Enhanced electroencephalography effective connectivity in frontal low‐gamma band correlates of emotional regulation after mindfulness training

Abstract

Practicing mindfulness, focusing attention on the internal and external experiences occurring in the present moment with open and nonjudgement stance, can lead to the development of emotional regulation skills. Yet, the effective connectivity of brain regions during mindfulness has been largely unexplored. Studies have shown that mindfulness practice promotes functional connectivity in practitioners, potentially due to improved emotional regulation abilities and increased connectivity in the lateral prefrontal areas. To examine the changes in effective connectivity due to mindfulness training, we analyzed electroencephalogram (EEG) signals taken before and after mindfulness training, focusing on training‐related effective connectivity changes in the frontal area. The mindfulness training group participated in an 8‐week mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) program. The control group did not take part. Regardless of the specific mindfulness practice used, low‐gamma band effective connectivity increased globally after the mindfulness training. High‐beta band effective connectivity increased globally only during Breathing. Moreover, relatively higher outgoing effective connectivity strength was seen during Resting and Breathing and Body‐scan. By analyzing the changes in outgoing and incoming connectivity edges, both F7 and F8 exhibited strong parietal connectivity during Resting and Breathing. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the changes in effective connectivity of the right lateral prefrontal area predicted mindfulness and emotional regulation abilities. These results partially support the theory that the lateral prefrontal areas have top‐down modulatory control, as these areas have high outflow effective connectivity, implying that mindfulness training cultivates better emotional regulation.

Can Consciousness cease?: A perspective from Hindu contemplative traditions

“…Reduced alpha-band functional connectivity has also been shown in Mild Cognitive Impairment (Fodor et al, 2021). Increase in long-range functional interactions in the gamma band, also reported by Laukkonen et al in their subject during the NS state, has been previously reported in subjects during mindfulness meditation (Ng et al, 2023)and loving-kindness meditation (Lutz et al, 2004) Split-brain experiments suggest that dissociating the two hemispheres makes it appear that there are two independent conscious agents occupying the same brain, with each one not completely aware of the other's knowledge and actions (Gazzaniga, 2005).…”

“…The EEG markers identified by Laukkonen et al (2023) as associated with the NS state, namely, reduced long-range functional neural interactions in the alpha band and increased long-range synchronization in the gamma band, have both also been reported for mental states characterizable as conscious states in their own right rather than cessation events, such as REM sleep (Brayet et al, 2017)and mindfulness meditation (Ng et al, 2023). Meta-analyses of EEG investigations with meditators can supply a basis to assess sensitivity and specificity for candidate markers for particular meditative states such as Nirodha-samāpatti, and in turn reevaluate the scope of application of term like 'cessation of consciousness'.…”

Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in major depressive disorder: enhanced network synchronization with active relative to sham and deep learning-based predictors of remission

“…In contrast, increased gamma activity in the left prefrontal region in rTMS-responsive MDD patients has been linked to clinical improvements (Noda et al 2017). In healthy individuals, enhanced gamma connectivity has been observed following mindfulness training, purported to reflect emotion regulation (Ng et al, 2023). The increased gamma connectivity observed in the active treatment as compared to the sham treatment group could reflect a mechanism of tDCS effects.…”

Graph representations of iEEG data for seizure detection with graph neural networks

“…The electrophysiological activity of the brain is known to use different frequency bands for different purposes. For instance, recently low-gamma oscillations have been found to be involved in emotional regulation, and high-gamma oscillations seem to be involved in speech temporal information [25,26]. However, the self-regulatory neuromodulation processes of the brain are vastly unknown.…”