Neurophysiological correlates of mind-wandering, towards a predictive BCI-based neurofeedback

A brain computer interface (BCI) able to predict the disengagement of attention, e.g. mind-wandering episodes, regardless of the task being performed bears useful applications. Converging neuroscientific evidence has determined that our ability to remain attentive to a task, over a prolonged period of time, is subject to strong fluctuations. Recent electroencephalography (EEG) studies have identified neurophysiological signals reflecting inadequate task engagement preceding attentional lapses, in particular modulation of P300 amplitude and α-activity. The present study investigated the evolution of neurophysiological signals preceding the report of 5 different levels of attention, from on-task to mind-wandering without awareness, during a breath-counting task and a sustained attention to response task (SART).