Bidirectional Alpha Power EEG Neurofeedback During a Focused Attention Meditation Practice in Novices

Abstract

Background:. Neurofeedback and meditation practices are techniques aimed at enhancing awareness and self-regulation. Training of alpha power has been found to increase mindfulness outcomes, and increases in alpha power seem relatively consistent during focused attention meditation practices. Considering the commonalities between these self-regulation techniques, we here examined the trainability of alpha power while engaging in a focused attention meditation, allowing novice practitioners to attain self-regulation with an integrated training. In a within-subject design, 31 participants (25 women, 6 men, aged 23.16, range 18–30) engaged in two types of alpha neurofeedback training conditions, one aimed at upregulating alpha, the other aimed at downregulating global alpha absolute power. Results: Linear mixed-effect analyses showed a differential effect of the two neurofeedback training conditions, indicating that alpha power was overall higher during upregulation compared to downregulation training. While differential alpha power was evident “online” during training, there appeared to be no “offline” transfer, as measured during a resting-state recording posttraining. Conclusion: These results provide relevant insights into the applicability of alpha neurofeedback combined with focused attention meditation instructions that may guide future work into the application of neurofeedback approaches for supporting meditation practice.