It has been proposed that the effectiveness of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) as a cognitive enhancement technique may be enhanced by combining the stimulation with concurrent cognitive activity. However, the benefits of such a combination in comparison to protocols without ongoing cognitive activity have not yet been studied. In the present study, we investigate the effects of fMRI-guided high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF rTMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on working memory (WM) in healthy volunteers, using an n-back task with spatial and verbal stimuli and a spatial span task. In two combined protocols (TMS + WM + (maintenance) and TMS + WM + (rest)) trains of stimuli were applied in the maintenance and rest periods of the modified Sternberg task, respectively. We compared them to HF rTMS without a cognitive load (TMS + WM −) and control stimulation (TMS − WM + (maintenance)). No serious adverse effects appeared in this study. Among all protocols, significant effects on WM were shown only for the TMS + WM − with oppositely directed influences of this protocol on storage and manipulation in spatial WM. Moreover, there was a significant difference between the effects of TMS + WM − and TMS + WM + (maintenance), suggesting that simultaneous cognitive activity does not necessarily lead to an increase in TMS effects.

In recent decades, the use of instrumental methods has significantly expanded the diagnosis of signs of consciousness in patients with chronic disorders of consciousness (DOC). The phenomenon of “covert cognition” was described with their help. This review highlights studies on the detection of “covert cognition” in patients with DOC using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Most types of passive and active paradigms used for this purpose are analyzed and systematized. Special attention is paid to an integrated approach with a combination of different paradigms and research methods. The importance of detecting the phenomenon of “covert cognition” for the neurorehabilitation of patients with DOC is emphasized.

Introduction. The high prevalence of post-COVID syndrome (PCS), which frequently manifests with emotional disturbances, cognitive impairment, and asthenia, necessitates effective rehabilitation methods. One potential approach is electroencephalography (EEG)-based biofeedback (BFB) therapy, though its use in PCS management has been explored in only a few studies to date. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of EEG α-rhythm BFB training on emotional state and cognitive function recovery, and reduction of astheniа symptoms in PCS patients. Materials and methods. Patients diagnosed with U09. Post-COVID-19 condition were randomly assigned to two groups of 10 participants each. The main group underwent 12–15 sessions of EEG α-rhythm BFB training using the NeuroPlay-6C headset with the Neurocorrection of COVID-19 Psychoemotional Consequences protocol, while the control group received identical training without biofeedback. Assessments performed before and after the intervention included: emotional state evaluation (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI], Short Health Anxiety Inventory [SHAI], Beck Depression Inventory [BDI], Psychological Stress Measure [PSM-25]), cognitive function assessment (Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination III [ACE-III], Schulte tables, Stroop test, Tower of London test, N-back test, 10-word memory test), assessment of asthenia (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory [MFI]), and sleep quality evaluation (Insomnia Severity Index [ISI]). Results. In both groups, the training resulted in a significant reduction of personal anxiety, psychological stress, depression, and asthenia. The main group additionally demonstrated decreased health-related anxiety and improved information retention parameters. Intergroup comparison revealed more pronounced dynamics in the main group: greater reduction of general fatigue manifestations, increased immediate word recall volume, and improved retention of verbal information in working memory. The proportion of patients transitioning to milder symptom severity levels on individual scales was comparable between both groups. Conclusion. EEG α-rhythm biofeedback training can be implemented at the outpatient rehabilitation stage for PCS patients.

The paper provides an overview of studies on the use of movement image training and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) for cognitive rehabilitation in patients with neurological diseases. Based on the analysis of studies published from 2004 to 2025, the effectiveness of these methods in recovering cognitive functions in patients with stroke (13 studies), Parkinson’s disease (4 studies), and multiple sclerosis (2 studies) was evaluated. Most studies demonstrated a positive effect of movement image training on the cognitive functions of patients with neurological diseases and moderate cognitive deficits. The effectiveness of this approach is comparable to that of specialized cognitive training. In studies using BCI to control movement image training, an improvement in cognitive functions was also reported. Some studies showed a positive correlation between changes in cognitive indicators and the degree of motor recovery. In groups of patients with normal or near-normal baseline MoCA scores, no significant improvement in cognitive function was reported after a training course. The heterogeneity of the analyzed studies makes direct comparison between them difficult. The results of the analysis of published studies indicate the prospect of using the movement image training with BCI control in the cognitive rehabilitation of neurological patients. However, well-designed randomized controlled trials are necessary to study the mechanisms of the ideomotor training effects on cognitive functions and to develop standardized protocols for assessing their effectiveness.

Статья ретрагирована по просьбе авторов 24.02.2018

Understanding patterns of interhemispheric asymmetry is crucial for monitoring neuroplastic changes during post-stroke motor rehabilitation. However, conventional laterality indices often pose computational challenges when applied to functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data due to the bidirectional hemodynamic responses. In this study, we analyze fNIRS recordings from 15 post-stroke patients undergoing motor imagery brain–computer interface training across multiple sessions. We compare traditional laterality coefficients with a novel task response asymmetry coefficient (TRAC), which quantifies differential hemispheric involvement during motor imagery tasks. Both indices are calculated for oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin responses using general linear model coefficients, and their day-to-day dynamics are assessed with linear regression. The proposed TRAC demonstrates greater sensitivity than conventional measures, revealing significantly higher oxygenated hemoglobin TRAC values (0.18 ± 0.19 vs. −0.05 ± 0.20, p < 0.05) and lower deoxygenated hemoglobin TRAC values (−0.15 ± 0.27 vs. 0.04 ± 0.23, p < 0.05) in lesioned compared to intact hemispheres. Among patients who exhibit substantial motor recovery, distinct daily TRAC dynamics were observed, with statistically significant temporal trends. Overall, the novel TRAC metric offers enhanced discrimination of interhemispheric asymmetry patterns and captures temporal neuroplastic changes not detected by conventional indices, providing a more sensitive biomarker for tracking rehabilitation progress in post-stroke brain–computer interface applications.