Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1007/s10484-025-09747-5
Halim I. Baqapuri, Anneke Terneusen, Michael Luehrs, Judith Peters, Mark Kuijf, Rainer Goebel, David Linden, Neuripides Study Group
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments. While pharmacological treatments offer symptom alleviation, their long-term effectiveness is insufficient. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical treatment that targets brain pathways to alleviate motor symptoms in PD. It is a highly invasive procedure and carries associated risks. This prompts investigation of non-invasive alternatives, such as real-time functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rt-fMRI) neurofeedback (NF). This work investigates the feasibility of using the basal ganglia, more specifically the putamen, a key structure in the motor network, as a potential NF target region. Two rt-fMRI studies were conducted: (i) Twelve healthy individuals participated in a single-blind, crossover study involving one MRI session targeting the putamen and the supplementary motor area (SMA) in separate runs. (ii) Twelve PD patients followed the same protocol but with three MRI sessions. We investigated whether participants could learn to voluntarily control brain activity through NF training. The PD patients successfully recruited the putamen during NF-reinforced motor imagery, which was also found at trend level in the healthy participants. We found no learning effect and no difference in putamen activation when it was directly targeted versus when the target signals came from the SMA. Overall, widespread cortical and subcortical areas involved in motor control were activated during neurofeedback. This study demonstrates for the first time that PD patients can modulate putamen activity through NF training, supporting its potential as a non-invasive neuromodulation target. This opens opportunities for integrating invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation for PD treatment.
{"title":"Basal ganglia as an fMRI motor neurofeedback target in Parkinson’s disease","authors":"Halim I. Baqapuri, Anneke Terneusen, Michael Luehrs, Judith Peters, Mark Kuijf, Rainer Goebel, David Linden, Neuripides Study Group","doi":"10.1007/s10484-025-09747-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10484-025-09747-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments. While pharmacological treatments offer symptom alleviation, their long-term effectiveness is insufficient. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical treatment that targets brain pathways to alleviate motor symptoms in PD. It is a highly invasive procedure and carries associated risks. This prompts investigation of non-invasive alternatives, such as real-time functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rt-fMRI) neurofeedback (NF). This work investigates the feasibility of using the basal ganglia, more specifically the putamen, a key structure in the motor network, as a potential NF target region. Two rt-fMRI studies were conducted: (i) Twelve healthy individuals participated in a single-blind, crossover study involving one MRI session targeting the putamen and the supplementary motor area (SMA) in separate runs. (ii) Twelve PD patients followed the same protocol but with three MRI sessions. We investigated whether participants could learn to voluntarily control brain activity through NF training. The PD patients successfully recruited the putamen during NF-reinforced motor imagery, which was also found at trend level in the healthy participants. We found no learning effect and no difference in putamen activation when it was directly targeted versus when the target signals came from the SMA. Overall, widespread cortical and subcortical areas involved in motor control were activated during neurofeedback. This study demonstrates for the first time that PD patients can modulate putamen activity through NF training, supporting its potential as a non-invasive neuromodulation target. This opens opportunities for integrating invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation for PD treatment.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":47506,"journal":{"name":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","volume":"50 on","pages":"635 - 653"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10484-025-09747-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145551615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-07DOI: 10.1007/s10484-025-09746-6
Mamur Khan, Malaika Shakeel, Sana Muftah, Laiba Gul, Muhammad Talha, Fazlina Shaid, Zaryab Bacha, Saqib Hayat Khan, Muhammad Abdullah Ali, Ahmad Khan
With the heavy academic demands for medical students, this research aimed to find the potential benefits of short-term mindfulness meditation in improving working memory among medical students, which may potentially have positive effects on their academics. Several previous studies have also shown the positive effects of mindfulness meditation in improving different cognitive functions, however, most of those studies studied the effects of long-term meditation. This study is unique because it studies the effectiveness of short-term meditation. To see the effects of a short-term mindfulness meditation practice on working memory among medical students at Khyber Medical College, Peshawar. In a quasi-experimental study, 55 medical students provided written consent to participate. The participants' working memory was assessed using the forward digit span test before a brief mindfulness meditation session. Following listening to a 10 min mindfulness audiotape, the forward digit span test was administered again. The pre- and post-meditation test scores were compared using SPSS software for statistical analysis. This study explored the pre- and post-meditation Forward Digit Span test scores. The improvements were extremely significant as per the T-test analysis (p = 0.00). On separate T-tests for each gender, it was found that females (p = 0.013) had a comparatively lesser increase in digit-span test scores than males (p = 0.003). However, both males and females showed improvements of significance. These findings imply the cognitive benefits of meditation practices for both genders. This research indicates that short-term mindfulness meditation improves the working memory of medical students. Evidence was obtained to suggest that mindfulness practice can improve working memory, which may have implications for enhancing the academic performance of medical students.
