Increased Alpha-Rhythm Dynamic Range Promotes Recovery from Visuospatial Neglect: A Neurofeedback Study

Despite recent attempts to use electroencephalogram (EEG) neurofeedback (NFB) as a tool for rehabilitation of motor stroke, its potential for improving neurological impairments of attention—such as visuospatial neglect—remains underexplored. It is also unclear to what extent changes in cortical osci...

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Main Authors: Tomas Ros, Abele Michela, Anne Bellman, Philippe Vuadens, Arnaud Saj, Patrik Vuilleumier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-01-01
Series:Neural Plasticity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/7407241
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author Tomas Ros
Abele Michela
Anne Bellman
Philippe Vuadens
Arnaud Saj
Patrik Vuilleumier
author_facet Tomas Ros
Abele Michela
Anne Bellman
Philippe Vuadens
Arnaud Saj
Patrik Vuilleumier
author_sort Tomas Ros
collection DOAJ
description Despite recent attempts to use electroencephalogram (EEG) neurofeedback (NFB) as a tool for rehabilitation of motor stroke, its potential for improving neurological impairments of attention—such as visuospatial neglect—remains underexplored. It is also unclear to what extent changes in cortical oscillations contribute to the pathophysiology of neglect, or its recovery. Utilizing EEG-NFB, we sought to causally manipulate alpha oscillations in 5 right-hemisphere stroke patients in order to explore their role in visuospatial neglect. Patients trained to reduce alpha oscillations from their right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) for 20 minutes daily, over 6 days. Patients demonstrated successful NFB learning between training sessions, denoted by improved regulation of alpha oscillations from rPPC. We observed a significant negative correlation between visuospatial search deficits (i.e., cancellation test) and reestablishment of spontaneous alpha-rhythm dynamic range (i.e., its amplitude variability). Our findings support the use of NFB as a tool for investigating neuroplastic recovery after stroke and suggest reinstatement of intact parietal alpha oscillations as a promising target for reversing attentional deficits. Specifically, we demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of EEG-NFB in neglect patients and provide evidence that targeting alpha amplitude variability might constitute a valuable marker for clinical symptoms and self-regulation.
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spelling doaj-art-3233c8318ee44a56bac5dca53bea5dfc2025-08-20T03:55:03ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432017-01-01201710.1155/2017/74072417407241Increased Alpha-Rhythm Dynamic Range Promotes Recovery from Visuospatial Neglect: A Neurofeedback StudyTomas Ros0Abele Michela1Anne Bellman2Philippe Vuadens3Arnaud Saj4Patrik Vuilleumier5Laboratory Behavioral Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center and Campus Biotech, Geneva, SwitzerlandLaboratory Behavioral Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center and Campus Biotech, Geneva, SwitzerlandRomand Clinic of Readaptation, SUVA, Sion, SwitzerlandRomand Clinic of Readaptation, SUVA, Sion, SwitzerlandLaboratory Behavioral Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center and Campus Biotech, Geneva, SwitzerlandLaboratory Behavioral Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center and Campus Biotech, Geneva, SwitzerlandDespite recent attempts to use electroencephalogram (EEG) neurofeedback (NFB) as a tool for rehabilitation of motor stroke, its potential for improving neurological impairments of attention—such as visuospatial neglect—remains underexplored. It is also unclear to what extent changes in cortical oscillations contribute to the pathophysiology of neglect, or its recovery. Utilizing EEG-NFB, we sought to causally manipulate alpha oscillations in 5 right-hemisphere stroke patients in order to explore their role in visuospatial neglect. Patients trained to reduce alpha oscillations from their right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) for 20 minutes daily, over 6 days. Patients demonstrated successful NFB learning between training sessions, denoted by improved regulation of alpha oscillations from rPPC. We observed a significant negative correlation between visuospatial search deficits (i.e., cancellation test) and reestablishment of spontaneous alpha-rhythm dynamic range (i.e., its amplitude variability). Our findings support the use of NFB as a tool for investigating neuroplastic recovery after stroke and suggest reinstatement of intact parietal alpha oscillations as a promising target for reversing attentional deficits. Specifically, we demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of EEG-NFB in neglect patients and provide evidence that targeting alpha amplitude variability might constitute a valuable marker for clinical symptoms and self-regulation.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/7407241
spellingShingle Tomas Ros
Abele Michela
Anne Bellman
Philippe Vuadens
Arnaud Saj
Patrik Vuilleumier
Increased Alpha-Rhythm Dynamic Range Promotes Recovery from Visuospatial Neglect: A Neurofeedback Study
Neural Plasticity
title Increased Alpha-Rhythm Dynamic Range Promotes Recovery from Visuospatial Neglect: A Neurofeedback Study
title_full Increased Alpha-Rhythm Dynamic Range Promotes Recovery from Visuospatial Neglect: A Neurofeedback Study
title_fullStr Increased Alpha-Rhythm Dynamic Range Promotes Recovery from Visuospatial Neglect: A Neurofeedback Study
title_full_unstemmed Increased Alpha-Rhythm Dynamic Range Promotes Recovery from Visuospatial Neglect: A Neurofeedback Study
title_short Increased Alpha-Rhythm Dynamic Range Promotes Recovery from Visuospatial Neglect: A Neurofeedback Study
title_sort increased alpha rhythm dynamic range promotes recovery from visuospatial neglect a neurofeedback study
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/7407241
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