Individual Differences in Cognitive Control Predict Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback Performance

NCT ID: NCT07211269

Last Updated: 2025-10-07

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-09-03
• Study Completion Date: 2026-01-12

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to investgate whether individual differences of cognitive control capacity could predict neurofeedback performance and the behavioral effects resulting from successful anterior insula regulation via interoceptive strategy.

Detailed Description

The experimental protocol comprises two visits with a 3-7 days interval. The first visit includes: (1) completion of standardized psychological questionnaires, (2) pre-test of the heartbeat counting task (HCT), and (3) four validated cognitive control tasks, including the Go/No-Go task, Stroop task, Task-switching task, N-back task. The main task of the second visit is a fMRI task followed by a post-test of the HCT. The MRI scanning protocol includes anatomical scan, two resting-state scans (pre- and post-training), four runs of fMRI neurofeedback training and a transfer run without feedback. During the regulation block of the training task, participants are asked to upregulate the anterior insula activity followed by a pain empathy rating and strategy efficacy rating. All participants receive real-time neurofeedback from the left anterior insula. Scores of questionnaires including Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Beck Depression Inventory-Ⅱ, Autism Spectrum Quotient, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Toronto Alexithymia scale, Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire, Interoceptive Confusion Questionnaire, Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory are also collected before the experiment.

Conditions

Healthy

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Neurofeedback group

Participants received real-time neurofeedback information from the target regulation brain region.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Real-time fMRI neurofeedback training

Intervention Type: OTHER

Real-time neurofeedback information is computed using the Turbo Brain voyager (TBV) 4.0 software (Brain Innovation, Maastricht, The Netherlands). Functional images are collected and processed in real time based on contrasts of regulation vs. rest conditions. The BOLD signal of the target region is then transformed into visual bars and displayed to participants via the projector screen while participants keep using regulation strategy (heartbeat interoception in our study) to upregulate the target region.

Interventions

Real-time fMRI neurofeedback training

Real-time neurofeedback information is computed using the Turbo Brain voyager (TBV) 4.0 software (Brain Innovation, Maastricht, The Netherlands). Functional images are collected and processed in real time based on contrasts of regulation vs. rest conditions. The BOLD signal of the target region is then transformed into visual bars and displayed to participants via the projector screen while participants keep using regulation strategy (heartbeat interoception in our study) to upregulate the target region.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy subjects without any past or present psychiatric or neurological disorders

Exclusion Criteria

• History of brain injury Medical or mental illness and color blindness or weakness.
• The presence of metal in the body or claustrophobia.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Shuxia Yao

Dr

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Yao Shuxia, Dr.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Locations

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Chengdu, Chengdu, China

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

China

Central Contacts

Keith M Kendrick, Dr.

Role: CONTACT

k.kendrick.uestc@gmail.com

86-28-61830811

Facility Contacts

Shuxia Yao

Role: primary

yaoshuxia@uestc.edu.cn

18111297596

Other Identifiers

UESTC-neuSCAN-95

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id