Mindfulness Improves Brain-Computer Interface Performance by Increasing Control Over Neural Activity in the Alpha Band.

ABSTRACT: Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are promising tools for assisting patients with paralysis, but suffer from long training times and variable user proficiency. Mind-body awareness training (MBAT) can improve BCI learning, but how it does so remains unknown. Here, we show that MBAT allows participants to learn to volitionally increase alpha band neural activity during BCI tasks that incorporate intentional rest. We trained individuals in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR; a standardized MBAT intervention) and compared performance and brain activity before and after training between randomly assigned trained and untrained control groups. The MBAT group showed reliably faster learning of BCI than the control group throughout training. Alpha-band activity in electroencephalogram signals,

SUBMITTER: Stieger JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7727383 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature