The Effect of Neurofeedback Training on Variables of Attention in Healthy Adults

Öz

The aim of present study is to examine the effect of neurofeedback training on attentional processes in two groups of healthy adult participants. During the experiment, participants in the experimental group were required to complete two puzzles displayed on the computer screen while having neu-rofeedback training. During this procedure, performance on the puzzles was based on participants’ brain activity that was recorded from the Cz area. Moreover, before and after completion of seven neurofeedback sessions, Stroop task was used to measure selective attention performance. Results for the Stroop task showed that although there was a significant reaction time difference before and after the neurofeedback training, there was no significant main effect of group (experimental vs. control group). Furthermore, the reaction time to complete the puzzles across the sessions did not differ significantly between the experimental and the control group. Improving the training program by increasing the number of training sessions and employing a more attention-demanding task in the training sessions might have resulted in an expected effect of neurofeedback.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Neurofeedback,Electroencephalography,Attention,Stroop task

Sağlıklı Yetişkinlerde Sinirsel Geribildirim Eğitiminin Dikkat Değişkenleri Üzerindeki Etkisi

Öz

Bu çalışmanın amacı sinirsel geribildirim (neurofeedback) eğitiminin dikkat süreci üzerindeki etkisi sağlıklı yetişkinlerden oluşan iki katılımcı grubunda incelenmiştir. Deney esnasında, deneysel gruptaki katılımcılar, bir yandan sinirsel geribildirim eğitimi alırken diğer yandan kendilerinden bilgisayar ekranında gösterilen iki adet bulmaca oyununu tamamlamaları istenmiştir. Bu işlem sırasında, katılımcı-ların bulmaca çözme performansı, elektrotların yerleştirildiği Cz bölgesinden elde edilen beyin dalgalarına göre değişim göstermektedir. Ayrıca, toplam yedi sinirsel geribildirim oturumu öncesi ve oturum sonrasında seçici dikkat performansını ölçmek amacıyla Stroop görevi kullanılmıştır. Stroop görevinin sonuçları, sinirsel geribildirim eğitimi öncesi ve sonrasında kaydedilen tepki süreleri arasında anlamlı fark bulunduğunu gösterse de, grubun (deneysel grup ve kontrol grup) temel etkisi anlamlı bulunmamıştır. Diğer yandan, oturumlar boyunca bulmacaları tamamlamak için gerekli tepki süresi deneysel ve kontrol gruplarında anlamlı olarak değişiklik göstermemiştir. Eğitim oturumlarının sayısını artırarak ve eğitim oturumlarında daha dikkat gerektiren bir görevi kullanarak eğitim programının iyileştirilmesi sonucunda, sinirsel geribildiriminin beklenen etkisi görülebilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sinirsel geribildirim,Elektroensefalografi,Dikkat,Stroop görevi

Kaynakça

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