Feasibility of a novel neurofeedback system: a parallel randomized single-blinded pilot study

Horváth, Dávid; Négyesi, János; Rácz, Melinda; Győri, Tamás; Matics, Zsolt; Puskin, Artyom; Csipor, János; Rácz, Levente · 2023 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44545-1

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Summary

This pilot study investigated the feasibility and efficacy of a novel neurofeedback (NF) system, neuroMoon (nM), on cognitive abilities in young athletes. The research was motivated by the growing interest in perceptual-cognitive training (PCT) tools like NeuroTracker (NT) for enhancing sports performance, alongside the potential of NF to improve cognitive functions such as attention and memory. The authors aimed to determine if nM, a portable EEG-based headset targeting the sensorimotor rhythm-theta (SMR/T) ratio, could induce cognitive improvements comparable to NT. The study employed a parallel randomized single-blinded design with 31 young athletes divided into three groups: nM training (n=11), nM sham control (CON, n=10), and NT training (n=10). Participants underwent a 12-session computer-based cognitive training program over four weeks. Cognitive performance was assessed before and after the intervention using a comprehensive battery from the Vienna Test System (VTS), including the Stroop test, task-switching test, determination test, and digit span backwards test, along with a separate digit span backwards assessment. The nM device utilized dry electrodes at frontal (Fp1, Fp2) and occipital (O1, O2) locations to record EEG signals, providing real-time feedback via a video game interface that accelerated a spaceship based on the user’s SMR/T ratio. Results indicated that all three groups, including the sham control, showed significant improvements in various cognitive metrics post-intervention. Specifically, participants across all groups demonstrated faster median reaction times in the Stroop test and faster working times in the task-switching test. The determination test revealed fewer omitted answers and more correct responses for all groups. Additionally, all participants achieved higher scores on the digit span backwards test. Statistical analysis using repeated-measures ANOVA confirmed these improvements were significant but did not differ significantly between the nM, NT, and sham groups. The findings suggest that the novel nM system is feasible and induces cognitive improvements similar to the established NT tool. However, because the sham group also exhibited comparable gains, the study concludes that the specific causal effect of NF training on these cognitive measures remains unclear. The authors imply that future research must identify which specific cognitive outcomes are genuinely driven by neurofeedback versus general practice or placebo effects. This highlights the need for more rigorous experimental designs to validate the unique efficacy of NF protocols in enhancing mental performance.

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