Neurofeedback and autism

BACKGROUND: Deficits in executive function (EF) are consistently reported in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Tailored cognitive training tools, such as neurofeedback, focused on executive function enhancement might have a significant impact on the daily life functioning of individuals with ASD. We report the first real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rt-fMRI NF) study targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in ASD. METHODS: Thirteen individuals with autism without intellectual disability and seventeen neurotypical individuals completed a rt-fMRI working memory NF paradigm, consisting of subvocal backward recitation of self-generated numeric sequences...

In recent years, the scientific community has begun tо explore the efficacy оf an integrated neurofeedback + biofeedback approach іn various conditions, both pathological and non-pathological. Although several studies have contributed valuable insights into its potential benefits, this review aims tо further investigate its effectiveness by synthesizing current findings and identifying areas for future research. Our goal іs tо provide a comprehensive overview that may highlight gaps іn the existing literature and propose directions for subsequent studies...

INTRODUCTION: Interpersonal synchronization involves the alignment of behavioral, affective, physiological, and brain states during social interactions. It facilitates empathy, emotion regulation, and prosocial commitment. Mental disorders characterized by social interaction dysfunction, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), often exhibit atypical synchronization with others across multiple levels. With the introduction of the "second-person" neuroscience perspective, our understanding of interpersonal neural synchronization (INS) has improved, however, so far, it has hardly impacted the development of novel therapeutic interventions...

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects millions of individuals worldwide, and there is growing interest in the use of extended reality (XR) technologies for intervention. Despite the promising potential of XR interventions, there remain gaps in our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying ASD, particularly in relation to sex-based differences. This scoping review synthesizes the current research on brain activity patterns in ASD, emphasizing the implications for XR interventions and neurofeedback therapy...

BACKGROUND: Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often exhibit impairments in inhibitory control, which can impact their cognitive functioning. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Infra-Low Frequency (ILF) neurofeedback in improving inhibitory control among high-functioning adolescents with ASD. METHODS: A single-blind, two-armed randomized controlled trial was conducted with 24 adolescents with ASD randomly divided into two groups (active and sham; n  = 12 per group)...

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and behaviors or interests. Besides behavioral, psychopharmacological and biomedical interventions there is increasing evidence of non-invasive treatments like neurofeedback (NFB) that can improve brain activity. In this study, we have investigated whether NFB can improve cognitive functions in children with ASD. Thirty-five children with ASD (7-17 years) were selected by purposive sampling...

BACKGROUND: Emotions often play a role in neurofeedback (NF) regulation strategies. However, investigations of the relationship between the induced neuronal changes and improvements in affective domains are scarce in electroencephalography-based studies. Thus, we extended the findings of the first study on slow cortical potential (SCP) NF in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by linking affective changes to whole-brain activity during rest and regulation. METHODS: Forty-one male adolescents with ASD were scanned twice at rest using functional magnetic resonance imaging...

Prior studies show that neurofeedback training (NFT) of mu rhythms improves behavior and EEG mu rhythm suppression during action observation in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, intellectually impaired persons were excluded because of their behavioral challenges. We aimed to determine if intellectually impaired children with ASD, who were behaviorally prepared to take part in a mu-NFT study using conditioned auditory reinforcers, would show improvements in symptoms and mu suppression following mu-NFT...

In recent years, there has been a great interest in utilizing technology in mental health research. The rapid technological development has encouraged researchers to apply technology as a part of a diagnostic process or treatment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs). With the large number of studies being published comes an urgent need to inform clinicians and researchers about the latest advances in this field. Here, we methodically explore and summarize findings from studies published between August 2019 and February 2022...

Objective. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are emerging as promising cognitive training tools in neurodevelopmental disorders, as they combine the advantages of traditional computerized interventions with real-time tailored feedback. We propose a gamified BCI based on non-volitional neurofeedback for cognitive training, aiming at reaching a neurorehabilitation tool for application in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Approach. The BCI consists of an emotional facial expression paradigm controlled by an intelligent agent that makes correct and wrong actions, while the user observes and judges the agent's actions...

