Key result
Higher pre-treatment resting-state theta power spectral density significantly predicted a greater reduction in cigarette consumption at 4-month follow-up following neurofeedback.
Why the study?
Approximately 30% of subjects fail to benefit from neurofeedback training for nicotine addiction, making it critical to identify who will benefit from pre-neurofeedback.
Does resting-state EEG theta PSD predict decreased cigarette consumption at 4-month follow-up in participants with nicotine dependence receiving neurofeedback?
RCT (n=60)
Double-blind
randomly assigned
Does resting-state EEG theta PSD predict decreased cigarette consumption at 4-month follow-up in participants with nicotine dependence receiving neurofeedback?
Higher resting-state theta PSD before neurofeedback predicts a better long-term reduction in cigarette consumption, suggesting its potential as a prognostic marker for individualized interventions in nicotine addiction.
May inform individualized neurofeedback selection in nicotine dependence via baseline theta PSD; extends RCT evidence for EEG prognostic markers in addiction.
Background: The high rate of long-term relapse is a major cause of smoking cessation failure. Recently, neurofeedback training has been widely used in the treatment of nicotine addiction; however, approximately 30% of subjects fail to benefit from this intervention. Our previous randomised clinical trial (RCT) examined cognition-guided neurofeedback and demonstrated a significant decrease in daily cigarette consumption at the 4-month follow-up. However, significant individual differences were observed in the 4-month follow-up effects of decreased cigarette consumption. Therefore, it is critical to identify who will benefit from pre-neurofeedback. Aims: We examined whether the resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) characteristics from pre-neurofeedback predicted the 4-month follow-up effects and explored the possible mechanisms. Methods: This was a double-blind RCT. A total of 60 participants with nicotine dependence were randomly assigned to either the real-feedback or yoked-feedback group. They underwent 6 min closed-eye resting EEG recordings both before and after two neurofeedback sessions. A follow-up assessment was conducted after 4 months. Results: The frontal resting-state theta power spectral density (PSD) was significantly altered in the real-feedback group after two neurofeedback visits. Higher theta PSD in the real-feedback group before neurofeedback was the only predictor of decreased cigarette consumption at the 4-month follow-up. Further reliability analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between theta PSD pre-neurofeedback and post-neurofeedback. A leave-one-out cross-validated linear regression of the theta PSD pre-neurofeedback demonstrated a significant correlation between the predicted and observed reductions in cigarette consumption at the 4-month follow-up. Finally, source analysis revealed that the brain mechanisms of the theta PSD predictor were located in the orbital frontal cortex. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated changes in the resting-state theta PSD following neurofeedback training. Moreover, the resting-state theta PSD may serve as a prognostic marker of neurofeedback effects. A higher resting-state theta PSD predicts a better long-term response to neurofeedback treatment, which may facilitate the selection of individualised interventions. Trial registration number: ChiCTR-IPR-17011710.
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Meng et al. (2023) conducted an RCT in Nicotine dependence (n=60). Neurofeedback (real-feedback) vs. Yoked-feedback was evaluated on Decreased cigarette consumption at 4-month follow-up. Higher pre-treatment resting-state theta power spectral density significantly predicted a greater reduction in cigarette consumption at 4-month follow-up following neurofeedback.
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