Limbic Activity Modulation Guided by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Inspired Electroencephalography Improves Implicit Emotion Regulation.

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/ Keynan JN, Meir-Hasson Y, Gilam G, Cohen A, Jackont G, Kinreich S, Ikar L, Or-Borichev A, Etkin A, Gyurak A, Klovatch I, Intrator N, Hendler T.Biol Psychiatry. 2016 Sep 15;80(6):490-496

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Demonstrating the effects of amygdala-EFP neurofeedback training on the ability to self-regulate amygdala activity and on emotional reactivity.

The amygdala EFP was developed with the intention of establishing, in the long run, a scalable method for training emotional regulation. Specifically, it is aimed to reduce emotional reactivity related to an over-active amygdala. Following the development of the amygdala EFP, which provided an EEG-based biomarker of amygdala activity, the innovation was tested in a neurofeedback procedure termed amyg-EFP-NF. Three questions were addressed: (1) Does amyg-EFP-NF increase one’s ability to down-regulate their own amygdala activity? (2) Does amyg-EFP-NF reduce one’s reactivity of the amygdala in response to emotional images? (3)

 

Does amyg-EFP-NF improve one’s behavioral emotional regulation? The study used a combination of fMRI, EEG and behavioral measurements to test, and successfully demonstrate, the effectiveness of amyg-EFP NF in accomplishing all three objectives. Thus, the amyg-EFP not only probes amygdala-related activity but also causally influences it when implemented in a neurofeedback procedure.

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To read the full article in Biological Psychiatry -https://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(16)00003-2/abstract