Efficacy of audiovisual neurofeedback training for attention enhancement: a multimodal approach.

Attention is a cognitive process that involves focusing mental resources on specific stimuli and plays a fundamental role in perception, learning, memory, and decision-making. Neurofeedback (NF) is a useful technique for improving attention, providing real-time feedback on brain activity in the form of visual or auditory cues, and allowing users to learn to self-regulate their cognitive processes. This study compares the effectiveness of different cues in NF training for attention enhancement through a multimodal approach. We conducted neurological (Quantitative Electroencephalography), neuropsychological (Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale-15), and behavioral (Stroop test) assessments before and after NF training on 36 healthy participants, divided into audiovisual (G1) and visual (G2) groups. Twelve NF training sessions were conducted on alternate days, each consisting of five subsessions, with pre- and post-NF baseline electroencephalographic evaluations using power spectral density. The pre-NF baseline was used for thresholding the NF session using the beta frequency band power. Two-way analysis of variance revealed a significant long-term effect of group (G1/G2) and state (before/after NF) on the behavioral and neuropsychological assessments, with G1 showing significantly higher Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale-15 scores, higher Stroop scores, and lower Stroop reaction times for interaction effects. Moreover, unpaired t -tests to compare voxel-wise standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography images revealed higher activity of G1 in Brodmann area 40 due to NF training. Neurological assessments show that G1 had better improvement in immediate, short-, and long-term attention. The findings of this study offer a guide for the development of NF training protocols aimed at enhancing attention effectively.

Underpinning the neurological source of executive function following cross hemispheric tDCS stimulation.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising technique for enhancement of executive functions in healthy as well as neurologically disturbed patients. However, the evidence regarding the neuropsychological and behavioral change with neurophysiological shifts as well as the mechanism of tDCS action as evidenced by activation of neuronal sources important for executive functions have remained unaddressed. The study thereby endeavors to (1) determine the neuropsychological, behavioral, and neurophysiological change induced with five sessions of bilateral tDCS stimulation and (2) identify putative neuronal sources related to the executive functions responsible for neuropsychological and behavioral change. For this single blinded study, a total of 40 healthy participants, randomly allocated to active (n = 19) or sham (n = 21) groups completed five sessions of 2 mA tDCS stimulation administered over Dorso-Lateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) (F3 as anode, F4 as cathode). Repeated measure analysis was performed on neuropsychological (Everyday Memory Questionnaire and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale), and behavioral assessment (n-Back and Stroop tests) to investigate within and between group differences. Pre and post neurophysiological (Electroencephalogram) results showed that bilateral tDCS stimulation activates cortical regions responsible for executive functions including updation (working memory) and inhibition (interference control or attention). Multiple sessions of bilateral tDCS stimulation results in a significant increase in theta, alpha, and beta-band activity in the DLPFC, cingulate and parietal cortex. This study provides evidence that tDCS can be used for performance enhancement of executive functions in able-bodied people.

The Severity of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: Recommendations From Joint Work of Research Center and Psychology Clinics in COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the psychological stability of general population of Pakistan. However, research on the severity of COVID-19 induced depression, anxiety, and stress (DAS) in Pakistan is scarce. This paper thereby investigates the severity of COVID-19 induced DAS based on demographic, socioeconomic, and personal feeling variables by modeling DAS. Snowball sampling strategy was adopted to conduct online survey from July 03, 2021 to July 09, 2021. Out of 2,442, 2,069 responses from Karachi were included. Descriptive and inferential statistics (binary and multinomial logistic regression analysis) were performed using SPSS V21 (IBM, 2013) to identify significant determinants and their association with DAS severity. The result of this study indicates 27.8, 21.7, and 18.3% respondents suffer from severe and extremely severe states of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. Binary logistic regression revealed that age is a significant determinant with odds of having 4.72 (95% CI = 1.86-11.97) and 5.86 (95% CI = 2.26-15.2) times greater depression, and stress for respondents aged 19-26 years. Moreover, gender-based difference is also observed with females 1.34 (95% CI = 1.08-1.68) and 1.75 (95% CI = 1.40-2.20) times more likely to exhibit anxiety and stress than males. Furthermore, marital status is a significant determinant of depression with odds of having depression is 0.67 (95% CI = 0.48-0.93) times greater for married population. Multinomial logistic regression revealed that those who believe COVID-19 pandemic has affected them mentally, fear new COVID-19 cases and deaths, depressed due to imposition of lockdown, believe they will not survive COVID-19 infection, and spend more time on social media gathering COVID-19 updates suffer from extremely severe state of depression (OR mental-effect-of-pandemic = 3.70, OR new-COVID-19-cases-and-deaths = 2.20, OR imposition-of-lockdown = 17.77, OR survival-probability = 8.17, OR time-on-social-media = 9.01), anxiety (OR mental-effect-of-pandemic = 4.78, OR new-COVID-19-cases-and-deaths = 3.52, OR imposition-of-lockdown = 5.06, OR survival-probability = 8.86, OR time-on-social-media = 5.12) and stress (OR mental-effect-of-pandemic = 6.07, OR imposition-of-lockdown = 11.38, OR survival-probability = 15.66, OR time-on-social-media = 4.39). Information regarding DAS severity will serve as a platform for research centers and psychological clinics, to work collectively and provide technology-based treatment to reduce the burden on the limited number of psychologist and psychotherapist.