{"title":"Unlocking Cognitive Potential: Investigating the Impact of a Single Short-Term Mindfulness Meditation Session on Working Memory in Medical Students.","authors":"Mamur Khan, Malaika Shakeel, Sana Muftah, Laiba Gul, Muhammad Talha, Fazlina Shaid, Zaryab Bacha, Saqib Hayat Khan, Muhammad Abdullah Ali, Ahmad Khan","doi":"10.1007/s10484-025-09746-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-025-09746-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With the heavy academic demands for medical students, this research aimed to find the potential benefits of short-term mindfulness meditation in improving working memory among medical students, which may potentially have positive effects on their academics. Several previous studies have also shown the positive effects of mindfulness meditation in improving different cognitive functions, however, most of those studies studied the effects of long-term meditation. This study is unique because it studies the effectiveness of short-term meditation. To see the effects of a short-term mindfulness meditation practice on working memory among medical students at Khyber Medical College, Peshawar. In a quasi-experimental study, 55 medical students provided written consent to participate. The participants' working memory was assessed using the forward digit span test before a brief mindfulness meditation session. Following listening to a 10 min mindfulness audiotape, the forward digit span test was administered again. The pre- and post-meditation test scores were compared using SPSS software for statistical analysis. This study explored the pre- and post-meditation Forward Digit Span test scores. The improvements were extremely significant as per the T-test analysis (p = 0.00). On separate T-tests for each gender, it was found that females (p = 0.013) had a comparatively lesser increase in digit-span test scores than males (p = 0.003). However, both males and females showed improvements of significance. These findings imply the cognitive benefits of meditation practices for both genders. This research indicates that short-term mindfulness meditation improves the working memory of medical students. Evidence was obtained to suggest that mindfulness practice can improve working memory, which may have implications for enhancing the academic performance of medical students.</p>","PeriodicalId":47506,"journal":{"name":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145460214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-04DOI: 10.1007/s10484-025-09748-4
Qiuxia Xu, Yingqi Gu, Xizhe Hu
{"title":"Correction: Brief Interactive Virtual Reality Mindfulness Training with Real-Time Biofeedback for Anxiety Reduction: A Pilot Study.","authors":"Qiuxia Xu, Yingqi Gu, Xizhe Hu","doi":"10.1007/s10484-025-09748-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10484-025-09748-4","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47506,"journal":{"name":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145439595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Postoperative cognitive impairment is common among patients undergoing brain tumor resection. Neurofeedback (NF) represents a promising adjunctive intervention for cognitive rehabilitation, though its clinical application in neuro-oncology remains largely unexplored. This prospective case series enrolled seven inpatients (5 women, 2 men; aged 46-76 years) with cognitive deficits following brain tumor surgery. Each underwent 15 sessions of EEG-based NF (35 min/session, five times per week for three weeks) in parallel with daily motor rehabilitation. Baseline and post-intervention assessments included quantitative EEG (qEEG), a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, and functional measures. All patients completed the NF protocol without adverse events. qEEG analyses revealed heterogeneous but measurable modulations in absolute power and spectral ratios, with several patients showing normalization of pathological delta/beta activity. Reliable Change Index analyses indicated cognitive improvements in all patients, particularly in domains of memory, executive function, and language. Secondary benefits were also observed in mood, motor performance, and activities of daily living, though these varied across individuals. Intensive NF training combined with motor rehabilitation was feasible and well tolerated in this heterogeneous cohort. Preliminary results suggest that NF may promote postoperative cognitive recovery, with additional gains in functional and affective domains. Larger controlled studies are required to validate these exploratory findings.
