Self-regulation of Prefrontal Cortex During Emotional Cognitive Control
Condition: Healthy Volunteers; Cognitive Function
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Deficits in emotional cognitive control are present in a number of clinical psychiatric
      populations including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Deficits in this domain of function
      limit one's ability to focus attention on goal directed activities while inhibiting reactions
      to irrelevant emotional stimuli, and this contributes to the symptoms of these disorders and
      makes individuals less likely to be successful in existing treatments. The left dorsolateral
      prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) and its connectivity with other regions (i.e., dorsal anterior
      cingulate cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, insula, amygdala) is thought to play a
      central role in facilitating emotional cognitive control. However, past research has
      primarily utilized correlational approaches that limit conclusions about the directionality
      of these relationships. Enhancing our understanding of the neural underpinnings of emotional
      cognitive control could be valuable for informing treatment for populations with deficits in
      these processes.

      The current study utilizes a neuromodulatory approach called real-time functional magnetic
      resonance imaging neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) whereby participants observe their own neural
      activity in the moment and are taught to self-regulate this activity. Healthy adult
      participants will be trained to increase neural activity in LDLPFC while involved in mental
      tasks involving emotional cognitive control processes. The mental tasks will include
      counting, remembering words, or planning events while viewing negatively-valenced emotional
      words (e.g., kill, death, threat). This study will use an experimental approach with
      participants being randomized to either LDLPFC rtfMRI-nf or control rtfMRI-nf where
      participants receive neural feedback from a region not involved with emotional cognitive
      control processes. Resting-state fMRI scans and behavioral testing sessions will take place
      before and after rtfMRI-nf.

      The specific aims are to examine the impact of LDLPFC rtfMRI-nf on: (1) LDLPFC activity
      during emotional cognitive control and (2) LDLPFC functional connectivity with other brain
      regions during rest. Additionally, this study will examine the neural correlates of emotional
      cognitive control independent of rtfMRI-nf. Thus, the final specific aim is to (3)
      Investigate relationships between individual differences in LDLPFC engagement, cognitive
      control performance, trauma history, and sleep quality. To facilitate the relevance of these
      findings to clinical populations, trauma exposure and sleep quality will be explored as
      moderators of neural change across time for those in the rtfMRI-nf group.

      To these ends, this study will use rtfMRI-nf to experimentally investigate the relationship
      between LDLPFC activity and emotional cognitive control as well as investigate these neural
      mechanisms independent of rtfMRI-nf. This research will improve our understanding of
      emotional cognitive control and demonstrate whether this is a modifiable target for
      intervention in populations with deficits in this domain of function.
    


Intervention name(s): Real-time functional magnetic resonance neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf)
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) is a procedure using an MRI scanner that allows participants to observe their own neural activity in the moment. They are taught to self-regulate this activity during a task.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Basic Science