Cognitive aging has become a major concern because life expectancy has increased and elderly populations are socially and economically active. Neurofeedback is a technique of neuromodulation through operant conditioning paradigm that uses a computer interface to provide real-time information about brain activity to increase individual self-perception and assist in modulation. The sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) training protocol is known to enhance attention and has been applied to improve cognitive performance, primarily for attention and memory gains. The aim of this study is to test if the SMR protocol can improve working memory performance in an aging population and consequently favor cognitive reserve. Seventeen older adults (12 females) took part in a randomized placebo-controlled study. They completed a visual working memory test, Delayed Matching to Sample Task (DMTS), before and after the SMR neurofeedback protocol in order to compare their visual working memory performance. Moreover, a 19-channels EEG was collected while they perform the DMTS pre- and post-training. The experimental group showed an improvement in their working memory performance after the training with similar activation power, mainly in theta and beta frequency band at frontal and alpha at temporal regions. The sham group showed some variations in the score of working memory after the training, but were not statistically significant and their power spectrum demonstrate enhancement in alpha and beta band frontal and temporal. The group that did not receive neurofeedback training did not show a change in their working memory performance, neither in their EEG spectrum. The results suggest that neurofeedback can benefit brain reserve in an aging population because individuals enhanced their working memory performance after training and have their EEG activation changed according to expected in working memory tasks.
Neurofeedback is a neuromodulation technique based on a brain-computer interface. An individual receives feedback from a computer about their brain activity and is conditioned to improve performance according to a training target. Therefore, it may be used to help individuals who suffer from cognitive decline, which is predicted to occur during aging. Cognitive decline affects working memory, which involves the medial temporal lobe-an important area for temporarily storing information-and recruits the prefrontal cortex, an area associated with higher cognitive functions, such as executive function. Since memory and executive function are fundamental components for every healthy and independent human life, cognitive decline fundamentally impairs a person's well-being. As such, since the aging population has been increasing at higher rates, methods to enhance their cognitive performance have become increasingly important. These methods may be used to increase brain reserve and help the elderly maintain a socially active life. The purpose of this chapter is to add neurofeedback to the box of promising tools that maintain cognitive reserve and as such promote a healthy and active life.
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