{"title":"Rewiring Recovery: Cognitive and Motor Gains Through Personalized Neurofeedback After Tumor Resection-A Case Series from Neurorehabilitation Practice.","authors":"Gianvito Lagravinese, Valentina Nicolardi, Simona Aresta, Marialuisa Guglielmo, Serena Tagliente, Fabiana Montenegro, Petronilla Battista, Brendan Parsons, Stefania De Trane","doi":"10.1007/s10484-025-09743-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10484-025-09743-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Postoperative cognitive impairment is common among patients undergoing brain tumor resection. Neurofeedback (NF) represents a promising adjunctive intervention for cognitive rehabilitation, though its clinical application in neuro-oncology remains largely unexplored. This prospective case series enrolled seven inpatients (5 women, 2 men; aged 46-76 years) with cognitive deficits following brain tumor surgery. Each underwent 15 sessions of EEG-based NF (35 min/session, five times per week for three weeks) in parallel with daily motor rehabilitation. Baseline and post-intervention assessments included quantitative EEG (qEEG), a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, and functional measures. All patients completed the NF protocol without adverse events. qEEG analyses revealed heterogeneous but measurable modulations in absolute power and spectral ratios, with several patients showing normalization of pathological delta/beta activity. Reliable Change Index analyses indicated cognitive improvements in all patients, particularly in domains of memory, executive function, and language. Secondary benefits were also observed in mood, motor performance, and activities of daily living, though these varied across individuals. Intensive NF training combined with motor rehabilitation was feasible and well tolerated in this heterogeneous cohort. Preliminary results suggest that NF may promote postoperative cognitive recovery, with additional gains in functional and affective domains. Larger controlled studies are required to validate these exploratory findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":47506,"journal":{"name":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145439566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-28DOI: 10.1007/s10484-025-09744-8
Whitney K Norris, M Kathryn Allison, Linda Larson-Prior, Jocelyn C Anderson, Martha Rojo
Despite a wide variety of research and clinical utilization over the past 50 years, neurofeedback has failed to gain recognition comparable to other well-researched mental health interventions. The goal of this study was to explore neurofeedback practitioners' perspectives on what would help make the intervention more accessible to mental health providers and to the public. Despite a wide variety of research and clinical utilization over the past 50 years, neurofeedback has failed to gain recognition comparable to other well-researched mental health interventions. The goal of this study was to explore neurofeedback practitioners' perspectives on what would help make the intervention more accessible to mental health providers and to the public. As part of a larger implementation study using mixed methods to identify determinants of neurofeedback implementation, this qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews conducted online with 17 neurofeedback practitioners in outpatient settings, analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to identify themes related to accessibility. This study focused on the interview question: "What would help increase the accessibility of neurofeedback to the public?" Interview data were analyzed by two independent coders using inductive thematic analysis. The sample was mostly White (n = 15, 88%) and female (n = 13, 76%) with an average age of 53 years (range: 34-73 years). They averaged 17.8 years in practice (range: 3-36 years) and 8 years practicing neurofeedback (range: 1-20 years). Three major themes to help increase accessibility were identified: (a) financial support, including increased insurance coverage; (b) better provider education, including introduction of neurofeedback into graduate school curriculum; and (c) more research/research funding contributing to the scientific credibility of the neurofeedback field. This study was the first to qualitatively explore the accessibility changes of neurofeedback from an implementation science lens. Study participants described tangible ways to address these challenges through actionable avenues that could ultimately lead to increasing the update of neurofeedback in routine mental healthcare.
