Oscillatory entrainment of the motor cortical network during motor imagery is modulated by the feedback modality

• Published in: NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.) Vol. 111; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Vukelić, Mathias, Gharabaghi, Alireza
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2015; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Behavior; Beta Rhythm - physiology; Beta rhythms; Brain research; Brain self-regulation; Brain-Computer Interfaces; Brain-robot interface; Brain–computer interface; Brain–machine interface; Calibration; Classification; Cross-Over Studies; Electrodes; Electroencephalography; Feedback; Feedback, Sensory - physiology; Female; Functional connectivity; Haptic feedback; Humans; Imagination - physiology; Male; Motor ability; Motor Activity - physiology; Motor Cortex - physiology; Nerve Net - physiology; Neurorehabilitation; Proprioception - physiology; Proprioceptive feedback; Stroke; Studies; Theta Rhythm - physiology; Theta rhythms; Training; Visual Perception - physiology; Young Adult; Functional connectivity; Brain self-regulation; Beta rhythms; Brain–machine interface; Haptic feedback; Brain-robot interface; Proprioceptive feedback; Brain–computer interface; Theta rhythms; Neurorehabilitation
• ISSN: 1053-8119; 1095-9572; 1095-9572
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.01.058

Neurofeedback of self-regulated brain activity in circumscribed cortical regions is used as a novel strategy to facilitate functional restoration following stroke. Basic knowledge about its impact on motor system oscillations and functional connectivity is however scarce. Specifically, a direct comparison between different feedback modalities and their neural signatures is missing. We assessed a neurofeedback training intervention of modulating β-activity in circumscribed sensorimotor regions by kinesthetic motor imagery (MI). Right-handed healthy participants received two different feedback modalities contingent to their MI-associated brain activity in a cross-over design: (I) visual feedback with a brain–computer interface (BCI) and (II) proprioceptive feedback with a brain–robot interface (BRI) orthosis attached to the right hand. High-density electroencephalography was used to examine the reactivity of the cortical motor system during the training session of each task by studying both local oscillatory power entrainment and distributed functional connectivity. Both feedback modalities activated a distributed functional connectivity network of coherent oscillations. A significantly higher skill and lower variability of self-controlled sensorimotor β-band modulation could, however, be achieved in the BRI condition. This gain in controlling regional motor oscillations was accompanied by functional coupling of remote β-band and θ-band activity in bilateral fronto-central regions and left parieto-occipital regions, respectively. The functional coupling of coherent θ-band oscillations correlated moreover with the skill of regional β-modulation thus revealing a motor learning related network. Our findings indicate that proprioceptive feedback is more suitable than visual feedback to entrain the motor network architecture during the interplay between motor imagery and feedback processing thus resulting in better volitional control of regional brain activity. [Display omitted] •Proprioceptive input is superior to visual input to entrain the motor network during neurofeedback.•Proprioceptive feedback increases self-control of regional β-band modulation.•Proprioceptive feedback entrains motor functional connectivity in the θ- and β-band.•Large-scale functional connectivity in θ-band correlates with regional β-band control.