The effect of neurobiofeedback training on cognitive functions in elderly people with COVID-19

Authors

  • Sergiy Braniuk Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University
  • Oleksandr Motuziuk Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29038/2617-4723-2022-2-12

Keywords:

COVID-19, neurobiofeedback training, P300, cognitive functions, MoSA, old age, EEG

Abstract

The COVID-19 virus, which has infected millions of people worldwide, is causing a variety of problems,
including psychiatric, economic, educational, and medical. Many studies have reported that COVID-19 affects blood
vessels, mainly microvessels, damaging the microcirculatory system of organs. The brain is not an exception, and this is
manifested by the degradation of the latter's functions.
The most vulnerable group, with a higher risk of complications, for this infection are the elderly. That is why, in
particular, methods of cognitive rehabilitation for this category of persons are very relevant. Neurobiofeedback training
(NBT) can be one of these methods. NBT is a non-invasive, safe and effective method of regulating the functional state
of the brain. NBT is now widely used for prevention and rehabilitation of brain diseases and improvement of human
executive functions and has become an important area of research around the world.
From our previous experiment of using NBT for the category of elderly people, we obtained results demonstrating a
reduction in latency and an increase in the amplitude of P300, which was manifested in the improvement of executive
functions.
In this NBT study, we tested whether COVID-19 affects cognitive function. We collected P300-based
electroencephalogram (EEG) signals and Montreal Cognitive Test (MoCA) responses from 26 subjects between 2 and 6
months after infection with COVID-19. Based on the t-test analysis, it was observed that there is a significant difference
between the test groups before and after the application of the training, compared to the control group according to the
MoSA results.
On the other hand, the statistical significance of P300 does not reflect the difference for both groups, although the
difference is visually noticeable. The reason may be the small number of subjects.

References

Bopp, K. L.; Verhaeghen, P. Aging and verbal memory span: A meta-analysis. Journal of Gerontology: B Series; 2005, 60, рр 223–233.

Braver, T. S.; West, R. Working memory, executive control, and aging. W: F.I.M. Craik, T.A. Salthause (red.). The Handbook of Aging and Cognition; 2008, 3, рр 311–372.

Polich, J.; Ladish, Ch.; Bloom, F. E. Оценка РЗОО при начальной форме болезни Альцгеймера. EEG and clin. Neurophys; 1990, 77, pр 179–189.

Polich, J.; Kok, A. Cognitive and biological determinants of P300: an integrative review. BiolPsychol; 1995, 41, рр 103–146.

Anguera, J.; Boccanfuso, J.; Rintoul, L. Video game training enhances cognitive control in older adults. Nature; 2013, 501, рр 97–101.

Machado, L.; Devine, A.; Wyatt, N. Distractibility with advancing age and Parkinson’s disease. Neuropsychologia; 2009, 47(7), рр 1756–1764.

Goh, J. O.; An, Y.; Resnick, S. M. Differential trajec¬tories of age-related changes in components of executive and memory processes. Psychology and Aging; 2012, 27(3), р 707.

Treder, N.; Jodzio, K. Heterogeniczność funkcjonowania poznawczego i jego zaburzeń u osób starszych. Psychiatria i Psychoterapia; 2013, 9 (1), рр 3–13.

Hardt, J. V.; Kamiya, J. Anxiety change through electroencephalographic alpha feedback seen only in high anxiety subjects. Science; 1978, 7, 201(4350), рр 79–81.

Vysochin, Ju. V.; Denisenko, Ju. P. Povyshenie funkcional'nyh vozmozhnostej organizma s pomoshh'ju biologicheskoj obratnoj svjazi [Increasing the functional capabilities of the body using biofeedback]. Fiziol. cheloveka; 2005. T. 31. № 3. р 93.

Bahar-Fuchs, A.; Clare, L.; Woods, B. Cognitive training and cognitive rehabilitation for persons with mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer’s or vascular type. Alzheimer Research & Therapy; 2013, 5, р 35.

Tang, I.; Posner, M. Attention training and attention state training. Trends in cognitive science; 2009, 13, 5, рр 222–227.

Wang, M.; Chang, Ch.; Su, S. What’s Cooking? – Cognitive Training of Executive Function in the Elderly. Front Psychol; 2011, 2, р 228.

Lecomte, G.; Juhel, J. The Effects of Neurofeedback Training on Memory Performance in Elderly Subjects. Psychology; 2011, 2, 8, рр. 846-852.

Hardt, J. V.; Kamiya, J. Anxiety change through electroencephalographic alpha feedback seen only in high anxiety subjects. Science; 1978, 7, 201(4350), рр 79–81.

Rebok, G. W.; Ball, K.; Guey, L. T. et al. Ten-year effects of the ACTIVE cognitive training trial on cognition and everyday functioning in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society; 2014, 62, рр 16–24.

Homskaja, E. D. Sistemnye izmenenija biojelektricheskoj aktivnosti mozga kak nejrofiziologicheskaja osnova psihicheskih processov [Systemic changes in the bioelectrical activity of the brain as a neurophysiological basis of mental processes]. Estestvenno nauchnye osnovy psihologii / Pod. red. Smirnova, A. A.; Lurija, A. R.; Nebylicyna, V. D. Pedagogika: Moskva, 1978; ss 234–253.

