Mindfulness Improves Brain Computer Interface Performance by Increasing Control over Neural Activity in the Alpha Band

Abstract

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are promising tools for assisting patients with paralysis, but suffer from long training times and variable user proficiency. Mind-body awareness training (MBAT) can improve BCI learning, but how it does so remains unknown. Here we show that MBAT allows participants to learn to volitionally increase alpha band neural activity during BCI tasks that incorporate intentional rest. We trained individuals in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR; a standardized MBAT intervention) and compared performance and brain activity before and after training between randomly assigned trained and untrained control groups. The MBAT group showed reliably faster learning of BCI than the control group throughout training. Alpha-band activity in EEG signals, recorded in the volitional resting state during task performance, showed a parallel increase over sessions, and predicted final BCI performance. The level of alpha-band activity during the intentional resting state correlated reliably with individuals' mindfulness practice as well as performance on a sustained attention task. Collectively, these results show that MBAT modifies a specific neural signal used by BCI. MBAT, by increasing patients' control over their brain activity during rest, may increase the effectiveness of BCI in the large population who could benefit from alternatives to direct motor control.

Effects of Long-Term Meditation Practices on Sensorimotor Rhythm Based BCI Learning

“…The SMR or mu rhythm is generated by the synchronized electric brain activity over the motor cortex area, and has a frequency range of around 8 - 12 Hz (Pfurtscheller et al, 2006; Bernier et al, 2007). In BCI application, the frequency band centered at 12Hz (Cassady et al, 2014; Meng et al, 2016, 2018; Stieger et al, 2020) was shown to be effective in SMR control. Event-related desynchronization (ERD) occurs when the amplitude of mu rhythm decreases in response to a person moving or imagining moving her/his body (Pfurtscheller and Aranibar, 1979).…”

“…Prior literature has suggested that meditation shows a distinct change in one’s brain structure, and meditators tend to develop the ability to better control their attention and awareness (Chan and Woollacott, 2007; Tang et al, 2007; Moore and Malinowski, 2009). In the search for optimal training methods in preparation for the SMR based BCI control, previous work has investigated whether people with meditation experience are better able to control SMR based BCI (Cassady et al, 2014; Tan et al, 2014, 2015; Kober et al, 2017; Stieger et al, 2020), or just generate ERD/ERS without controlling a BCI system (Kerr et al, 2013; Rimbert et al, 2019). Similar to what Tang and colleagues (Tang et al, 2015) summarized for the neuroscience aspect of meditation studies, efforts to study the meditation effect on SMR BCI could be divided into two categories, longitudinal studies and cross-sectional studies: Longitudinal studies separated meditation-naïve subjects into a meditation group and a control group, with the meditation group receiving meditation training and control group receive either active control tasks or no specific task (Tan et al, 2014, 2015; Botrel and Kübler, 2019; Stieger et al, 2020).…”

“…In the search for optimal training methods in preparation for the SMR based BCI control, previous work has investigated whether people with meditation experience are better able to control SMR based BCI (Cassady et al, 2014; Tan et al, 2014, 2015; Kober et al, 2017; Stieger et al, 2020), or just generate ERD/ERS without controlling a BCI system (Kerr et al, 2013; Rimbert et al, 2019). Similar to what Tang and colleagues (Tang et al, 2015) summarized for the neuroscience aspect of meditation studies, efforts to study the meditation effect on SMR BCI could be divided into two categories, longitudinal studies and cross-sectional studies: Longitudinal studies separated meditation-naïve subjects into a meditation group and a control group, with the meditation group receiving meditation training and control group receive either active control tasks or no specific task (Tan et al, 2014, 2015; Botrel and Kübler, 2019; Stieger et al, 2020). After that, BCI performance and/or neurophysiological difference between the two groups was assessed. Cross-sectional studies investigated the difference in BCI/neurofeedback learning between people who already have meditation experience and meditation naïve subjects (Cassady et al, 2014; Kober et al, 2017).…”

“…Longitudinal studies separated meditation-naïve subjects into a meditation group and a control group, with the meditation group receiving meditation training and control group receive either active control tasks or no specific task (Tan et al, 2014, 2015; Botrel and Kübler, 2019; Stieger et al, 2020). After that, BCI performance and/or neurophysiological difference between the two groups was assessed.…”

“…Is meditation experience indeed a significant factor affecting SMR BCI learning? For example, Stieger and colleagues (Stieger et al, 2020) found that after an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction training, subjects indeed had significant performance improvements in the up/down task (both hands motor imagery to go up and rest to go down), but for the left/right control task (left/right hand motor imagery) the effect was not significant. Botrel and colleagues (Botrel and Kübler, 2019) found that week-long visuomotor coordination and relaxation training does not improve the SMR based BCI performance.…”