BCIwiki (bciwiki.com) — A clinical trial led by The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University is recruiting people with internet gaming disorder to test whether dual-target neurofeedback training based on a brain-computer interface (BCI) can improve cognitive control. The trial, NCT07843615, was first posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on September 28, 2026. It actually began on January 1, 2026, is currently recruiting, and plans to enroll 120 participants.
The protocol addresses three gaps in research on cognitive control deficits in the disorder: unclear neural mechanisms, limited intervention targets and poor patient adherence. The team proposes a disease model in which declining social rewards lead to dysfunction of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dACC-DLPFC) cognitive control circuit, which shows up as abnormal frontal midline theta rhythm (Fmθ).
According to the protocol, the investigators built a dual-target system that combines neurofeedback with social reward substitution, turning social rewards into therapeutic reinforcers to strengthen the intervention. The trial has three arms: dual-target neurofeedback training that activates the circuit and promotes social rewards, neurofeedback training that activates the circuit only, and sham feedback.
The study is being conducted in China. Primary completion and study completion are both expected on December 30, 2028. No results have been posted.