{"title":"Cost, Research, and Education: Providers' Perspectives on Making Neurofeedback More Accessible.","authors":"Whitney K Norris, M Kathryn Allison, Linda Larson-Prior, Jocelyn C Anderson, Martha Rojo","doi":"10.1007/s10484-025-09744-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10484-025-09744-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite a wide variety of research and clinical utilization over the past 50 years, neurofeedback has failed to gain recognition comparable to other well-researched mental health interventions. The goal of this study was to explore neurofeedback practitioners' perspectives on what would help make the intervention more accessible to mental health providers and to the public. Despite a wide variety of research and clinical utilization over the past 50 years, neurofeedback has failed to gain recognition comparable to other well-researched mental health interventions. The goal of this study was to explore neurofeedback practitioners' perspectives on what would help make the intervention more accessible to mental health providers and to the public. As part of a larger implementation study using mixed methods to identify determinants of neurofeedback implementation, this qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews conducted online with 17 neurofeedback practitioners in outpatient settings, analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to identify themes related to accessibility. This study focused on the interview question: \"What would help increase the accessibility of neurofeedback to the public?\" Interview data were analyzed by two independent coders using inductive thematic analysis. The sample was mostly White (n = 15, 88%) and female (n = 13, 76%) with an average age of 53 years (range: 34-73 years). They averaged 17.8 years in practice (range: 3-36 years) and 8 years practicing neurofeedback (range: 1-20 years). Three major themes to help increase accessibility were identified: (a) financial support, including increased insurance coverage; (b) better provider education, including introduction of neurofeedback into graduate school curriculum; and (c) more research/research funding contributing to the scientific credibility of the neurofeedback field. This study was the first to qualitatively explore the accessibility changes of neurofeedback from an implementation science lens. Study participants described tangible ways to address these challenges through actionable avenues that could ultimately lead to increasing the update of neurofeedback in routine mental healthcare.</p>","PeriodicalId":47506,"journal":{"name":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145393903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-25DOI: 10.1007/s10484-025-09745-7
Erik Peper, Richard Harvey, Singing Chen, Nicholas Heinz
Painful menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) affect the physical and mental well-being of millions of women, generally interfering with workplace productivity, educational learning experiences, and overall quality of life. This report describes the relationship between diaphragmatic breathing and the reduction of dysmenorrhea symptoms among students enrolled in a university stress-management program. Forty-nine women participated in an intervention group while 26 women participated in a comparison group. The intervention group spent 30 min practicing daily breathing and relaxation exercises over five weeks. The comparison group had no exposure to specific interventions. Analysis suggests significant improvements in menstrual symptoms in the intervention group compared to the comparison group (p = 0.0008, after age adjustment). There was no difference in outcomes between in-person and online instruction. The observations suggest that practicing 30 min per day of specific breathing and relaxation techniques are scalable for groups beyond students. Despite limitations, such as the lack of direct comparisons with pharmacological interventions (e.g. pain medications), the observations support diaphragmatic breathing as a non-pharmacological self-care method for dysmenorrhea, with recommendations for incorporating self-care practices that foster effective menstrual management and reduce stigma into everyday health education for girls and young women everywhere.
