Effect of beta and gamma neurofeedback on memory and intelligence in the elderly

Recent research showed a correlation between cognitive decline and a decrease of EEG gamma activity. In the present double-blind randomized control study, we investigated whether gamma and beta neurofeedback protocols, that have been shown to modulate performance on cognitive control and memory in young adults, also leads to increased brain...

Heart rate variability and skin conductance biofeedback: A triple-blind randomized controlled study

High heart rate variability (HRV) and low skin conductance level (SCL) have been associated with low levels of stress. Biofeedback - providing an individual with online information about his or her own physiological state – may help to change these signals in the desired direction and therewith improve an individual’s physical or mental...

Perceiving blocks of emotional pictures and sounds: effects on physiological variables

Most studies on physiological effects of emotion-inducing images and sounds examine stimulus locked variables reflecting a state of at most a few seconds. We here aimed to induce longer lasting emotional states using blocks of repetitive visual, auditory, and bimodal stimuli corresponding to specific valence and arousal levels. The duration of...

Dose-dependent dopaminergic modulation of reward-based learning in Parkinson's disease

Learning to select optimal behavior in new and uncertain situations is a crucial aspect of living and requires the ability to quickly associate stimuli with actions that lead to rewarding outcomes. Mathematical models of reinforcement-based learning to select rewarding actions distinguish between (1) the formation of stimulus-action-reward...

Using bio- and neurofeedback to enhance psychological recuperation in Afghanistan veterans

Both bio- and neurofeedback (training) protocols are hypothesized to be beneficial in the management of arousal states and psychological recuperation after aversive and potentially traumatic experiences. As military deployments in theatres like Iraq or Afghanistan imply an significant risk for potentially traumatic experiences and stress related...

Multi-modal affect induction for affective brain-computer interfaces

Reliable applications of affective brain-computer interfaces (aBCI) in realistic, multi-modal environments require a detailed understanding of the processes involved in emotions. To explore the modalityspecific nature of affective responses, we studied neurophysiological responses (i.e., EEG) of 24 participants during visual, auditory, and...

Modality-specific affective responses and their implications for affective BCIs

Reliable applications of multimodal affective brain-computer interfaces (aBCI) require a detailed understanding of the processes involved in emotions. To explore the modality-specific nature of affective responses, we studied neurophysiological responses (i.e., electrocardiographical/ECG and electroencephalographical/EEG) of 24 subjects during...

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus improves reward-based decision-learning in Parkinson’s disease

Recently, the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been shown to be critically involved in decision-making, action selection, and motor control. Here we investigate the effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the STN on reward-based decision-learning in patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD). We determined computational measures of outcome...

Positive affect modulates flexibility and evaluative control

The ability to interact with a constantly changing environment requires a balance between maintaining the currently relevant working memory content and being sensitive to potentially relevant new information that should be given priority access to working memory. Mesocortical dopamine projections to frontal brain areas modulate working memory...

Sleep prediction during military operations? A comparison between three wearable instruments

Sleep monitoring: A comparison between three wearable instruments

During military operations soldiers often encounter extreme environmental circumstances like heat, cold, prolonged physical exercise, and disturbed sleep, which hamper their performance. Monitoring changes in physiological parameters may assist with adequate interventions to prevent the negative consequences and support recovery. The current...