We all know what it feels like when emotions get the better of us—whether it’s anxiety bubbling up before an important event, or a sudden burst of frustration that feels impossible to control. These moments remind us that emotional regulation is not simply about “willpower” or “self-control.” Instead, it is rooted in how our brain networks communicate with one another.
A fascinating study by Dobrushina and colleagues (2020) explored how infra-low frequency (ILF) neurofeedback can gently shape these brain connections, even when people are not consciously trying to change them. The results offer a glimpse into how foundational regulation of the brain supports everything from emotional awareness to higher-level thinking.
What this Study Showed
The researchers recruited 52 healthy volunteers and gave them either a real or sham (placebo) neurofeedback session. Participants simply watched a rocket move across a screen, not realising that its speed was linked to their brain’s infra-low frequency activity, measured by EEG. Crucially, they were not asked to “control” anything—it was implicit.
Brain scans (resting-state fMRI) before and after the session revealed something remarkable. In those who received real neurofeedback, several important changes in connectivity appeared:
- Engagement of executive and reward systems: Areas like the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and striatum became more active. These regions help us make decisions, evaluate rewards, and sustain motivation.
- Enhanced cross-network communication: Stronger links emerged between the salience network (which detects what is important), language regions (Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas), and visual processing networks.
In simple terms: after one session of ILF neurofeedback, the brain’s sensory, motivational, and interpretative systems were talking to each other more effectively.
Why This Matters for Emotional Regulation
Emotions are not generated in one “emotional centre” of the brain. They are constructed through a combination of signals: body sensations, visual and auditory input, and higher-level interpretations. The salience network helps us decide which of these signals matter most, while language areas allow us to make sense of them and communicate them.
When these systems are well-connected, we experience greater emotional clarity. We are able to notice what we are feeling, put it into words, and respond appropriately. When these systems are poorly integrated, however, emotions can feel overwhelming or confusing—what clinicians sometimes call alexithymia (difficulty identifying feelings).
By strengthening the connections between these networks, ILF neurofeedback may support the foundation of emotional regulation—helping us to better notice, name, and manage our emotions.
The Hierarchical Nature of the Brain
To understand why ILF neurofeedback is so effective, it helps to think about the brain as a hierarchy:
- Foundational Level – Body Regulation and Sensory Processing
This is the “bottom layer” of the hierarchy, involving systems that keep the body in balance (homeostasis), regulate rhythms like sleep and arousal, and process raw sensory information. Structures such as the brainstem, striatum, and sensory cortices live here. Without stability at this level, higher functions can easily become dysregulated. - Integrative Networks – Prioritisation and Meaning-Making
On top of the foundations are networks like the salience network, which helps decide what deserves our attention, and the default mode network, which links our internal thoughts and feelings. These systems knit sensory and bodily signals into coherent experiences. - Executive and Reflective Layer – Conscious Control
At the highest level, regions such as the prefrontal cortex support conscious awareness, planning, problem-solving, and reflective self-control. This is the part of the brain we often think of as “willpower.”
The key point? If the foundational systems are unstable—if sleep, sensory processing, or arousal levels are dysregulated—then higher systems struggle. It’s like trying to build a skyscraper on shaky ground.
How ILF Neurofeedback Fits In
ILF neurofeedback works at these foundational levels. By training infra-low frequencies, it taps into the brain’s slow, regulatory rhythms that underpin stability. From there, the effects ripple upward through the hierarchy. Sensory and reward circuits gain balance, integrative networks become better connected, and higher-order executive functions are freed to operate more effectively.
This bottom-up approach is crucial because many difficulties in mental health—whether anxiety, depression, trauma, or attention problems—are rooted in disruptions of regulation at these deeper levels. By restoring stability at the base, ILF neurofeedback provides the conditions for healthier emotional regulation and cognitive control.
Why Regulation is Essential
At its core, regulation is the brain’s ability to keep us balanced—neither too activated nor too shut down. Regulation ensures we can respond flexibly to life’s challenges rather than being swept away by them. It is what allows us to calm ourselves after stress, to shift focus when needed, and to stay emotionally connected to others.
When regulation falters, we may feel stuck in cycles of over-arousal (anxiety, irritability, racing thoughts) or under-arousal (fatigue, numbness, disconnection). Strengthening regulation at the foundational level is therefore not just about symptom relief—it is about restoring the brain’s natural rhythm and resilience.
The study by Dobrushina et al. (2020) demonstrates that even a single session of ILF neurofeedback can produce measurable changes in brain connectivity, particularly in networks involved in emotion, attention, and language. These findings highlight the brain’s remarkable ability to reorganise itself when given the right kind of input.
By targeting the brain’s foundational rhythms, ILF neurofeedback supports regulation at the deepest levels of the hierarchy. This, in turn, enables the integration of emotional, sensory, and cognitive processes—providing the groundwork for greater clarity, flexibility, and resilience in daily life.
In short: by tuning the brain’s foundations, ILF neurofeedback helps the whole system function more harmoniously.
References
Dobrushina, O. R., Vlasova, R. M., Rumshiskaya, A. D., Litvinova, L. D., Mamedova, M. S., Zorina, O. V., & Strelets, V. B. (2020). Modulation of Intrinsic Brain Connectivity by Implicit Electroencephalographic Neurofeedback. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 14, 192. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2020.00192
