Frontal alpha asymmetry during prayerful and resting states: An EEG study in Catholic sisters

Barcelona, Jeanne; Fahlman, Mariane M.; Churakova, Yulia; Canjels, Robin; Mallare, James; Heuvel, Marion I. van den

doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.04.019

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…The strength of this explanation is enhanced when we take note that a relaxed state of mind is more easily accomplished when, as in the present study, subjects are asked to keep their eyes closed. In addition, focusing on one's own body is an important part of mindfulness therapy [106] and the presented outcomes, showing enhanced alpha power over the anterior and posterior cortices when focusing on one's own body, are consistent with the evidence on augmented alpha activity in the frontal and/or parieto-temporo-occipital cortex during various meditation states [107][108][109][110][111][112].…”

Section: Plos Onesupporting

confidence: 77%

Electrophysiological correlates of focused attention on low- and high-distressed tinnitus

et al. 2020

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Objectives The study aimed at determining the EEG correlates of concentration on either low or high-distressed tinnitus. Methods Sixty-seven patients (36 women, mean age = 50.34 ± 12.94 years) with chronic tinnitus were assigned to either a high (HD) or low (LD) tinnitus-related distress group based on THI results. All participants took part in the EEG study comprising two 3–4 min blocks of focusing on either tinnitus (Tinnitus Focus Condition, TFC) or the sensations from one’s own body (Body Focus Condition, BFC). The absolute power and current density of 8 frequency bands in 7 clusters were compared between conditions and groups. Results The most pronounced differences were found in the HD patients in the TFC, relative to the BFC, i.e. reduced power of frontally distributed low alpha (8–10 Hz) and posterior high alpha (10–12 Hz) as well as lower current density of 8–10 Hz rhythm over the right frontal/anterior cingulate cortex and higher middle beta (15–18 Hz) density in the precuneus. The HD, relative to LD patients, in both conditions, exhibited increased low beta (12–15 Hz) power over the left middle area and greater higher beta (15–25 Hz) power in the left posterior region. Conclusions The present study contrasted bioelectrical activity, acquired when concentrating on tinnitus with EEG data collected whilst patients focused on their body. Decreased alpha power and current density in the frontal/cingulate cortex when listening to bothersome tinnitus might reflect greater cortical arousal whereas increased beta power and density in the precuneus/posterior cingulate activity in this condition could be indicative for elevated tension or augmented cognitive/emotional processing of tinnitus sound. Enhanced beta rhythm in patients with high versus low tinnitus distress, observed independently of the study condition, may be due to greater self-focused attention or more active processing of sensations derived from the own body.

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Section: Plos Onesupporting

confidence: 77%

Electrophysiological correlates of focused attention on low- and high-distressed tinnitus

et al. 2020

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“…Regarding the main effect of FAA found in the present study that revealed greater asymmetry for the older than the younger group, it goes in accordance with previous literature which indicates greater left frontal brain activity on older adults [22][23]. Studies on frontal asymmetry have been consistently showing that the left frontal region is more concerned with processing positive emotions, stimuli and behaviors [1,4].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…In spite of this result, EEG studies on frontal hemispheric asymmetry and its relationship with affective psychopathology in older adults are scarce, and have shown contradictory effects. Some research pointed that aging seems to be related with more positive FAA scores when compared to younger adults, indicating greater left frontal brain activity and greater experiences of positive emotions [22][23]. This neural pattern can be explained based on the positivity bias observed on aging, which gives preference to positive over negative stimuli in cognitive processing [24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Frontal Alpha Asymmetry and negative mood: a cross-sectional study in older and young adults

Barros¹,

Pereira²,

Sampaio³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) has been associated with emotional processing and affective psychopathology. Negative and withdrawal stimuli and behaviors have been related to high levels of right cortical activity, while positive and approach stimuli and behaviors have been related to increased left cortical activity. Inconsistent results in terms of depressive and anxious symptoms and its relationship to FAA has been previously observed, especially at older ages. Additionally, no studies to date have evaluated whether loneliness, a negative feeling, is related to FAA. Therefore, this study aimed: i) to compare FAA between younger and older adults; and, ii) to investigate the possible relationships between loneliness, depressive and anxious symptomatology with FAA in young and older adults. Resting electroencephalogram recordings of 39 older (Mage =70.51, SD = 7.12) and 57 younger adults (Mage = 22.54, SD = 3.72) were analyzed. Results showed greater left than right cortical activity for both groups, and higher FAA for older than younger adults. FAA was not predicted by loneliness, depressive or anxious symptomatology as shown by regression analyses. Findings bring clarity about FAA patterns at different ages and open the discussion about the relationship between negative emotional processing and frontal cortical imbalances, especially at older ages.

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“…Previous studies have detailed increased alpha power (Abdullah and Omar, 2011;Al-Galal and Alshaikhli, 2017) and changes in relative alpha and theta power (Vaghefi et al, 2015) while listening to the recitation of the Quran, as well as increased approximate and sample entropy (Vaghefi et al, 2019). Additionally, increased absolute alpha power has been noted during catholic prayer (Barcelona et al, 2020), as well as increased relative alpha power during Muslim prayer (Doufesh et al, 2012(Doufesh et al, , 2014. While these findings related to Abrahamic religious practices differ from those of the current study, an investigation of EEG changes in Carmelite nuns during the recall of mystical experiences found changes in theta and gamma power (Beauregard and Paquette, 2008), with the authors attributing increases in gamma to individuals entering a more absorptive state.…”

Section: The Shamanic State Of Consciousness Gamma Oscillations Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neural Correlates of the Shamanic State of Consciousness

Huels

Kim

Lee

et al. 2021

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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Psychedelics have been recognized as model interventions for studying altered states of consciousness. However, few empirical studies of the shamanic state of consciousness, which is anecdotally similar to the psychedelic state, exist. We investigated the neural correlates of shamanic trance using high-density electroencephalography (EEG) in 24 shamanic practitioners and 24 healthy controls during rest, shamanic drumming, and classical music listening, followed by an assessment of altered states of consciousness. EEG data were used to assess changes in absolute power, connectivity, signal diversity, and criticality, which were correlated with assessment measures. We also compared assessment scores to those of individuals in a previous study under the influence of psychedelics. Shamanic practitioners were significantly different from controls in several domains of altered states of consciousness, with scores comparable to or exceeding that of healthy volunteers under the influence of psychedelics. Practitioners also displayed increased gamma power during drumming that positively correlated with elementary visual alterations. Furthermore, shamanic practitioners had decreased low alpha and increased low beta connectivity during drumming and classical music and decreased neural signal diversity in the gamma band during drumming that inversely correlated with insightfulness. Finally, criticality in practitioners was increased during drumming in the low and high beta and gamma bands, with increases in the low beta band correlating with complex imagery and elementary visual alterations. These findings suggest that psychedelic drug-induced and non-pharmacologic alterations in consciousness have overlapping phenomenal traits but are distinct states of consciousness, as reflected by the unique brain-related changes during shamanic trance compared to previous literature investigating the psychedelic state.

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Frontal alpha asymmetry during prayerful and resting states: An EEG study in Catholic sisters

Cited by 9 publications

References 69 publications

Electrophysiological correlates of focused attention on low- and high-distressed tinnitus

Electrophysiological correlates of focused attention on low- and high-distressed tinnitus

Frontal Alpha Asymmetry and negative mood: a cross-sectional study in older and young adults

Neural Correlates of the Shamanic State of Consciousness

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