Modulating Individual Alpha Frequency through Short-Term Neurofeedback for Cognitive Enhancement in Healthy Young Adults

Abstract

Human alpha oscillation (7–13 Hz) has been extensively studied over the years for its connection with cognition. The individual alpha frequency (IAF), defined as the frequency that provides the highest power in the alpha band, shows a positive correlation with cognitive processes. The modulation of alpha activities has been accomplished through various approaches aimed at improving cognitive performance. However, very few studies focused on the direct modulation of IAF by shifting the peak frequency, and the understanding of IAF modulation remains highly limited. In this study, IAFs of healthy young adults were up-regulated through short-term neurofeedback training using haptic feedback. The results suggest that IAFs have good trainability and are up-regulated, also that IAFs are correlated with the enhanced cognitive performance in mental rotation and n-back tests compared to sham-neurofeedback control. This study demonstrates the feasibility of self-regulating IAF for cognition enhancement and provides potential therapeutic benefits for cognitive-impaired patients.

Pretraining alpha rhythm enhancement by neurofeedback facilitates short-term perceptual learning and improves visual acuity by facilitated consolidation

“…This technique has shown promising results in enhancing attention, memory, and other cognitive functions by targeting specific brain oscillations such as the alpha and beta frequencies. For instance, alpha NF training has been linked to improvements in memory and attention tasks, suggesting a direct correlation between increased alpha oscillations and enhanced cognitive performance (Nawaz et al, 2022 ; Li et al, 2023 ; Kimura et al, 2024 ).…”