Effect of game-based EEG neurofeedback training on improvement of cognitive function

Abstract

Objective: To observe the effect of game-based EEG neurofeedback system on improvement of cognitive function in the patients with cognitive impairment. Methods: Fifty-two patients with cognitive impairment, mainly memory decline, were included, and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) and Alzheimer′s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive section(ADAS-cog) were conducted in the patients to evaluate cognitive impairment. Five days later, each patient was given 30-min EEG neural feedback training, once a day for 10 consecutive days. The EEG was detected before and after training, and MMSE, MoCA and ADAS-cog scores were also evaluated after training. Results: The scores of MMSE, MoCA and ADAS-cog scales after training were all higher(26.06±2.95, 21.88±3.94, 12.15±5.15) than those before training (23.10±2.82, 18.63±4.10, 14.76±5.30) (P<0.05). Before training, the scores of memory on MMSE, MoCA and ADAS-cog scales were 1.55±0.77, 1.33±1.28, 4.35±1.11, respectively, while the above scores increased to 2.16±0.80, 2.29±1.34, 3.93±1.30(P<0.001) after training. The EEG after training showed that the complexity of EEG was improved than that before training, mainly in the left frontal lobe. Conclusions: The game-based EEG neurofeedback system training can significantly improve cognitive function and EEG complexity in the left prefrontal lobe.

Keywords

• |eeg neurofeedback|memory decline|cognitive impairment