Low-beta frequency band Neurofeedback Training: Effects on Attentional Orientation, Executive Control, and Underlying Neural Mechanisms

Neurofeedback Training (NFT) employs real-time feedback on brain activity to empower participants to self-regulate cognitive functions within specific brain regions. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of NFT is critically important, as these remain largely unclear, especially regard to their neural underpinnings. This study aimed to investigate whether, and to what extent, NFT bolsters attentional orientation and executive control in healthy adults, as well as to elucidate the neural mechanisms implicated in this process. Participants were divided into two groups: the neurofeedback group (NF, n = 19), who received real-time EEG signal feedback from the F3 electrode with training in the β1 band (15–18 Hz); and the sham group (sham, n = 18), who watched pre-recorded videos unrelated to brain activity. Both groups underwent pre- and post-intervention assessments, which encompassed attention tasks and EEG data collection. The NF group exhibited substantial improvements in attentional orientation and executive control performance compared to the sham group. These enhancements were corroborated in event-related potential (ERP) measures: the NF group demonstrated larger N1 amplitudes under attention-orienting conditions and larger N2 amplitudes under executive control conditions in the post-test. These findings imply that NFT can significantly enhance attentional orientation and executive control performance in healthy adults with substantial neural changes.