Increased neuromodulation ability through EEG connectivity neurofeedback with simultaneous fMRI for emotion regulation

Emotion regulation plays a key role in human behavior and life. Neurofeedback (NF) is a non-invasive self-brain training technique used for emotion regulation to enhance brain function and treatment of mental disorders leading to behavioral changes. Most neurofeedback studies were limited to using the activity of a single brain region of fMRI data or the power of a single or two EEG electrodes. In a novel study, we use the connectivity-based EEG neurofeedback through retrieving positive autobiographical memories and simultaneous fMRI to upregulate positive emotion. The feedback was calculated based on the coherence of EEG electrodes rather than the power of single/two electrodes. We demonstrated the efficiency of the connectivity-based neurofeedback to traditional activity-based neurofeedback through several experiments. The results confirmed the effectiveness of connectivity-based neurofeedback to enhance brain activity/connectivity of deep brain regions with key roles in emotion regulation e.g., amygdala, thalamus, and insula, and increase EEG frontal asymmetry as a biomarker for emotion regulation or treatment of mental disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The results of psychometric assessments before and after neurofeedback experiments demonstrated that participants were able to increase positive and decrease negative emotion using connectivity-based neurofeedback more than traditional activity-based neurofeedback. The results suggest using the connectivity-based neurofeedback for emotion regulation and alternative therapeutic approaches for mental disorders with more effectiveness and higher volitional ability to control brain and mental function.