Gates, N.; Sachdev, P.; Fiatarone Singh, M.; Valenzuela, M. Cognitive and memory training in adults at risk of dementia: A Systematic Review. BMC Geriatrics; 2011, 11:55 http://www.biomedcentral.com /1471-2318/11/55.

Angelakis, E.; Stathopoulou S.; Frymiare, J. L. et al. EEG neurofeedback: A brief overview and an example of peak alpha frequency training for cognitive enhancement in the elderly. The Clinical Neuropsychologist; 2007, 2, рр 110-129.

Gnezdickij, V. V. Obratnaja zadacha JeJeG i klinicheskaja jelektrojencefalografija [EEG inverse problem and clinical electroencephalography]. Izd-vo Taganrogskogo gosudarstvennogo radiotehni-cheskogo universiteta: Taganrog, 2000; s 636.

Polich, J. P300 in clinical applications: meaning, method, and measurement Electroencephalography: basic principles, clinical applications, and related fields 3rd ed. Eds. E. Niedermeyer, F. Lopes da Silva. Baltimore: William & Wilkins; 1993, рр 35–60.

Polich, J. P300 from a passive auditory paradigm. EEG Clin Neurophysiol; 1989, 74, рр 312–320.

Gnezdickij, V.V. Vyzvannye potencialy mozga v klinicheskoj praktike [Evoked Brain Potentials in Clinical Practice]. Izd-vo Taganrogskogo gosudarstvennogo radiotehniches-kogo universiteta: Taganrog, 1997; s 102–104.

Gnezdickij, V.V. Vyzvannye potencialy mozga v klinicheskoj praktike [Evoked Brain Potentials in Clinical Practice]. Izd-vo Taganrogskogo gosudarstvennogo radiotehniches-kogo universiteta: Taganrog, 1997; s 110–116.

Вranjuk, S. V. Vpliv nejrofіdbek trenіngu na vikonavchі funkcії u osіb pohilogo vіku [Influence of the NeurofeedbackTraining on Executive Functions in the Elderly] Naukovij vіsnik Shіdnoєvropejs'kogo nacіonal'nogo unіversitetu іmenі Lesі Ukraїnki. Serіja: Bіologіchnі nauki; 2018, 8, (381), s 98.

Shestakova, A. N.; Service, E.; Gorin, A. A.; Krugliakova, E. S. Cortical responses of 7–10-year-old children to easy and difficult contrasts in discrimination of pseudowords. Psychology. Journal of the Higher School of Economics; 2015, Vol. 12, N 4, рр 64–80.

Comerchero, M. D., Polich, J. P3a and P3b from typical auditory and visual stimuli. Clinical neurophysiology, 1999, 110(1), рр 24–30.

Avery, D. H.; Avery, D. H.; Kizer, D.; Bolte, M. A. Bright light therapy of subsyndromal seasonal affective disorder in the workplace: morning vs. afternoon exposure. Acta Psychiatr. Scand; 2001, V. 103 (4), рр 267–274.

Fjell, A.M.; Walhovd K.B. P300 and Neuropsychological Tests as Measures of Aging: Scalp Topography and Cognitive Changes. Brain Topogr; 2001, Vol. 14. № 1, рр 25–40.

Mullіs, R.J.; Holcomb, P.J.; Diner, B.C.; Dykman, R.A. The effects of aging on the p3 component of the visual event-related potential: Electroencephalography and clinical Neurophvsiologv; 1985, 62, рр 141–149.

Polich, J.; and Kok, A. Cognitive and biological determinants of P300: an integrative review. Biol. Psychol; 1995, 41, рр 103–146.

Lubitz, A. F.; Niedeggen, M.; Feser, M. Aging and working memory performance: electrophysiological correlates of high and low performing elderly. Neuropsychologia; 2017, 106, 42–51.

Reuter, E. M.; Voelcker-Rehage, C.; Vieluf, S.; Winneke, A.; Godde, B. A parietal-to-frontal shift in the P300 is associated with compensation of tactile discrimination deficits in late middle-aged adults. Psychophysiology; 2013, 50, рр 583–593.

Chen, Y. N.; Mitra, S.; Schlaghecken, F. Sub-processes of working memory in the N-back task: an investigation using ERPs. Clin. Neurophysiol; 2008, 119, рр 1546–1559.

Wang, S.; Zhao, Y.; Chen, S.; Lin, G.; Sun, P.; Wang T. EEG biofeedback improves attentional bias in high trait anxiety individuals. BMC Neuroscience; 2013, Doi: 10.1186/1471-2202-14-115.

Published

2023-01-31

How to Cite

Braniuk, S., & Motuziuk, O. (2023). The effect of neurobiofeedback training on cognitive functions in elderly people with COVID-19. Notes in Current Biology, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.29038/2617-4723-2022-2-12

Issue

Section

Human and Animal Physiology