Chloe A. Dziego, Anthony P. Zanesco, Ina Bornkessel-Schlesewsky, Matthias Schlesewsky, Elizabeth A. Stanley, & Amishi P. Jha. (2024) “Mindfulness-training in high-demand cohorts alters resting-state electroencephalography: An exploratory investigation of individual alpha frequency, aperiodic 1/f activity, and microstates.” Biological Psychiatry: Global Open Science. https://www.bpsgos.org/article/S2667-1743(24)00096-X/fulltext
Abstract
Mindfulness training (MT) programs demonstrate utility as cognitive training tools but there is little consensus on the neurophysiological processes that may underlie benefits. Intrinsic brain activity recorded at rest is posited to reflect the functional connectivity of large-scale brain networks and may provide insight into neuroplastic changes supporting MT. Herein, we index changes in several resting-state EEG parameters to investigate the neurophysiological underpinnings of MT. Resting-state EEG was collected from active-duty U.S. military personnel (n = 80) at two testing sessions: before (T1) and after (T2) engaging in an 8-week MT or active comparison intervention (positivity training; PT). We examined longitudinal and/or groupwise differences in several EEG parameters through parameterization of power spectra (individual alpha frequency and 1/f activity) and microstate analysis. While no significant group by time differences were observed in individual alpha frequency, significant group by time effects were observed in several EEG parameters from T1 to T2. Relative to MT, PT was associated with a steepening of 1/f slope and higher 1/f intercepts alongside decreased duration and increased global field power of microstates. Taken together, these results suggest the effects of interventions may be differentiated in resting-state brain activity in a sample of military personnel. Such findings provide insight into the neural underpinnings of MT-related brain changes, but further research is required to elucidate how these may relate to task-related neural and performance changes with MT, and whether results generalize to other mindfulness interventions in alternative cohorts and contexts.