Frontal Electroencephalography Asymmetry and Desynchronized Functional Connectivity Associated with Long-Term and Short-Term Breathing Training
Hei-Yin Hydra Ng, Ai-Ling Hsu, Wu Cc, Chih-Mao Huang, Yi-Ping Chao, Tzyy-Ping Jung, Chun-Hsiang Chuang
Mindfulness 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-025-02734-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Two studies: longitudinal controlled trial and cross-sectional experiment Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 82 |
| Population | Participants in breathing training studies |
| Interventions | Mindfulness training Passive guided breathing Active breath counting |
| Duration | 8-week intervention for Study 1; single session for Study 2 |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Electroencephalography Functional connectivity Breathing exercises Training meteorology Audiology Empathy Diaphragmatic breathing |
| Registration | NCT06656741 |
| Key findings | Long-term breathing training reduced delta and alpha functional connectivity in the left frontal region; short-term breath counting reduced gamma functional connectivity in the left frontal region. |
Abstract
Breathing training is a common intervention in self-help training and mindfulness practices. The positive effects on mental health are likely because of the development of emotion regulation. Neuroscientific evidence has shown that emotion regulation can be based on approach or withdrawal motivation, characterized by neurological frontal asymmetry. This study examined the role of emotion regulation in long- versus short-term breathing training with electroencephalography-based asymmetric frontal functional connectivity and spectral power evidence in two studies. Study 1 investigated the long-term effects of an 8-week mindfulness training. Study 2 explored neural changes associated with two common breathing training styles: passive guided breathing and active breath counting. Study 1 analyzed data from 31 participants (mindfulness group n = 17, control group n = 14) who either completed the 8-week mindfulness training or served as controls to examine the neural long-term effects. Study 2 involved 51 participants in a cross-sectional experiment after practicing different breathing training styles, which were delivered through a virtual reality platform. We calculated atlas-based functional connectivity and evaluated differences between long and short term. Study 1 revealed that the long-term breathing training practitioners exhibited significantly reduced delta and alpha functional connectivity, mainly in the left frontal region. Study 2 found that participants practicing breath counting exhibited significantly reduced gamma functional connectivity in the left frontal region. The prominence of left frontal functional connectivity highlights the involvement of approach motivation in emotion regulation during breathing practices. This study underscores the potential for short-term breathing training and digital platforms for practical applications in mindfulness and emotion regulation. Study 1 was not preregistered. Study 2 was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (Number: NCT06656741; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06656741 ).
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 16
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica April 28, 2011
- Meditation leads to reduced default mode network activity beyond an active task Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience April 22, 2015
- Mindfulness is associated with intrinsic functional connectivity between default mode and salience networks Frontiers in Human Neuroscience August 25, 2015
- Influence of meditation on anti-correlated networks in the brain. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2011
- Mindfulness training alters emotional memory recall compared to active controls: support for an emotional information processing model of mindfulness. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 11 more in the library