An interventional study of Functional Connectivity fMRI Neurofeedback and ROI-Activity fMRI Neurofeedback in Healthy Adult Participants, sponsored by The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-14.
Sponsored by The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
This study will test and refine a type of brain training called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback in healthy adults. Neurofeedback allows participants to view real-time information about their own brain activity while undergoing an MRI scan and to attempt to modify this activity using mental strategies.
The study focuses on a brain circuit involving regions important for decision-making, attention, and emotion. Participants will complete two neurofeedback MRI sessions. In one session, feedback will be based on activity within individual brain regions. In the other session, feedback will be based on communication (functional connectivity) between brain regions, guided by prior knowledge of their anatomical connections. The order of the two sessions will be randomized.
The main objective is to determine whether incorporating information about the anatomical organization of brain circuits can improve fMRI neurofeedback. The findings will be used to optimize neurofeedback methods for future studies, including studies involving psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston is the lead sponsor of 897 studies on the registry; 214 are open to participants now.
Of its 173 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 142 (82%) have results posted.
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Participants will first complete the neuroanatomy-informed functional connectivity neurofeedback session, followed by the ROI-activity neurofeedback session.
Participants will first complete the ROI-activity neurofeedback session, followed by the neuroanatomy-informed functional connectivity neurofeedback session.
Behavioral: Functional Connectivity fMRI Neurofeedback · Behavioral: ROI-Activity fMRI Neurofeedback
Participants will receive real-time fMRI neurofeedback based on functional connectivity among targeted regions within the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and striatum. Target connections are informed by neuroanatomical connectivity information derived from neuroanatomical data. Participants attempt to modulate the targeted functional connections while performing the neurofeedback task.
Participants will receive real-time fMRI neurofeedback based on regional BOLD activity within targeted regions of interest in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and striatum. Participants attempt to modulate activity within the targeted regions while performing the neurofeedback task.
Neurofeedback Modulation Performance as assessed by the mean change in the neural target signal
For the functional connectivity neurofeedback session, modulation will be quantified as percent change in functional connectivity (Pearson correlation-based metric) between targeted regions within the vlPFC-dACC-OFC-striatum circuit. For the regions of interest (ROI)-activity neurofeedback session, modulation will be quantified as percent change in blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) activity within targeted vlPFC, dACC, OFC, and striatal regions of interest.
Time frame: During each neurofeedback session; comparison between approaches after completion of both neurofeedback sessions (up to 2 weeks).
Correlation Between Anatomical Connection Strength and Neurofeedback Modulation
Correlation between neuroanatomical connectivity strength (number of streamlines/projections) and percent change in functional connectivity (Pearson correlation-based metric) between targeted regions within the vlPFC-dACC-OFC-striatum circuit, during the functional connectivity neurofeedback session.
Time frame: After each functional connectivity neurofeedback session.
Perceived Control During Neurofeedback
Participant-reported perceived control during the neurofeedback task, assessed after each neurofeedback trial using a self-report rating from 0 to 10. Trial-level ratings will be summarized for each neurofeedback session and compared between neurofeedback approaches. Higher score indicates better outcome.
Time frame: After each neurofeedback trial during both neurofeedback sessions; summarized after completion of both sessions (up to 2 weeks).
Emotional Experience During Neurofeedback
Participant-reported emotional experience during the neurofeedback task, assessed after each neurofeedback trial using a self-report rating from 0 to 10. Trial-level ratings will be summarized for each neurofeedback session and compared between neurofeedback approaches. Higher score indicates better outcome.
Time frame: After each neurofeedback trial during both neurofeedback sessions; summarized after completion of both sessions (up to 2 weeks).
Change in Session-Level Mood and State Ratings
Change in participant-reported mood and state from before to after each neurofeedback session, assessed using Visual Analog Mood Scale (VAMS) ratings of agitation, strength, confusion, agility, apathy, satisfaction, worry, perspicacity, stress, attention, capacity, happiness, hostility, interest, and retraction. Each item is rated from 0 to 10. Higher score indicates better outcome.
Time frame: Immediately before and immediately after each neurofeedback session.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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