Neural correlates of retrieval practice with feedback : an EEG analysis and methodological proposal of Pypeline-EEG for signal preprocessing and analysis

Abstract

From the perspective of cognitive neuroscience, learning involves the acquisition, processing, and retention of information. In the context of formal education, evidence indicates that retrieval practice accompanied by feedback improves long-term information retention; however, demonstrations of its neural substrates remain scarce. The alpha band has been associated with attentional processes, and given that attention predicts several cognitive outcomes, this study investigated whether different review strategies – retrieval practice with feedback versus rereading – modulate the spectral- temporal dynamics of this band. A total of 21 undergraduate students participated in this study, randomly allocated into three groups: an active study group with retrieval practice and targeted feedback, a passive study group with rereading, and a control group. Before the protocol, all participants completed sleepiness and motivation scales as well as the Psychological Battery for Attention Assessment. Two electroencephalography (EEG) recordings – pre and post intervention – were performed under eyes-open (EO) and eyes- closed (EC) conditions. Signals were acquired using the BrainVision system, preprocessed with filtering, artifact removal via ICA/ICLabel, average referencing, and segmentation by condition. Alpha band power was analyzed in the spectral and temporal domains, comparing pre- and post-study measurements across groups. All data processing and analysis were performed in Python using the pipeline developed in this study. The active group showed a significant increase in alpha power in the frontal, prefrontal, centro-parietal, and occipital regions, along with a trend toward decreased power in the right temporo-parietal region after the study protocol. No meaningful differences were observed in the passive or control groups. These findings indicate that active retrieval practice with feedback can modulate baseline alpha activity, suggesting a specific effect of this study strategy on neural processes related to attention and learning. In addition to contributing empirically to the understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying retrieval practice with feedback, this work developed the Pypeline-EEG – an open, modular pipeline designed to reduce technical barriers, standardize analysis steps, and strengthen scientific reproducibility in neuroscience, enabling other researchers to perform reliable EEG analyses without relying on proprietary software or advanced programming expertise.