02 years) voluntarily participated in this study. Based on their self-reported daily routine practices, participants were categorized into two groups: meditation practitioners (n = 12) and non-practitioners (n = 12), who did not engage in any mind-body practices. All participants completed standardized psychometric assessments, including the Emotional Competence Scale, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Anashakti (non-attachment) Scale, and Brief Resilience Scale. EEG-ERP data were recorded using a 64-channel EEG during passive viewing of 120 affective images (40 positive, 40 negative, 40 neutral) from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) repository. Results revealed significantly reduced ERP-Late Positive Potential (LPP) amplitudes in practitioners across mid, right, and left-centroparietal sites, with the most significant reduction at CPz in response to negative stimuli (p = .043) and near significance at right centroparietal regions (p = .073). Self-report data revealed that practitioners demonstrated significantly greater Emotional Competence (p = .003) and Anasakti (non-attachment) (p = .043), along with higher scores on emotion regulation and resilience, suggesting a consistent trend toward enhanced emotional wellbeing. These findings indicate that sustained long-term GM meditation practice is associated with enhanced emotional regulation, reduced neural reactivity to affective stimuli, and improved emotional wellbeing. The combined neurophysiological and psychological evidence underscores the potential of GM meditation in cultivating emotional resilience and affective balance for overall wellbeing.

The paper entitled, Neurofeedback and Basic Learning Theory: Implications for Research and Practice, published in 2011, provided an overview of our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of operant conditioning when administering neurofeedback. Here, we expand on the basic tenets described in that paper to include learning in biofeedback, address random schedules of reinforcement, the neurochemistry of reinforcement learning, placebo effects, new theories of psychophysiological learning, and the role of the client-clinician interaction in facilitating learning success. It is intended both as a companion to the 2011 publication and as an updated reflection of our increased understanding of the learning principles that underlie these modalities.

Understanding the mind-body relationship is increasingly important in healthcare. Dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has been linked to both physical and mental health issues. Heart rate variability biofeedback training (HRVBt), which targets ANS regulation, is gaining popularity and is becoming more portable with advancing technology. While meta-analyses have shown that HRVBt can improve psychological and physiological outcomes, no review has specifically examined portable/remote HRV biofeedback training (P/R-HRVBt). Given the digital transformation of healthcare, this review aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of P/R-HRVBt for reducing stress and subclinical anxiety and depression, and to consider its clinical implications. Three databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science) and reference lists were searched. Eligible studies were written in English, used P/R-HRVBt, and quantitatively assessed feasibility or effectiveness on psychological outcomes or physiological stress markers in adults experiencing stress or subclinical anxiety and depression. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Quality was appraised using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. All studies received a global 'weak' rating, though four achieved 'moderate' quality when blinding was excluded. Overall, P/R-HRVBt was found to be feasible. All studies reported improvements in at least one psychological or physiological outcome, though heterogeneity in study design, measures, and effect sizes limited conclusions. Further high-quality research is warranted. Nonetheless, findings suggest that P/R-HRVBt may be comparable to established interventions and offers a promising alternative for improving psychological and physiological health.

Sensorimotor rhythm (SMR)/Theta neurofeedback is an intervention protocol to enhance attention performance in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, predominantly inattentive (ADHD-I). However, the effects of this attention modulation intervention on reading fluency in these children are not well documented. This study examined the efficacy of SMR/Theta neurofeedback in auditory and visual attention and reading fluency in children with ADHD-I. A cohort of 34 children aged 9-10 years underwent three-month neurofeedback training sessions. Attention was assessed with the Integrative Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA +), and reading ability was assessed by applying the Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE) and oral/silent reading measures. Repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted to analyze pre- and post-intervention performance. The results revealed significant improvements in components of visual attention, including visual focus and sustained visual vigilance (p < 0.005). Auditory attention also increases in auditory vigilance and sustained auditory attention significantly (p < 0.05). Reading fluency tasks yielded significant increases in sight word efficiency and oral/silent reading (p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate that SMR/Theta neurofeedback significantly enhances auditory and visual attention components, as well as reading fluency, in children with ADHD-I. The last effect of this intervention should be explored in future research, as well as its impact on higher-order reading comprehension processes.

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-B) is a technique that has been shown to have benefits for both physical and mental health conditions. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis is to describe the methodological approach and examine the efficacy of remote HRV-B interventions for mental health symptoms, including depression, stress, anxiety, and sleep as well as heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of autonomic function. A systematic literature search was conducted from five databases and eighteen studies with a total of 1352 subjects from different populations were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis based on the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed a medium effect size of HRV-B for improving both depression (g = - 0.41 [- 0.049, - 0.772], p = 0.026, I² = 72.623%, k = 10) and HRV (g = 0.443, [0.718, 0.167], p = 0.002, I² = 56.81%, k = 10) compared to control conditions. These results remained significant after sensitivity analyses excluding high-risk, non-randomized, and outlier studies. Effect for stress was not significant (p = 0.152, k = 8). Meta-regressions identified study and protocol characteristics as significant moderators of the effect on HRV, stress, and anxiety. Specifically, maximizing resonance, screen on the device, less lab visits, less than twenty minutes of practice time per day, and female gender were beneficial for the intervention effectiveness. Overall, this study indicates that HRV-B is an effective intervention for decreasing depressive symptoms and increasing HRV across populations, and some intervention variables may influence the intervention outcomes.

Although biofeedback (BFB) treatment has been well researched for different outpatient settings, relatively little information exists on the implementation process or the difficulties of applying this form of therapy in an inpatient setting. This study, therefore, focuses on the implementation of BFB in the inpatient setting and the potential barriers to its implementation and use. A mixed methods approach was chosen. Medical professionals in hospitals for inpatient mental health care, specializing in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy in Germany, were surveyed on the use of BFB via an online questionnaire. Hospitals that use BFB were then invited to take part in a semistructured interview. Participants were asked about the BFB treatment process and difficulties faced during implementation and application. Twenty-four hospitals participated in the quantitative part, and seven hospitals participated in the qualitative part of the study. The analysis of the data revealed that BFB implementation varied from hospital to hospital. The greatest differences were found primarily in the parameters surveyed, session frequency, and duration. Common features included the use of an introductory session, an evaluation, and a discussion of the benefits for patients. The obstacles included staff shortages, technical problems, and the high organizational effort required for BFB use. The data obtained confirm the benefits of BFB treatment in the inpatient setting and reveal which criteria are necessary for successful implementation. Sufficient resources (staff, time, equipment) must be provided for successful BFB implementation. Consistent integration into patients' timetables could minimize organizational effort, and therapist training could improve handling and implementation.