Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback in Patients With MCI

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an insidious and progressive neurodegenerative disorder accompanied by extracellular deposits of beta‐amyloid ( aβ) and the increase of cognitive dysfunctions. Several functional magnet resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in the prodromal stage of AD (i.e., in MCI) have found increased hippocampal activity during a memory task to be predictive of memory worsening and disease progression. In this study the investigators are aiming to reduce hippocampal hyperactivity with real‐time fMRI neurofeedback and test whether this will improve memory performance. This study will use a randomized, single‐blind, parallel group design. Patients with MCI and healthy participants will be assigned to receive feedback from either the hippocampus (experimental group, N=42) or from another brain area (alternate ROI feedback group, N=42). All participants will be instructed to downregulate activity.