Neurofeedback training is an established treatment for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder and is an increasingly accepted modality of treatment in the context of child trauma. This treatment is typically delivered as a complement to more traditional talk therapy such as trauma-focused-cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). This review examined the evidence for the effectiveness of this intervention for children with trauma through a systematic search of the literature...

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neural and mental developmental disorder that impacts brain connectivity and information processing. Although application of the infra-low frequency (ILF) neurofeedback procedure has been shown to lead to significant changes in functional connectivity in multiple areas and neuronal networks of the brain, rather limited data are available in the literature for the efficacy of this technique in a therapeutic context to treat ASD. Here we present the case study of a 5-year-old boy with ASD, who received a treatment of 26 sessions of ILF neurofeedback over a 6-month period...

Background: The contingent negative variation (CNV) is a well-studied indicator of attention- and expectancy-related processes in the human brain. An abnormal CNV amplitude has been found in diverse neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders. However, its role as a potential biomarker of successful clinical interventions in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unclear. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, we investigated how the CNV changes following an intensive neurofeedback training...

BACKGROUND: This study aims to compare the effects of neurofeedback training on male and female adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Furthermore, it examines sex differences regarding improvements in co-occurring psychopathological symptoms, cognitive flexibility and emotion recognition abilities. The study might provide first hints whether there is an influence of sex on treatment outcomes. METHODS: Six female and six male adolescents with ASD were matched according to age, IQ and symptom severity...

Neurofeedback is an emerging therapeutic approach in neuropsychiatric disorders. Its potential application in autism spectrum disorder remains to be tested. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging volitional neurofeedback in targeting social brain regions in autism spectrum disorder. In this clinical trial, autism spectrum disorder patients were enrolled in a program with five training sessions of neurofeedback. Participants were able to control their own brain activity in this social brain region, with positive clinical and neural effects...

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is often accompanied by impaired emotion regulation (ER). There has been increasing emphasis on developing evidence-based approaches to improve ER in ASD. Electroencephalography (EEG) has shown success in reducing ASD symptoms when used in neurofeedback-based interventions. Also, certain EEG components are associated with ER. Our overarching goal is to develop a technology that will use EEG to monitor real-time changes in ER and perform intervention based on these changes...

BACKGROUND: Neurofeedback (NFB) has been conceded as a convenient measure for both identifying and remodeling neural pliability of brain cells; it is a mean through which participants can have voluntary control on their brain waves being expressed on the EEG. Forty-two autistic children received a NFB therapy aiming at improving their cognitive abilities. RESULTS: NFB succeeded to decrease children's high theta/beta ratio by inhibiting theta activity and intensifying beta activity over different sessions...

Autism spectrum disorder is (ASD) characterized by a persisting triad of impairments of social interaction, language as well as inflexible, stereotyped and ritualistic behaviors. Increasingly, scientific evidence suggests a neurobiological basis of these emotional, social and cognitive deficits in individuals with ASD. The aim of this randomized controlled brain self-regulation intervention study was to investigate whether the core symptomatology of ASD could be reduced via an electroencephalography (EEG) based brain self-regulation training of Slow Cortical Potentials (SCP)...

This brief article is an overview of my personal experience over the past almost 10 years of the clinical use of EEG and quantitative EEG (qEEG) functional neuroimaging in a busy pediatric neurology practice. The concomitant use of surface EEG and functional electromagnetic EEG neuroimaging/qEEG in clinical practice provides significant additional clinical and neurophysiologic information. The qEEG is a noninvasive, inexpensive, portable technique with high temporal resolution (milliseconds) and improving spatial resolution (down to 3 mm3 ) and is an appropriate and validated tool for investigation of abnormal brain dynamics and connectivity of neuronal networks in clinical disorders of the brain...

Despite growing knowledge about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), research findings have not been translated into curative treatment. At present, most therapeutic interventions provide for symptomatic treatment. Outcomes of interventions are judged by subjective endpoints (eg, behavioral assessments) which alongside the highly heterogeneous nature of ASD account for wide variability in the effectiveness of treatments. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is one of the first treatments that targets a putative core pathologic feature of autism, specifically the cortical inhibitory imbalance that alters gamma frequency synchronization...