2661
Educational Course - Half Day (4 hours)
Decades of neuroimaging research have attributed health and disease to the integrity of core neurocircuitry. Yet to date, little evidence has directly tested the relevance of key neurocircuitry identified by neuroimaging tools, for health and wellbeing. Recently, the development of non-invasive functional neuroimaging (fMRI) techniques that enable brain changes in real time, has created unprecedented opportunities to experimentally manipulate brain function non-invasively, in real time and in a voluntary fashion. One such technique is real-time fMRI neurofeedback. One of the major limitations of the fMRI evidence to date is the over-reliance on data of a correlational nature. As a non-invasive tool that can indirectly probe underlying neurocircuitry, fMRI-neurofeedback presents as a promising tool with which causality might be introduced into neuroimaging research (Kvamme et al., 2022, PMID: 35728786).
- Understand the technical foundations of fMRI-based neurofeedback
- Learn the application of neurofeedback to optimise health and to reduce brain dysfunction in disease
- Identify and utilize best practices for designing neurofeedback experiments and conducting real-time neuroimaging analysis
Neuroimaging researchers as well as clinicians who are interested in manipulating the neurocircuitry of interest and in understanding how brain changes in real time correspond to behavioral changes in clinical and health outcomes. The breadth of sub-topics will ensure that the target audience of our course includes those without computational experience/expertise (i.e., no background in coding is required). Additionally, as an application of brain-computer interface, engineers and computer scientists can also benefit from attending this course.
Presentations
fMRI Neurofeedback (NFB) is an advanced imaging method that allows subjects to volitionally regulate brain activity by monitoring the real-time feedback of brain activation in the MR scanner. The technical threshold of fMRI NFB is usually considered higher than traditional task-based fMRI, as it requires a higher level of integration among the scanner, data server (back-end), presentation computer (front-end), and other scanning components in real-time.
This presentation will target the broader audience who’s interested in this approach, and we’ll start with an introduction of the basic concept of fMRI-NFB through a couple of typical NFB projects by our research group. A detailed example of an NFB project will be reviewed to help explain several key questions, including how to define the NFB signal, how to determine the activated brain region, what’s the typical paradigm of the fMRI-NFB task, and potential application. Then, through these projects, we will illustrate the evolution of the fMRI-NFB project, including both experiment design and technical considerations.
Finally, we will focus on the technical aspects, explaining the main components of NFB study, including 1) fMRI data acquisition and imaging protocol setup, 2) back-end, real-time data processing and region of interest selection, 3) frontend, the brain-computer interface for feedback presentation and interaction with participants, and 4) the feedback loop that connects these key components in real-time. We will cover current achievements and technical challenges will be discussed during this introduction.
The key message is to give an essential introduction for the audience to understand fMRI-NFB and form the basic foundation for further education sessions.
Presenter
Chao Suo, ACU Melbourne, VIC
Australia
There are many considerations when designing a fMRI neurofeedback study with respect to optimal MRI protocol design. Key drivers in the parameter choice are the different types of feedback, as well as real-time motion correction and additional preprocessing steps which place additional constraints that affect temporal and spatial resolution of the EPI acquisition.
This educational presentation will firstly discuss briefly the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) contrast origins. It will then take the researchers through the MR spin relaxation considerations, EPI sequence parameters (e.g., echo time, repetition time, bandwidth and phase encode direction), signal to noise, acceleration techniques, spatial and temporal resolution selection, with respect to NFB at varied field strengths. Finally, the presentation will overview how all these aspects are brought together to decide on an imaging strategy that ultimately optimises neural feedback.
Presenter
Rebecca Glarin, The University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC
Australia
Through real-time neurofeedback, users/patients are empowered to adopt and apply mental strategies by causally influencing their own personalised brain signals, which can potentially produce lasting neurobiological and behavioural impact. Emerging evidence has shown that neurofeedback has therapeutic potential to mitigate dysfunction in clinical disorders such as depression, addiction, stress, etc. To further advance neurofeedback research, dissemination of knowledge to implement neurofeedback studies is timely and critical. This workshop session will aim to introduce neurofeedback research using fMRI, provide a primer on basic neurofeedback methodologies, and involve live demonstration of pseudo real-time neurofeedback using sample data obtained from a recently concluded fMRI neurofeedback-guided meditation training study. The session will be beginner-friendly and not require extensive programming experience/expertise.
Attendees will be provided with the knowledge to: i) understand key elements of real-time neuroimaging and neurofeedback, iii) identify and utilise best practices for designing neurofeedback experiments and conducting real-time neuroimaging analysis, and iii) understand the utility of neurofeedback to augment meditation and mindfulness training and practice for optimum therapeutic benefits.
Presenter
Saampras Ganesan, The University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC
Australia
This presentation will overview the steps required for novice researchers including PhD students to justify the conduct of a fMRI-neurofeedback experiment following best practices, and the parameters required when designing all components of a fMRI-neurofeedback study, with a specific focus on substance use disorders. The application of fMRI-neurofeedback to addiction is a relatively new concept. The emerging evidence suggests that fMRI-neurofeedback may hold promise as a tool to mitigate the underlying neurobiological dysfunction. However, research to date is restricted by several methodological limitations. This presentation aims to describe how researchers or clinicians who are new to the field can use tools like systematic reviews to a) identify and b) overcome the key methodological limitations that might restrict their relative field.
A substantial amount of the fMRI-neurofeedback studies to date utilises continuous feedback, whereby feedback is delivered immediately after brain activity is recorded. Reducing the delay between participants’ brain activity and the delivery of feedback on their own brain function is critical to facilitate learning. The presentation will overview a pilot study on 7 participants that tested the feasibility and optimization to minimize neurofeedback delay at a ultra high field Siemens 7 Tesla scanner at the Melbourne Brain Centre Imaging Unit, The University of
Melbourne. Specific parameters trialled and implemented (e.g., selection of a priori ROIs and of confound ROIs, coding requirements, feedback parameters, real-time fMRI analysis parameters, subjective ratings, MRI sequence parameters) will be overviewed to inform on the decision making process required to inform the setup of a novel neurofeedback study to deliver fMRI-neurofeedback at the individual level.
The presentation will overview a protocol for evaluating the feasibility, safety and acceptability of neurofeedback training in young people with depression using a 7 Tesla ultra-high-field MRI scanner. Importantly, high-strength scanners gain increased signal to noise, which allows for improved specificity due to higher resolution. Therefore, high-strength scanners can support the precise measurement of brain activity in smaller regions implicated in the neurobiology of depression (e.g., amygdala). The fMRI-neurofeedback pilot will be used to help youth aged 16-to-25 voluntarily regulate their own brain activity in regions associated with emotion regulation, specifically the amygdala. During neurofeedback, youth will be tasked to enhance positive emotional responses via recalling positive autobiographical memories. This presentation will provide a framework to design neurofeedback experiments as a means to pave the way for new interventions that target depressive symptoms in young people.
Presenter
Elena Pozzi, The University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC
Australia