Improving interference control without conflict exposure: prefrontal fNIRS-decoded neurofeedback training.

Significance: Traditional exposure therapy or cognitive training requires repeated presentation of unwanted stimuli, whereas localizationist neuromodulation overlooks individual variation. We propose a closed-loop neuromodulation approach termed functional near-infrared spectroscopy-decoded neurofeedback training, designed to modify prefrontal hemoglobin dynamics and neural activity patterns. Aim: We aim to enhance interference control without interfering stimuli using a data-driven, individualized, time-resolved decoded neurofeedback, potentially offering a balanced compromise and an alternative to traditional approaches. Approach: We employed a randomized, double-blind, between-group design. Both the decoded neurofeedback group (DecNef, Results: There was no significant difference in feedback scores between groups, but the Stroop effect of reaction time (RT) in the DecNef group showed a significant reduction compared with the Sham group, both at post-test ( Conclusions: We proposed a closed-loop neuromodulation approach designed to modify prefrontal neural dynamics, with its core innovation lying in time-resolved individualized decoding. This method can significantly improve cognitive function such as interference control while avoiding exposure to unwanted stimuli and has potential for cognitive enhancement and the treatment of psychological disorders such as phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder.