Vadim Zotev1,
Han Yuan1, Masaya Misaki1, Raquel Phillips1,
Kymberly D. Young1, Jerzy Bodurka1, 2
1Laureate
Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, United States; 2College
of Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK, United States
We have performed the first study utilizing real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) with simultaneous EEG to explore electrophysiological correlates of rtfMRI-nf training. Eleven MDD patients learned to self-regulate their left amygdala activation using rtfMRI-nf during positive emotion induction task based on retrieval of happy autobiographical memories. We observed task-dependent variations in frontal alpha EEG asymmetry that correlated with fMRI activation in left parahippocampal gyrus area including left amygdala. Our results suggest that frontal asymmetry-based EEG neurofeedback may naturally complement rtfMRI-nf in training of emotional self-regulation, and may enhance the therapeutic value of rtfMRI-nf for major neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly depression.