Toward strengthening learning of neurocognitive skills via biofeedback for Veterans with brain injury

脑损伤可以深刻地改变一个人的生活轨迹。困难往往与以下方面有关： 在指导认知和情感的多个方面以最佳方式服务于当前目标方面存在缺陷，特别是在 设置挑战。许多经历过脑损伤的9/11后退伍军人可能会从学习中受益 在实现个人目标的同时，更好地调节潜在的认知情绪状态的技能。 然而，学习如何在最需要的时候战略性地灵活应用状态调节技能（SRS）， 在日常生活中是具有挑战性的。 为了解决这个问题，我们之前设计和开发了数字场景，以帮助技能学习; 场景可作为在广泛的认知挑战中实践SRS的系统学习机会 上下文，同时还提供个性化的数据驱动的反馈，以指导学习过程。在这个新 项目，我们寻求进一步加强SRS的学习，利用生理数据反映了潜在的 大脑状态作为个性化的生物反馈在训练场景。为学员（退伍军人）提供 他们的潜在大脑状态的方面是不可访问的（例如，大脑网络活动）可以使 退伍军人学习自我调节的技能。总之，将SRS应用于多个 伴随着生物反馈的各种认知挑战有可能加速和加强有效的 技能学习 9-11后退伍军人与TBI的历史（年龄21-60）将被招募参加这个项目。参与者 将执行一系列计算机化的认知挑战任务，同时具有他们的中心和 监测外周神经生理学。这些调查的初步目标是确定潜在的 生物反馈的有用训练目标，通过探索生物统计变量， 认知挑战以及SRS的应用。基于这些结果，飞行员反馈模型，我们将 设计、开发并集成到数字场景中。参与者将为设计和 通过提供用户反馈的因素，如反馈的突出性，易用性， 利用反馈来调节训练目标的能力。 从这个项目中获得的知识将有助于为技能闭环系统的开发提供信息 脑损伤后的训练在这个系统中，多个强化反馈层（行为表现， 关于技能使用、神经生理学和自我报告的数据）将汇聚在一起，帮助退伍军人学习如何最好地利用这些数据。 提高他们的日常生活能力。这样的系统也将是一个有价值的工具， 远程康复

Brain injury can alter an individual’s life trajectory in profound ways. Quite frequently, difficulties are related to deficits in directing multiple aspects of cognition and emotion to optimally serve a current goal, especially in the setting of challenges. Many post-9/11 Veterans who have experienced a brain injury may benefit from learning skills to better regulate their underlying cognitive-emotional state while working toward their personal goals. However, learning how to apply state regulation skills (SRS) strategically and flexibly when they are most needed in everyday life is challenging. In order to address this issue, we previously designed and developed digital scenarios to assist with skill learning; scenarios function as systematic learning opportunities to practice SRS in a wide range of cognitively challenging contexts while also providing individualized data-driven feedback to guide the learning process. In this new project, we seek to further strengthen learning of SRS by utilizing physiological data reflective of underlying brain state as individualized biofeedback during training scenarios. Providing learners (Veterans) access to aspects of their underlying brain state that are otherwise inaccessible (e.g., brain network activity) can empower Veterans to learn skills for self-regulation. Taken together, intensive practice with applying SRS to multiple and varied cognitive challenges accompanied by biofeedback has the potential to accelerate and strengthen effective skill learning. Post 9-11 Veterans with a history of TBI (age 21-60) will be recruited for participation in this project. Participants will perform a series of computerized cognitive challenge tasks while having aspects of their central and peripheral neurophysiology monitored. The preliminary objective of these investigations is to identify potentially useful training targets for biofeedback by exploring biometric variables that index changes in brain state with cognitive challenges as well as application of SRS. Based upon these results, pilot feedback models we will designed, developed, and integrated into digital scenarios. Participants will contribute to the design and implementation process by providing user-feedback on factors such as salience of feedback, ease-of-use, and ability to utilize feedback to moderate the training target. The knowledge gained from this project will help inform the development of a closed-loop system for skill training following brain injury. In this system, multiple reinforcing layers of feedback (behavioral performance, data on skill use, neurophysiology, and self-report) will converge to help Veterans learn how to best use these skills to improve their everyday functioning. Such a system also will be a valuable tool to assist with local and remote rehabilitation.