title: A novel self-guided approach to alpha activity training.
abstract: Fifty healthy participants took part in a double-blind placebo-controlled study in which they were either given auditory alpha activity (8-12Hz) training (N=18), random beta training (N=12), or no training at all (N=20). A novel wireless electrode system was used for training without instructions, involving water-based electrodes mounted in an audio headset. Training was applied approximately at central electrodes. Post-training measurement using a conventional full-cap EEG system revealed a 10% increase in alpha activity at posterior sites compared to pre-training levels, when using the conventional index of alpha activity and a non-linear regression fit intended to model individual alpha frequency. This statistically significant increase was present only in the group that received the alpha training, and remained evident at a 3 month follow-up session, especially under eyes open conditions where an additional 10% increase was found. In an exit interview, approximately twice as many participants in the alpha training group (53%) mentioned that the training was relaxing, compared to those in either the beta (20%) or no training (21%) control groups. Behavioural measures of stress and relaxation were indicative of effects of alpha activity training but failed to reach statistical significance. These results are discussed in terms of a lack of statistical power. Overall, results suggest that self-guided alpha activity training using this novel system is feasible and represents a step forward in the ease of instrumental conditioning of brain rhythms.
authors: Department of Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands. G.J.M.vBoxtel@uvt.nl
authors: Geert J M
authors: GJ
authors: van Boxtel
authors: Ad J M
authors: AJ
authors: Denissen
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Jäger
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Vernon
authors: Marian K J
authors: MK
authors: Dekker
authors: Vojkan
authors: V
authors: Mihajlović
authors: Margriet M
authors: MM
authors: Sitskoorn
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005123:Eye; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058765:Neurofeedback / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult