Visual signals suppress Alpha Power Increases & Frequency Decreases before and after a Mindfulness Meditation Intervention for Problem Gambling
Kaili-Larissa Martin, Farah Jindani, N. Turner, J. DeSouza
bioRxiv June 29, 2018 preprint DOI: 10.1101/359257 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMindfulness meditation has been used effectively for over five years to treat problem gambling, but the neural mechanisms behind the improvements were unknown. Using resting-state electroencephalography, researchers measured changes in alpha oscillations before and after an eight-week mindfulness meditation intervention and a pre/post five-minute mindfulness meditation body scan in people with problem gambling. After the eight-week intervention, alpha power increased and alpha peak frequency decreased, while the opposite occurred after the brief body scan. The largest alpha rhythm changes were in the frontal and temporal lobes, areas involved in reward and sensory processing. These changes may reflect improved attentional control.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort |
|---|---|
| Population | People with problem gambling |
| Interventions | Mindfulness meditation intervention Mindfulness meditation body scan |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Keywords | Psychology Biology |
| Key finding | In people with problem gambling, an eight-week mindfulness meditation intervention increased alpha power and decreased alpha peak frequency, while a brief body scan had the opposite effect. |
Abstract
The use of mindfulness meditation (MM) in the treatment of problem gambling (PG), has been used effectively for over five years. However, the neural mechanisms responsible for the improvements are unknown. The literature describes healthy individuals with an increase in alpha power and a decrease in alpha frequency after eight weeks of mindfulness meditation, but it is unknown if changes are similar amongst individuals with PG. Using resting-state electroencephalography (rsEEG), we measured the changes in alpha oscillations before and after an eight-week mindfulness meditation intervention (MMi) and a pre/ post-five-minute mindfulness meditation body scan (MMb). For people with PG, we observed an increase in alpha power and decreased alpha peak frequency after the MMi, while the inverse was true for the MMb. The most considerable alpha rhythm changes occurred in the frontal and temporal lobes, areas sensitive to reward and sensory processing in PG. Our observed changes may reflect theories that MMi for PG may improve attentional control as hypothesized by previous research in alpha oscillations and cue-reward processing.