Attention and regulation of EEG alpha-attenuation responses

Abstract

Two experiments with 16 normal adults of both sexes tested the hypothesis that inattention to a biofeedback display is associated with increased variability of those physiological processes that had been regulated by the biofeedback. Each experiment was a repeated-measures-on-independent-subjects-design. Dependent variables were the time durations and the mean rms power of two mutually exclusive segments of the parietal-occipital EEG: alpha and not-alpha segments. Independent variables were combination of counting tasks and instructions to look at, listen to, and count visual and auditory flashes and clicks. The durations of alpha and not-alpha segments were controlled or regulated by means of an alpha-contingent visual feedback stimulus, Attention to the feedback stimulus was challenged by instructions to count other, noncontingent stimuli. Control of alpha and not-alpha segments was least for conditions of (1) "sham" feedback, and (2) feedback with instructions to count noncontingent auditory clicks, which were presented 3/sec while the feedback visual stimuli were occurring. A new EEG test of attention and distraction was suggested.

Bacteria Hunt

“…Neurofeedback therapy is mostly done over several sessions [3], though physiological effects of neurofeedback can already be observed after one session [13,31].…”

“…Furthermore, an important difference of our study to therapeutic neurofeedback studies was that the feedback was not given as a discrete signal of success or failing to enhance alpha [31], but was visualised continuously. This might attenuate the saliency of the feedback and consequently of the reward.…”

Exploring the neurophysiology of affect during human-media interaction

“…In the gaming scenario, however, the two tasks might impose a higher workload, as is a general issue in applications requiring the use of multimodal control [Fairclough, 2010]. Mulholland et al [1983] found indeed a decrease of the effect of neurofeedback when participants were also instructed to perform a counting task during the session, though the effect was still superior to a sham-feedback condition.…”

“…One of the relevant factors for the efficacy of neurofeedback seems to be the amount of training participants receive (Moore, 2005). Neurofeedback therapy is mostly done over several sessions [Ancoli and Kamiya, 1978;Hammond, 2007], though subjective or physiological effects of neurofeedback can already be observed after one session [Nowlis and Kamiya, 1970;Mulholland et al, 1983;Fell et al, 2002]. Consequently, a training protocol which incorporates multiple sessions and gives users the chance to train the brain activity that is used for the interface might yield effects.…”

“…Nevertheless, it is possible that the participants did not use the explicit feedback given, as they were concentrating on the game. The solely use of the implicit feedback would constitute a difference to other neurofeedback studies in which the feedback was given as a discrete signal (for example [Nowlis and Kamiya, 1970;Mulholland et al, 1983;Cho et al, 2008]). This might attenuate the saliency of the feedback and consequently of the reward.…”