Improved Working Memory Performance through Self-Regulation of Dorsal Lateral Prefrontal Cortex Activation Using Real-Time fMRI

Zhang, Gaoyan; Yao, Li; Zhang, Hang; Long, Zhiying; Zhao, Xiaojie · 2013 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073735

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Summary

This study investigates whether individuals can voluntarily regulate neural activity in the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) using real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI) and whether such self-regulation improves working memory performance. While previous research established the DLPFC’s critical role in working memory and demonstrated that behavioral training alters DLPFC activity, it remained unclear if direct self-regulation of this region could induce behavioral changes. The authors aimed to determine if up-regulating left DLPFC activation via rtfMRI feedback could enhance verbal working memory. Thirty healthy college students were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=15) or a control group (n=15). Participants underwent two rtfMRI training sessions separated by seven days. During training, subjects received visual feedback representing the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal difference between a target ROI in the left DLPFC and a control ROI. Experimental participants were instructed to increase the signal by sub-vocally reciting self-generated sequences backward, while the control group received sham feedback derived from other subjects. Behavioral assessments, including digit span (criterion), letter memory (near transfer), spatial 3-back, and Stroop tasks (far transfer), were conducted before and after the training period. The results demonstrated that the experimental group successfully up-regulated left DLPFC activation, showing a significant progressive increase in percent signal change across feedback runs, whereas the control group showed no such trend. Whole-brain analysis revealed stronger activation in the experimental group in the bilateral DLPFC, posterior parietal cortex, and left middle occipital gyrus as training progressed. Behaviorally, the experimental group exhibited a significantly greater improvement in digit span performance compared to the control group. The experimental group also showed significant within-group improvement in the letter memory task, though the between-group difference was not significant. Both groups improved on the far transfer tasks (spatial 3-back and Stroop), with no significant differences between groups. These findings provide preliminary evidence that working memory performance can be enhanced through learned self-regulation of associated brain regions using rtfMRI. The study confirms that individuals can acquire control over DLPFC activation and that this neural modulation translates to improved cognitive behavior. The authors suggest that rtfMRI-based neurofeedback could serve as a promising tool for augmenting memory ability and potentially rehabilitating working memory deficits in clinical populations such as those with ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, or schizophrenia.

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• executive function