Hyperfeedback: Syncing brains to improve human interaction

Wider research context Human interaction is vital to our functioning and well-being. Recent studies imaging the brains of interacting participants (so-called hyperscanning) found that our brains synchronize when we cooperate with each other, learn from each other and bond with each other. However, it is currently unclear if we can use interbrain synchrony (IBS) to eventually improve human interaction. Objectives To better understand and potentially improve interbrain synchrony (IBS) we propose to develop and apply a new brain technology that allows participants to learn voluntary control over their brain synchrony. This novel approach - hyperfeedback - combines simultaneous neuroimaging of two participants (hyperscanning) and neurofeedback of IBS. We hypothesize that when participants increase IBS through hyperfeedback training, their interaction will improve. Approach To achieve these objectives, we defined a well-prepared research agenda consisting of three experimental work packages. First, we will implement a customized imitation learning task for which we will delineate IBS performance correlates using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning. The task involves one participant to be a teacher and one to be a learner with performance being the accuracy of action reproduction. The task serves as a lab analogue of interactions such as teaching-learning, therapy, and cooperation. As an imaging modality, fNIRS will be used because it allows participants to move and interact freely. Second, we will elaborate on the psychological and neuroscientific underpinnings of modulating brain synchrony by investigating mental and behavioral strategies for increasing and decreasing IBS. Finally, we will use hyperfeedback training of IBS to enhance performance in our imitation learning task. Carefully designed bi-directional regulation and strategy-only control groups will allow for establishing neurophysiological specificity and excluding motivational, global, and placebo effects. Level of originality The dynamics of our social interactions require studying interacting subjects. Hyperscanning allows us to investigate how brains synchronize during social interactions. We now propose to take the next step by combining hyperscanning and neurofeedback to achieve hyperfeedback, a novel tool for training two interacting persons voluntary control over their brain synchrony. This important methodological innovation will explore new ground in the neural basis of human interaction. It might be a decisive contribution to establishing a novel brain-technology for enhancing social interactions and mutual understanding. In addition to advancing frontier research, it might also allow the PI to pave the way for a visionary next generation of medical brain technologies for burdening psychiatric conditions. Primary researchers involved Kathrin Kostorz, Frank Scharnowski, Stefanie Höhl, Yafeng Pan, Bettina Sorger