Individual Differences in Cognitive Control Predict Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback Performance

Individual Differences in Cognitive Control Predict Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback Performance

The goal of this study is to investgate whether individual differences of cognitive control capacity could predict neurofeedback performance and the behavioral effects resulting from successful anterior insula regulation via interoceptive strategy.

The experimental protocol comprises two visits with a 3-7 days interval. The first visit includes: (1) completion of standardized psychological questionnaires, (2) pre-test of the heartbeat counting task (HCT), and (3) four validated cognitive control tasks, including the Go/No-Go task, Stroop task, Task-switching task, N-back task. The main task of the second visit is a fMRI task followed by a post-test of the HCT. The MRI scanning protocol includes anatomical scan, two resting-state scans (pre- and post-training), four runs of fMRI neurofeedback training and a transfer run without feedback. During the regulation block of the training task, participants are asked to upregulate the anterior insula activity followed by a pain empathy rating and strategy efficacy rating. All participants receive real-time neurofeedback from the left anterior insula. Scores of questionnaires including Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Beck Depression Inventory-Ⅱ, Autism Spectrum Quotient, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Toronto Alexithymia scale, Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire, Interoceptive Confusion Questionnaire, Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory are also collected before the experiment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy subjects without any past or present psychiatric or neurological disorders

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of brain injury Medical or mental illness and color blindness or weakness.
• The presence of metal in the body or claustrophobia.