{"title":"Practicing Diaphragmatic Breathing Reduces Menstrual Symptoms Both During In-Person and Synchronous Online Teaching.","authors":"Erik Peper, Richard Harvey, Singing Chen, Nicholas Heinz","doi":"10.1007/s10484-025-09745-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-025-09745-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Painful menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) affect the physical and mental well-being of millions of women, generally interfering with workplace productivity, educational learning experiences, and overall quality of life. This report describes the relationship between diaphragmatic breathing and the reduction of dysmenorrhea symptoms among students enrolled in a university stress-management program. Forty-nine women participated in an intervention group while 26 women participated in a comparison group. The intervention group spent 30 min practicing daily breathing and relaxation exercises over five weeks. The comparison group had no exposure to specific interventions. Analysis suggests significant improvements in menstrual symptoms in the intervention group compared to the comparison group (p = 0.0008, after age adjustment). There was no difference in outcomes between in-person and online instruction. The observations suggest that practicing 30 min per day of specific breathing and relaxation techniques are scalable for groups beyond students. Despite limitations, such as the lack of direct comparisons with pharmacological interventions (e.g. pain medications), the observations support diaphragmatic breathing as a non-pharmacological self-care method for dysmenorrhea, with recommendations for incorporating self-care practices that foster effective menstrual management and reduce stigma into everyday health education for girls and young women everywhere.</p>","PeriodicalId":47506,"journal":{"name":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145369121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-23DOI: 10.1007/s10484-025-09741-x
Aline Tiemann, Zoé van Dyck, Claus Vögele, Simone Munsch, Marius Rubo
Normal gastric functioning (normogastria) is characterized by rhythmic gastric myoelectric activity, while dysrhythmic gastric activity (bradygastria and tachygastria) is associated with symptoms such as nausea, epigastric discomfort and fullness. Gastric biofeedback using electrogastrography (EGG) has emerged as a promising tool to regulate gastric rhythm, but research remains limited with few experimental studies. The current study (N = 94) tested a novel gastric biofeedback training in virtual reality (VR). We used a randomized controlled study design with three groups: (1) VR gastric biofeedback training, (2) the same training on a 2D screen and (3) a relaxation control group. We examined (1) the trajectory of gastric activity before, during, and after training (2) participants' ability to increase normogastria and reduce dysrhythmic activity and (3) self-reported experiences (motivation, attention, mood, presence, user acceptance, etc.). Results showed the expected peak in normogastria and a nadir in dysrhythmic activity during training, with a significant reduction in dysrhythmic gastric activity across sessions. Participants reported an improved ability to handle physical discomfort over time. VR and 2D groups reported faster time perception and better concentration than controls. Spatial presence (i.e., the feeling of "being there") was higher in the VR group than in the 2D group. Enjoyment, concentration, and alertness were initially high but declined over time in all groups. The results demonstrate the general technical feasibility of the paradigm and positive evaluations. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and to determine whether and how training success may relate to beneficial outcomes in clinical populations.
{"title":"Gastric Biofeedback in Virtual Reality: Feasibility, Efficacy and Self-Reported Experience.","authors":"Aline Tiemann, Zoé van Dyck, Claus Vögele, Simone Munsch, Marius Rubo","doi":"10.1007/s10484-025-09741-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-025-09741-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Normal gastric functioning (normogastria) is characterized by rhythmic gastric myoelectric activity, while dysrhythmic gastric activity (bradygastria and tachygastria) is associated with symptoms such as nausea, epigastric discomfort and fullness. Gastric biofeedback using electrogastrography (EGG) has emerged as a promising tool to regulate gastric rhythm, but research remains limited with few experimental studies. The current study (N = 94) tested a novel gastric biofeedback training in virtual reality (VR). We used a randomized controlled study design with three groups: (1) VR gastric biofeedback training, (2) the same training on a 2D screen and (3) a relaxation control group. We examined (1) the trajectory of gastric activity before, during, and after training (2) participants' ability to increase normogastria and reduce dysrhythmic activity and (3) self-reported experiences (motivation, attention, mood, presence, user acceptance, etc.). Results showed the expected peak in normogastria and a nadir in dysrhythmic activity during training, with a significant reduction in dysrhythmic gastric activity across sessions. Participants reported an improved ability to handle physical discomfort over time. VR and 2D groups reported faster time perception and better concentration than controls. Spatial presence (i.e., the feeling of \"being there\") was higher in the VR group than in the 2D group. Enjoyment, concentration, and alertness were initially high but declined over time in all groups. The results demonstrate the general technical feasibility of the paradigm and positive evaluations. