高生态效度的双脑神经反馈平台

The Cross-Brain Neurofeedback Platform with High Ecological Validity

作者提出了脑间耦合神经反馈的新概念,推动单脑神经反馈向双脑神经反馈的跨越。文中介绍基于近红外光学脑成像技术(f NIRS)的高生态效度双脑神经反馈平台的设计和实现,包括基于单台f NIRS的本地双脑神经反馈,和基于互联网的异地远程双脑神经反馈两个平台。双脑神经反馈平台通过同时观测两位受试者的神经代谢信号,实时计算其神经活动交互性指标,并将该指标直接地、外显地反馈给两位受试者;两位受试者在反馈信号指引下,尝试运用各种调节策略,选择性地调节神经活动交互性。在基于单台f NIRS的双脑神经反馈平台的应用实例中,发现两名受试者目标脑区活动曲线比较一致,表明两者在训练过程有着较强的神经交互性。而在基于互联网的神经反馈平台的初步实验中,让两名受试者进行合作完成推小球任务,实验中发现小球在大多数时间都保持在两条虚线之间,说明两名受试者在大多数时间都保持了比较好的神经活动交互性。初步的实验结果证明了此平台的有效性。这一新技术对探索人类社会交互的神经机制和开发社交障碍的新疗法都具有重要意义。

In this work we proposed a novel concept of cross-brain neurofeedback, extending neurofeedback research from regulation of neural activities of a single brain to that of neural synchronization of two interacting brains. This article describes the design and implementation of two sets of functional near-infrared spectroscopy （fNIRS） based two-person neurofeedback platforms with high ecological validity ： 1 ） platform based on a single fNIRS recording system at one location and 2） an internet-based platform connecting two fNIRS recording systems at different locations. Each platform simultaneously records two participants＇ neural signals, calculates the neural synchronization index in real-time, and feeds back the index to the participants through a visualization. The feedback information enables participants to try different regulation strategies to voluntarily control their neural synchronization, which may lead to changes in social cognition and behavior. In an application of single fNIRS based platform, HbO signals in the specific brain regions of two subjects were so much alike, indicating that their neuro activities were synchronized. Moreover, in preliminary experiment for the internet-based platform, two subjects performed collaboration task. The ball in the most of the time is maintained between two dotted lines, which implied two subjects were in synchronization. Preliminary experiments demonstrating that both participants successfully regulated and synchronized their brain activities in a social interaction situation validate our fNIRS-based cross-brain neurofeedback platform.