Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a syndrome characterized by a decrease in cognitive abilities, while daily function is maintained. This condition, which is associated with an increased risk for the development of Alzheimer’s disease, has no known definitive treatment at present. In this open-label pilot study we explored the possible benefits of neurofeedback for subjects with MCI. Eleven participants diagnosed with MCI were trained to increase the power of their individual upper alpha band of the electroencephalogram (EEG) signal over the central parietal region. This was achieved using an EEG-based neurofeedback training protocol. Training comprised ten 30-min sessions delivered over 5 weeks. Cognitive and electroencephalographic assessments were conducted before and after training and at 30 days following the last training session. A dose-dependent increase in peak alpha frequency was observed throughout the period of training. Memory performance also improved significantly following training, and this improvement was maintained at 30-day follow-up, while peak alpha frequency returned to baseline at this evaluation. Our findings suggest that neurofeedback may improve memory performance in subjects with mild cognitive impairment, and this benefit may be maintained beyond the training period.

中文翻译：

---

神经反馈可改善轻度认知障碍患者的记忆力和阿尔法峰频率。

轻度认知障碍（MCI）是一种以认知能力下降为特征，同时维持日常功能的综合征。这种疾病与阿尔茨海默氏病发展的风险增加有关，目前尚无确定的治疗方法。在这项开放标签的先导研究中，我们探讨了神经反馈对MCI患者的可能益处。对11名被诊断患有MCI的参与者进行了培训，以增加他们在中央顶叶区域上方的脑电图（EEG）信号的单独上α波段的功率。这是通过使用基于EEG的神经反馈训练协议来实现的。培训包括10个30分钟的课程，为期5周。在训练之前和之后以及在最后训练之后的30天进行认知和脑电图评估。在整个训练过程中，峰值α频率呈剂量依赖性增加。训练后的记忆力也显着改善，并且在30天的随访中保持了这种改善，而在此评估中，峰值α频率返回了基线。我们的发现表明，神经反馈可以改善患有轻度认知障碍的受试者的记忆力，并且这种益处可能会在训练期之后得以维持。