Continuous versus intermittent real-time fMRI neurofeedback for training the anterior insula
A Comparative Study of Continuous vs. Intermittent Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback in Regulating Anterior Insula Activity
This trial will try continuous and intermittent real-time fMRI neurofeedback in healthy adults to see if one method better changes interoception and empathy-related responses.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 90 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 30 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Chengdu, Sichuan) |
| Trial ID | NCT07389486 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized trial will enroll 90 healthy participants who are assigned to intermittent feedback from the left anterior insula, continuous feedback from the left anterior insula, or a sham control receiving feedback from the middle temporal gyrus. Participants complete four on-scanner training sessions with feedback and one transfer session without feedback; each session contains five regulation blocks and five rest blocks. Pain-related images and empathy ratings are collected at the end of each block, and a heartbeat detection task is performed before and after the training to measure changes in interoceptive accuracy. An on-site functional localizer (heartbeat counting) is used to identify the anterior insula, and validated Chinese questionnaires capture personality traits.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Healthy adults without current or past psychiatric or neurological disorders who are eligible for MRI (no metal implants, not severely claustrophobic) are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with a history of brain injury, current medical or mental illness, or any contraindication to MRI would not be expected to benefit from or be eligible for this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify which feedback mode most effectively trains anterior insula function and inform noninvasive interventions to improve interoception and emotion-related processing in clinical populations.
How similar studies have performed: Prior real-time fMRI neurofeedback studies targeting the insula and related networks have shown promising but mixed results for emotion regulation, pain, and interoception, so the approach is experimental but supported by preliminary data.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Healthy subjects without any past or present psychiatric or neurological disorders Exclusion Criteria: History of brain injury medical or mental illness Contraindication to MRI scanning (e.g., metal implants, claustrophobia or other --conditions that make them inappropriate for MRI scanning)
Where this trial is running
Chengdu, Sichuan
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China — Chengdu, Sichuan, China (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Shuxia Yao, Dr
- Email: yaoshuxia@uestc.edu.cn
- Phone: 18111297596
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.