Frontal EEG Asymmetry is Positively Altered by Very Brief Meditation Training Michael Donnelly Ph.D., Jane C. Anderson, Kally C. Valek, Sarah J. Huckaby, Derek A. Wiederholt, Rachel L. Doty, Aaron S. Rehlinger, Brianna L. Rice, Christopher A. Moyer Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Stout Meditation refers to an array of practices to self-regulate the mind and body by means of a specific mode of attention. Prior research has shown that a brief period (eight weeks) of intensive (> 1hr/day) mindfulness meditation training alters frontal EEG asymmetry toward a pattern associated with approach-oriented emotional states (Davidson et al., 2003). The present study examines whether this effect can be produced by a shorter period (five weeks) of less intensive (<.5hr/day) training in focused- attention meditation. Method Twenty-nine subjects untrained in meditation were recruited from a university setting and underwent continuous EEG assessment as they attempted to perform focused-attention meditation for 15 minutes. Subjects also completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) before and after attempted meditation. Subjects were then randomized to either meditation training (MT; n = 15) or wait-list (WL; n = 14) conditions. MT subjects were offered nine 30- minute sessions of focused-attention meditation training across a five week period and were also encouraged to practice meditation independently. Following the five week period, subjects in both conditions underwent a second continuous EEG assessment as they attempted 15 minutes of focused- attention meditation, and once again completed the PANAS before and after attempted meditation. Alpha band EEG data were used to calculate an index of frontal EEG asymmetry (ln[right alpha] - ln[left alpha]) for each subject at 14 distinct time points during the meditation protocols. Higher index scores indicate a greater proportion of activity in the frontal left hemisphere, a pattern associated with approach oriented emotional states. Results Prior to the training period, subjects later assigned to MT and WL conditions did not differ in their frontal EEG asymmetry during a protocol that included 15 minutes of attempted focused-attention meditation (MT mean =.004, SD =.023; WL mean =.003, SD =.025). Following the training period, MT subjects had indices of frontal EEG asymmetry during focused attention meditation (mean =.102, SD =.026) that were significantly higher than the untrained WL subjects (mean =.024, SD =.023) across all time points in the protocol (paired t(13) = 10.78, r =.40, p <.001), which is consistent with the hypothesis that the practice of focused-attention meditation shifts activity in the frontal brain regions to a pattern associated with approach-oriented emotional states. MT subjects also exhibited a marginally stronger reduction of negative affect, compared with WL subjects, in response to focused attention meditation following the training period (F(1) = 3.88, p =.06). Discussion Focused-attention meditation significantly alters frontal EEG asymmetry toward a pattern associated with approach-oriented emotional states, and may also lead to reductions of negative affect, even when training is brief and less intensive than has most often been studied. As such, the benefits of meditation may be more widely available and easily obtained than previously thought. References and Acknowledgements Davidson, R.J., Kabat-Zinn, J., Schumacher, J., Rosenkranz, M., Muller. D., Santorelli, S.F., et al. (2003). Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65, Support provided by National Science Foundation and Ronald E. McNair Achievement Program