EEG and HRV-Based Assessment of Neurosurgeons Training for Anxiety Regulation and Stress Monitoring

A neurofeedback (NF) -supported training is proposed to enable neurosurgeons to learn how to regulate their emotions. Electroencephalographic (EEG) signal and heart rate (HR) of 5 neurosurgeons were acquired in 4 sessions while performing NF-based emotion regulation (ER). Subjects tried to counteract anxious and stressful states through NF, that is by decreasing the power in the beta band measured in the midline areas of the scalp. The assessment of the neurofeedback effectiveness was based on the use of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in combination with EEG. Therefore, EEG signal was exploited in real-time to guide the feedback and also in post processing, together with the HRV, to assess the effectiveness of the whole training. As the EEG signal is concerned, the results showed that the power in the beta band decreased within each session when the ER ability was strengthened, as reported in the literature. On the contrary, the HRV did not exhibit the expected increasing trend within each trial. When considering each the session on the whole, thus computing the HRV on a greater time interval, the HRV during the NF training is typically higher than the HRV computed during the rest and negative baseline phases.