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and to determine whether and how training success may relate to beneficial outcomes in clinical populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":47506,"journal":{"name":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145349157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study aimed to reduce alpha and beta brainwave power through external audio-visual stimulation (AVS) and to evaluate its clinical effect on anxiety levels, as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), alongside electroencephalography (EEG) data. Thirty participants received AVS, while 12 received audio-visual white noise as a control. EEG recordings were obtained before, during, and after the stimulation. A digital FFT-based power spectrum analysis was performed, and raw sum values (sum of spectral line values) within defined frequency ranges were extracted. The STAI was administered to assess both trait and state anxiety. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS. In the AVS group, significant reductions in alpha and beta power were observed between the pre-, during-, and post-stimulation phases (p < 0.05). Comparison of pre- and post-STAI scores revealed a statistically significant decrease in anxiety levels within the AVS group (p < 0.001), with no similar effect observed in the control group. Audio-visual stimulation significantly reduced alpha and beta EEG power during exposure and led to a marked decrease in self-reported anxiety. These findings provide both neurophysiological and clinical support for the use of AVS as a nonpharmacological method to alleviate anxiety symptoms.
{"title":"Alpha and Beta Powers in EEG: How Audio-Visual Stimulation Influences Anxiety.","authors":"İnan Özdemir, Emine Elif Tülay, Serkan Aksu, Fulden Cantaş Türkiş, Çağla Abalı Çelebi, Semai Bek, Gülnihal Kutlu","doi":"10.1007/s10484-025-09739-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-025-09739-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to reduce alpha and beta brainwave power through external audio-visual stimulation (AVS) and to evaluate its clinical effect on anxiety levels, as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), alongside electroencephalography (EEG) data. Thirty participants received AVS, while 12 received audio-visual white noise as a control. EEG recordings were obtained before, during, and after the stimulation. A digital FFT-based power spectrum analysis was performed, and raw sum values (sum of spectral line values) within defined frequency ranges were extracted. The STAI was administered to assess both trait and state anxiety. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS. In the AVS group, significant reductions in alpha and beta power were observed between the pre-, during-, and post-stimulation phases (p < 0.05). Comparison of pre- and post-STAI scores revealed a statistically significant decrease in anxiety levels within the AVS group (p < 0.001), with no similar effect observed in the control group. Audio-visual stimulation significantly reduced alpha and beta EEG power during exposure and led to a marked decrease in self-reported anxiety. These findings provide both neurophysiological and clinical support for the use of AVS as a nonpharmacological method to alleviate anxiety symptoms.</p>","PeriodicalId":47506,"journal":{"name":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145337473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-21DOI: 10.1007/s10484-025-09742-w
Valeria Carola, Valeria Gigli, Filippo Cellucci, Marco Coli, Sofia Nicolais, Caterina Piras, Giovanni Melina, Cristina Ottaviani, Giampaolo Nicolais
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are leading causes of premature mortality, disability, and reduced quality of life worldwide. While extensive literature has addressed cardiovascular risk and treatment, the role of noninvasive interventions in rehabilitation and secondary prevention remains less well defined. Among these, heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVBF) and cardioprotective dietary approaches have shown preventive benefits, yet their effectiveness in patients with established CVD or those undergoing cardiac rehabilitation is not fully established. This review systematically evaluates the evidence for HRVBF and heart-healthy dietary patterns in relapse prevention and rehabilitation, with particular attention to hospital-based contexts. Following PRISMA guidelines, systematic searches were conducted in Scopus and PubMed. Results suggest that HRVBF may enhance autonomic regulation, alleviate psychological distress, and shorten hospital stays. Dietary interventions, particularly those emphasizing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and Mediterranean-style patterns, demonstrate potential to reduce inflammation and modulate cardiovascular risk markers. Nevertheless, evidence supporting their integration into postoperative rehabilitation or treatment of established CVD remains limited. Heterogeneity in study designs and lack of standardization further constrain generalizability. Overall, the findings underscore the promise of early, noninvasive, and integrative rehabilitation strategies, highlighting the need for structured protocols in clinical settings, particularly during the immediate postoperative phase or after acute cardiac events.
