An electrophysiological investigation on the emotion regulatory mechanisms of brief open monitoring meditation in novice non-meditators
Yanli Lin, Lilianne M. Gloe, Courtney C. Louis, William D. Eckerle, Megan Fisher, Jason S. Moser
Scientific Reports August 28, 2020 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71122-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Open monitoring (OM) mindfulness meditation control audio |
| Measures | Late positive potential (LPP), alpha power, theta power, self-reported sleepiness |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 17 |
| Key findings | Open monitoring mindfulness meditation did not increase alpha or theta power relative to controls but did increase self-reported sleepiness. Less sleepiness during meditation, but not the control audio, corresponded to smaller LPPs to negative images, and change in theta power between meditation and rest was positively correlated with the LPP even after controlling for sleepiness. The primary hypothesis was unsupported, but the authors suggest that phenomenological and neural changes during meditation may modulate its effects on emotional reactivity. |
Abstract
Despite a growing literature supporting the salutary effects of mindfulness meditation on emotion regulation, the underlying mechanisms linking neural and subjective changes occurring during the actual practice of meditation with emotion regulatory effects observed after meditation remains virtually unexplored. The current study sought to address this gap in knowledge by testing the hypothesis that adoption of internally-directed focused attention, indexed by increased alpha and theta spectral power, during brief open monitoring (OM) mindfulness meditation predicts reduced emotional reactivity, as measured by the late positive potential (LPP). Results revealed that the OM meditation did not produce demonstrable differences in alpha and theta power but did increase self-reported sleepiness relative to controls. Follow-up analyses showed that sleepiness uniquely moderated the effect of meditation on the LPP, such that less sleepiness during meditation, but not the control audio, corresponded to smaller LPPs to negative images. Change in theta, but not alpha power, between meditation and rest was positively correlated with the LPP even after controlling for sleepiness. Although the primary hypothesis was unsupported, the findings demonstrate that phenomenological and neural changes occurring during OM meditation may modulate its subsequent "off-the-cushion" effects on emotional reactivity.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Emotion Self-Regulation in Neurotic Students: A Pilot Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Assess Its Effectiveness through Brain Signals and Behavioral Data Sensors March 31, 2022
- Exploring neural markers of dereification in meditation based on EEG and personalized models of electrophysiological brain states. Scientific Reports October 16, 2024
- Mindfulness meditation alters alpha amplitude without affecting arousal. International Journal of Psychophysiology June 14, 2025
- Alpha-Theta Correlations during the Different States of the Brain for a Designed Cognitive Task International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Research June 30, 2023
- Meditation-Specific Neural Predictors of State Mindfulness During Eyes Open Meditation Mindfulness May 11, 2026
and 4 more in the library
Cites 60
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
and 55 more in the library