Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment in a P300 Speller Task for Attention Training

NCT ID: NCT05576649

Last Updated: 2023-03-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 51 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-10-03
• Study Completion Date: 2023-03-13

Brief Summary

This study compares different adaptation approaches in a P300-based BCI neurofeedback training to improve short-term attention. Participants will spell several words on a computer by focusing on a letter on the screen while their brain activity is recorded (P300 speller). The difficulty of this task will be adapted to train their attention. Their cognitive abilities will be evaluated using a random dot kinematogram, where they are asked to indicate the direction a fraction of moving dots on the computer screen is going in, before and after the training to analyse any improvements. Questionnaires will be used to compare the perceived task load of the different adaptation approaches.

Detailed Description

Healthy participants will complete several runs in a P300-speller task, where the number of flashes per row and column is progressively adapted to their performance (in control group 1 and experimental group) or chosen randomly (in control group 2). Decreasing the number of flashes per row and column makes it harder for the computer to identify the letter the participant is focusing on, which encourages them to improve their focus to maintain their performance. The number of flashes can therefore be interpreted as the task difficulty of the P300 speller task.

The participants will complete a continuous version of the random dot kinematogram, where a fraction of incoherently moving dots will start moving coherently. The participants are asked to indicate which direction these dots are moving in. This task is completed before and after the P300 speller training, so that response times in the task can be compared.

To evaluate the perceived task load of the different adaptation approaches, the participants will complete a questionnaire about fatigue and boredom before and after the training session, as well as the NASA Task Load Index at the end of the experiment.

Conditions

Attention

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Control Group 1

In this group, the number of flashes per row and column during the P300 speller training will be adapted based on the participants' previous performance according to the approach used by Arvaneh et al. (2019).

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Task difficulty adaptation according to Arvaneh et al. (2019)

Intervention Type: OTHER

The task difficulty in the P300 speller training will be adapted according to Arvaneh et al. (2019).

Control Group 2

In this group, the number of flashes per row and column during the P300 speller training will be chosen randomly. It is independent of the participants' performance.

Group Type: SHAM_COMPARATOR

Random task difficulty

Intervention Type: OTHER

The task difficulty in the P300 speller training is chosen randomly.

Experimental Group

In this group, the number of flashes per row and column during the P300 speller training will be adapted according to an iterative learning control law that was developed by the principal investigator of this study. The control law uses the previous number of flashes, as well as the participants' previous performance.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Task difficulty adaptation according to iterative learning controller

Intervention Type: OTHER

The task difficulty in the P300 speller is determined by an iterative learning controller.

Interventions

Task difficulty adaptation according to Arvaneh et al. (2019)

The task difficulty in the P300 speller training will be adapted according to Arvaneh et al. (2019).

Intervention Type: OTHER

Random task difficulty

The task difficulty in the P300 speller training is chosen randomly.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Task difficulty adaptation according to iterative learning controller

The task difficulty in the P300 speller is determined by an iterative learning controller.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• 18 years and older
• able to consent
• normal or corrected-to-normal vision

Exclusion Criteria

• history of neurological or cognitive illnesses
• negative reaction to electroconductive gel used in the study (an allergy patch test will be carried out before the experiment starts)
• illiteracy

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Dublin City University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Irish Research Council

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

National University of Ireland, Maynooth

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sandra-Carina Noble

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Maynooth University

Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland

Countries

Ireland

References

Arvaneh M, Robertson IH, Ward TE. A P300-Based Brain-Computer Interface for Improving Attention. Front Hum Neurosci. 2019 Jan 4;12:524. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00524. eCollection 2018.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 30662400 (View on PubMed)

Noble SC, Woods E, Ward T, Ringwood JV. Adaptive P300-Based Brain-Computer Interface for Attention Training: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2023 Jul 5;12:e46135. doi: 10.2196/46135.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 37405822 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

BSRESC-2022-2474456

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id