{"title":"Bio-behavioral Interventions for Cardiovascular Diseases Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review on Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback and Nutrition.","authors":"Valeria Carola, Valeria Gigli, Filippo Cellucci, Marco Coli, Sofia Nicolais, Caterina Piras, Giovanni Melina, Cristina Ottaviani, Giampaolo Nicolais","doi":"10.1007/s10484-025-09742-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-025-09742-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are leading causes of premature mortality, disability, and reduced quality of life worldwide. While extensive literature has addressed cardiovascular risk and treatment, the role of noninvasive interventions in rehabilitation and secondary prevention remains less well defined. Among these, heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVBF) and cardioprotective dietary approaches have shown preventive benefits, yet their effectiveness in patients with established CVD or those undergoing cardiac rehabilitation is not fully established. This review systematically evaluates the evidence for HRVBF and heart-healthy dietary patterns in relapse prevention and rehabilitation, with particular attention to hospital-based contexts. Following PRISMA guidelines, systematic searches were conducted in Scopus and PubMed. Results suggest that HRVBF may enhance autonomic regulation, alleviate psychological distress, and shorten hospital stays. Dietary interventions, particularly those emphasizing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and Mediterranean-style patterns, demonstrate potential to reduce inflammation and modulate cardiovascular risk markers. Nevertheless, evidence supporting their integration into postoperative rehabilitation or treatment of established CVD remains limited. Heterogeneity in study designs and lack of standardization further constrain generalizability. Overall, the findings underscore the promise of early, noninvasive, and integrative rehabilitation strategies, highlighting the need for structured protocols in clinical settings, particularly during the immediate postoperative phase or after acute cardiac events.</p>","PeriodicalId":47506,"journal":{"name":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145349320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-06DOI: 10.1007/s10484-025-09740-y
Jill C Penman, Lindsay G Flegge, Kristina M Bogdan, Michael A Bushey
This retrospective study analyzes the effects of Mind Meter-a session of group-delivered pain neuroscience education (PNE) paired with temperature biofeedback-on peripheral temperature and pain outcomes in chronic pain participants. A retrospective review assessed physiological and subjective responses to this novel group intervention. Before and immediately after the intervention, peripheral skin temperature and pain related symptom scores were collected using an adapted Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS). Participants (n = 35) with chronic pain participated in a single 2-h Mind Meter group. Significant pre-post changes were seen in both physiological and subjective symptom severity. Peripheral temperature increased 2.30°F (95% CI 1.05, 3.54; p < 0.001) on average. Participants reported a mean reduction in pain intensity of -1.14 points (95% CI -1.61, -0.068; p < 0.001). Sadness, anxiety, and well-being on the ESAS also improved significantly (highest p = 0.001). In this study we observed that after a single group-session of Mind Meter, participants generated immediate, measurable physiological changes attributable to alterations in the autonomic nervous system, modest pain relief, and overall symptom improvement. This brief, group format provides a novel option that makes PNE and biofeedback a potentially accessible complementary modality.
本回顾性研究分析了心理测量(一组传递的疼痛神经科学教育(PNE)与温度生物反馈相结合)对慢性疼痛参与者外周温度和疼痛结局的影响。一项回顾性研究评估了对这种新型群体干预的生理和主观反应。在干预前后,使用埃德蒙顿症状评估量表(ESAS)收集周围皮肤温度和疼痛相关症状评分。患有慢性疼痛的参与者(n = 35)参加了一个单独的2小时心灵测量组。生理和主观症状严重程度在前后均有显著变化。外周温度升高2.30°F (95% CI 1.05, 3.54; p
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